The ex-US ambassador to Pakistan, Richard Olson, is facing intensifiedscrutiny by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) due to alleged”inappropriate actions,” including his romantic involvement with aPakistani journalist during his time in Islamabad.
The State Department has presented a wealth of evidence against Olson in atrial court, which is set to deliver a sentence next week. The allegationsagainst him have unveiled aspects of his personal and professional conduct,including an extramarital relationship with journalist Muna Habib whileserving as the US ambassador to Pakistan.
Although Olson enjoyed a distinguished 34-year career and retired from theState Department in 2016, newly disclosed court records have shed light ona different aspect of his life, as reported by The Washington Post.
One aspect of the investigation focused on Olson’s failure to report a$60,000 gift of diamond jewelry from the emir of Dubai to his mother-in-lawduring his tenure as the head of the US Consulate in Dubai. Additionally,the FBI probed his involvement in facilitating a Pakistani Americanbusinessman, Imaad Zuberi, in paying $25,000 in tuition fees for MunaHabib, allowing her to attend the Columbia University Graduate School ofJournalism.
The Washington Post’s report triggered controversy by detailing howAmbassador Olson managed his personal and diplomatic affairs during andafter his diplomatic service.
In court filings, Olson’s attorneys argued that he had merely introducedsomeone he knew, which is a common practice for diplomats, and that therewas nothing improper about the tuition payment since he was not in arelationship with Ms. Habib at that time.
Read Top Stories
The Post reported that Olson had undisclosed relationships with severalPakistani women, including Muna Habib, during his diplomatic assignment inIslamabad from 2012 to 2015.
In an article titled “Diamonds, girlfriends, illicit lobbying: The fall ofa former ambassador,” the newspaper revealed Olson’s involvement inarranging financial support for Muna Habib’s education at ColumbiaUniversity Graduate School of Journalism. He introduced Ms. Habib to ImaadZuberi, a Pakistani-American businessman, who offered to cover her $25,000tuition expenses.
Despite his esteemed 34-year career with the State Department, whichincluded significant roles in Pakistan and the UAE, as well as challengingassignments in Iraq and Afghanistan, previously undisclosed court recordshave exposed Mr. Olson to investigations concerning his failure to reportthe diamond jewelry gift and his extramarital affair with a journalist inPakistan during his ambassadorship in Islamabad