Greens Are Jailed On Corruption Charge
A married couple renowned within the international film industry has been jailed for six months. Gerald Green and his wife Patricia Green were well known and respected figures in their industry but it was involvement in the Bangkok International Film Festival that has tarnished their names.
The Greens were convicted of conspiracy and money laundering after a jury in Los Angeles decided they had paid a Thai official millions of dollars to secure the rights to the film festival.
It was back in September that the pair were convicted of nine counts of violating the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and also seven counts of money laundering.
Interestingly the couple are the first major figures from the entertainment industry to be convicted under these new laws.
The layers for the Greens did not deny the accusations but instead took the angle the pair had created over 140 million dollars of revenue for Thailand and created a lasting legacy for the country.
They claimed shooting of films like ‘Rescue Dawn’ and parts of ‘Alexander’ would not have taken place without their influence and that alone should be enough to acquit them of any wrong doing.
The pair also had the support of some Hollywood heavy weights. The great Kirk Douglas submitted a letter to the jury stating the couple,
“were extremely honest and fair in all of their dealings with me.”
De Laurentiis a famous film director also vouched for the couple during their trail but it was still not enough to convince the jury they should be let off.
It is alleged the deals netted the couple over 13 million dollars; however it is unknown how much money they were paying to keep the rights to the Film Festival.
Juthamas Siriwan, the former head of Thailand’s tourism authority is being accused of accepting and organising the rights to film festival. If he is found guilty of the charge he could face up to 20 years in a prison in Thailand.
It is reported the Greens created shell companies where the money was stored until it was transferred to his daughter’s bank account.
Even after their conviction there is no disputing they have a distinguished career in the film industry.
The Greens career spans almost 30 years working with some of the biggest names in the industry. Gerald Green worked on blockbusters like ‘Salvador’ and ‘Rescue Dawn’. Patricia Green helped to produce classics like ‘Dimaonds’.
They helped to grow the Film Festival in question and attracted big name stars like Jeremy Irons and Oliver Stone.
