England has disclosed the truth behind a check of 10 million British pounds deposited into Suzanne Mubarak’s bank account for a book-deal. She has pocketed an advance for the said book-deal to the tune of 10 million British pounds. Her much anticipated memoirs are due for completion by September 2012, and will undoubtedly set her up for her retirement.
Another money scandal among fallen Arab elite has set the corruption police into motion. A fat check of 10 million British pounds deposited into the ex First Lady Suzanne Mubarak's bank account has re-opened financial speculation into her shady fiscal affairs.
Last week's “Rosa Al Yousef” - the weekly Egyptian journal - reports that the British authorities discovered the check while investigating the involvement of the Mubarak family in a number of criminal charges. The check is reported to have been transferred from the British publishing house “Canongate’s” account in September 2011. This piece of paper has been linked to rumors that Suzanne Mubarak is at this moment writing up her memoirs as Egypt's long-serving First Lady.
A Rich Retirement Scheme: From Guineas to Sterling Pounds
It turns out that Suzanne Thabet Mubarak is still chasing the pounds ('Sterling', not 'Guinea'). One could be forgiven for expecting her to set her sights on a humble retirement plan, after the trouble that stashes of state-stowed-away-cash got her landed in last time round, in early 2011. She was accused of skimming funds from Alexandria's new library, amongst other day-light robberies of the good people of Egypt.
At least this time she's earning her Egyptian pounds or 'Guineas' through her own toil. At 71, Suzanne Mubarak has agreed to sell her memoirs for a healthy 10 million pounds, 15.8 million dollars, or 95.75 million Egyptian pounds (Guineas), to be published under the title of “Egypt’s First Lady, 30 Years on The Throne”. It seems she is looking out for her retirement and cannot depend on the state for a pension scheme. Financially, this small fortune should tide her over for a while, especially if she has to surrender embezzled or wrongfully obtained funds.
Money, money, money
The British publishing house “Canongate” offered Suzanne Mubarak a one-year agreement to compose and complete her memoirs, which are already arousing public intrigue. The final draft is due for submission by September 2012.
In the agreement between "Canongate" and Suzanne Thabet Mubarak, it appears that she insisted that the check be made out to her personally, with exclusive power to cash the 10 million-pound sum. The discovery of the secret bank account in Chile, carrying the account number of 6070850, showed that the amount had been transferred in September 2011.
The check itself can be traced from its blue stamp mark carrying the number 7004628 to the British publishing house’s account. Scotland Yard- the British Metropolitan Police Squad- discovered the check after learning of the agreement between Suzanne Thabet and the publishing house "Canongate", which sent two of its representatives to Cairo to meet with Suzanne, for the signing and finalizing of full rights to publish her memoirs.
Within 48 hours of signing the agreement, the sum had been transferred to a secret bank account at "Banco del Estado" in Chile in the name of Suzanne Mubarak. This bank is known to hold several accounts of ex-heads-of-sate such as the late Gaddafi and Saddam Hussien.
Judging a Book by its Pound Signs
This 500-page hand-written biography may bring to light some of the human side to the Mubaraks' political dramas - of high-living and hard-falling at the end. The chapters promise to deliver 'behind the news' emotions at the moment of arrest, and the time of Mubarak's forced resignation. With a year deadline, she probably has ample time to craft her work while still on trial.
Among the details disclosed is her delight over being referred to as 'her majesty'. She opens her tale on the day of her arrest, May 17, 2011, and her 15-day initial detention. She references the on-going investigations.
Also featured are tidbits such as her penchant for Agatha Christie crime novels and Alfred Hitchcock thrillers. Her idols include the late Queen Nazli, mother of the Late King Farouq, notorious for her extensive jewelry collection. She discloses her naked fear of her own fate.
The memoir also tells that the former chief of presidential staff, Zachariah Azmi, destroyed Mubarak’s archives in the final days before the regime's collapse. She goes on to say that husband Hosni Mubarak performed the holy pilgrimage of Hajj seven times, as well as the Omrah (a mini-version) a staggering 23 times.
But the ultimate revelation that she spills in her memoirs is the fact that Hosni Mubarak’s favorite son was the elder Alaa, the a-political business man, and not Jamal (the apparent heir to father's 'throne').
