TVIND ALERT

28th December 2009

US Government to investigate $ millions paid to Planet Aid

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to investigate what has happened to more than millions of dollars in grants to Tvind / Humana over the last five years. The move follows concern expressed by Tvind Alert. As already reported here, the US government agency is one of the biggest funders of the Teachers Group, handing over money and produce for ‘projects in Africa’.

Tvind Alert warned the USDA more than a year ago that it was making huge grants to an organisation associated with financial crime, whose leaders were wanted for fraud by Danish police. The USDA initially declined to act.

Danish newspaper Morganevisen Jyllands-Posten reports today that Tvind-Humana receives more funding from the USDA than any other organisation, amounting to more than half a billion Danish Krone ($96 million) since 2004.

Much of the USDA support has been in the form of wheat and soya donated to Planet Aid under USDA’s ‘Food for progress’ scheme. But it is not known what measures are in place to ensure the ‘food aid’ is properly administered once it arrives in Africa, and is not simply sold for profit.

Jyllands-Posten today quoted a senior USDA official, Judith A. Phillips, saying the USDA would in 2010 make a ’serious investigation’ of Tvind and the USDA grants.

Jyllands-Posten story (in Danish)

USDA gives $33 million to Planet Aid, Dec 2008

Hall of shame: how government agencies, charities and big business are giving Tvind millions

27th December 2009

A joint operation by Danish, Mexican and British police has led to the apprehension of Tvind ‘chief accountant’ Marlene Gunst at Heathrow Airport. Gunst is one of five fugitive Teachers Group bosses who fled abroad in 2006, thwarting Danish judiciary plans for a High Court trial. The arrest means the authorities have now served legal papers on her, obliging her to attend court in Denmark.

According to the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, Gunst was apprehended by UK police, acting on a request from Danish police, while changing planes ‘recently’ at Heathrow Airport. The Danes had received a tip-off from Mexican police. After she was served with the papers Gunst was allowed to continue her journey. If she fails to attend court, Danish police will now legally be able to issue an international arrest warrant through Interpol.

The move is a breakthrough because it demonstrates that police forces are working co-operatively to find and bring to justice the missing Teachers Group leaders. According to Jyllands-Posten, the move has stiffened the resolve of Danish police to find and serve papers on the other four fugitive Teachers Group leaders who are believed to be hiding in the organisation’s $10m compound near Ensanada, Mexico.

Police catch Tvind ‘chief accountant’ Gunst in London (Report in Danish)

Who is Marlene Gunst?