Man pleads guilty to bribing U.N. official

NEW YORK, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. authorities in New York said an Indian businessman pleaded guilty to bribing a former senior U.N. official to obtain $50 million in contracts.

Nishan Kohli, who worked for a state-owned Indian company, admitted to bribing Sanjay Bahel, who was at the time a high-ranking U.N. purchasing official, with cash, a cell phone and a discounted Manhattan apartment in exchange for business contracts between 1998 and 2003, The Washington Post reported Friday.

The confession was announced by Michael Garcia, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, who said Kohli could be sentenced to 10 years in prison.

"He has made a mistake, and he's contrite about it," Jacob Laufer, Kohli's attorney, told the Post. He said his client has agreed to cooperate with the ongoing corruption investigation at the United Nations.

Bahel pleaded innocent in November to charges stemming from the alleged deals. His lawyer, Richard Herman, said the former official never used his influence to show Kohli's business any favoritism and he "unequivocally" denied any cash bribes.