12852: Jean-Claude Duvalier's fortune

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

>From Bob Corbett:

In this discussion of Aristide's wealth, I am reminded of a great
moment on an interview that Barbara Walters did with Jean-Claude
and Michelle Duvalier shortly after they fled to France.  Walters
had tons of documents about vast expenditures about which she questioned
mainly Michelle Duvalier.  Finally she came to Jean-Claude and asked
about his own vast wealth.  She pointed out the very small salary
he earned and then cited evidence of his vast wealth. She asked:

How is this possible.

With a complete straight face and great sincerity he replied:  "I made
a great deal of money in currency exchange."  The interview cut to a
commercial at this point, but Walters' partner, I think it was Peter
Jennings, but I don't recall, commented: "Wow, those must have been
SOME exchange rates."

Walters and Jennings were simply astonished at how innocent the Duvaliers
presented themselves and their financial dealings, mainly explaining their
vast wealthy, by saying "that's just the way it's always been done in
Haiti."

I suspect there's some of that active in today's situation.

Bob Corbett