Samir A. Vincent, an Iraqi born naturalized American citizen, has pled guilty to acting as an agent of Saddam Hussein's government during the United Nations' oil-for-food program. Vincent pocketed millions of dollars through his actions.

Vincent, 64, of Annandale, Virginia, is the first person to be charged in the Justice Department's ongoing investigation into the program which prosecutors claim was badly mismanaged and abused.

The United Nations program was designed to help the masses of Iraq who were suffering from U.S. and U.N. imposed sanctions against their country. Instead, illegal kickbacks and other forms of graft helped make many insiders rich while the masses of Iraq continued to suffer. The program operated from 1996-2003.

Vincent ended up acting as a lobbyist for Saddam's government, trying to persuade the American government to ease sanctions on Iraq. In exchange, he received the rights to approximately 9 million barrels of oil and the proceeds from their sale.

The Independent Inquiry Committee investigating the case issued a statement saying 'For a considerable period of time we have been in discussions with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York in an effort to interview Mr. Vincent and obtain his assistance in the IIC's investigation. It is hoped that today's developments will allow us to meet that objective as soon as possible.'

Outgoing Attorney General John Ashcroft was pleased with the result of guilty plea. 'We know that from the moment the oil-for-food program was introduced, Saddam Hussein and his agents attempted to subvert it, working the system so that profits were diverted to fund a brutal regime rather than to feed the people of Iraq,' Ashcroft said.

Vincent faces up to 28 years in prison. In a statement, he admitted to breaking the law but said he was motivated by a desire to help the Iraqi people. 'I hope that my guilty plea and my agreement to assist the Department of Justice in investigating these matters will help not only the United States but also the Iraqi people as they struggle to rebuild their nation,' Vincent said.