![UN report accuses former oil-for-food chief of taking thousands in bribes](https://www.jurist.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/jurist-white-text.png)
[JURIST] A new report released Monday by a UN panel accused Benon Sevan [UN profile], the former head of the UN Oil-for-Food Program [official website; JURIST news archive], of taking almost $150,000 in bribes. The Third Interim Report [PDF text; press release] by the Independent Inquiry Committee [official website] also urged UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to lift Sevan's UN-granted immunity for the "purposes of a criminal investigation". Sevan resigned on Sunday [JURIST report] from an honorary position at the UN despite denying the charges. BBC News has more.