Title: Oil Industry Insiders Knew About Timor’s Alleged Tax Fraudster Years Ahead of Government: Documents Show

Shocking Revelation of Oil Industry’s Knowledge of Bobby Boye’s Alleged Malfeasance

New information reveals that at least a dozen individuals in the oil and gas industry were aware of consultant Bobby Boye’s alleged tax fraudsters years before it was publicly acknowledged by the East Timorese government.

Suspicions about Bobby Boye: ConocoPhillips and Others Express Concerns

Emails obtained by Fairfax Media and interviews with industry insiders show that suspicions about Boye’s past date back to December 2010. Senior staff at ConocoPhillips and other oil companies expressed concerns about Boye’s background despite his significant role in East Timor’s revenue service.

• Concerns were raised about Boye’s past before his role in leaking sensitive taxation information
• Several attempts were made to report concerns to East Timor’s customs and revenue service but went unaddressed
• ConocoPhillips chose not to take further action due to Boye’s more disturbing past

Serious Issues with Opus & Best: $3.5 Million Siphoned Off from East Timor’s Treasury

By mid-2012, oil company staff were aware of serious issues surrounding the lucrative tax advice contract awarded to Opus & Best, a company secretly owned by Boye. He used it to siphon off $3.5 million from East Timor’s already impoverished treasury.

Absence of Information Shared with the East Timorese Government: “Shocking and Appalling”

Industry insiders expressed their shock and disappointment at the companies’ refusal to share their concerns with the East Timorese government.

“The absence of information shared is shocking and appalling.” - Pierre-Richard Prosper, Arent Fox

Oil Industry’s Silence: A Potential Consequence

East Timor’s tax dispute with ConocoPhillips, now before arbitration in Singapore, is estimated to be worth over $350 million. The fraud committed by Boye represents just a small fraction of this figure but highlights the potential consequences of the oil industry’s silence.

Companies’ Response: No Comment on Specific Questions

ConocoPhillips and its joint venture partners were contacted for comment but declined to answer specific questions regarding when they first discovered concerns about Boye, any previous investigations, and why they did not inform the East Timorese government.

Anonymous Source: Everyone in the Industry was Aware but Kept it to Themselves

One oil industry source stated that everyone in the industry was aware of Boye’s past but chose to keep it to themselves.

“They kept it in their back pocket.” – Anonymous Industry Source

It is likely that Conoco’s planned appeals against adverse tax assessments was the reason for withholding the information.