European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 21, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 b the stars and stripes saturday december 21, 1991bcci agrees to racketeering charges by the los Angeles times Washington the Bank of credit and Commerce International agreed thursday to plead guilty to sweeping new Federal racketeering charges and forfeit a record $550 million to help repay foreign depositors and Shore up two struggling . Banks it controlled through front men. The forfeiture of All by Cir a Frozen assets in the United states a double the previous record for a criminal forfeiture a will provide a combined total of up to $275 million for Independence Bank of uni no calif., and first american ban shares of Washington. The other half will go into a fund for foreign victims of the Bank s collapse. Attorney general William p. Barr said that the agreement also will provide Law enforcement authorities with wider a Cess to internal Bocci records worldwide providing a major boost to continuing investigations of individuals associated with the Bank.4 firefighters trapped in building die Bracken Ridge a. A the first floor of a burning building collapsed into the basement Early Friday trapping and killing four firefighters authorities said. The fire began in the basement of West Interior services a furniture refinishing business. Flammable refinishing chemicals were kept in the basement. 1 he firefighters were standing on the first floor when it collapsed. The second floor then fell on top of them. 7 Allegheny county police superintendent Robert Kroner said the firefighters whose names were not released were found dead around i . County fire marshal John Kaus said a Rescue team tried four times to reach the four who were trapped in the front of the basement. Rescuers then brought in cranes and other construction machinery to remove the Walls of the building and lift the foot thick floors. An employee discovered the fire shortly before 6 a.m., officials said. At least 100 firefighters battled the Blaze which gutted the two Story Brick building. A it his could take years off the time it would otherwise take to investigate and prosecute individual wrongdoers a Barr said. The far reaching settlement was approved by a court in Bocci s Legal Home of Luxembourg on wednesday the last step in an unprecedented cooperative Effort by Federal agencies new York state prosecutors and court appointed liquidators in three countries trying to Salvage Money from the wrecked Bank. The agreement does not affect pending cases against individuals. Among them Are Federal racketeering charges filed against Bocci founder Agha Hasan Abedi former president Swatch Naqvi and Ghaith Pharaon the saudi arabian tycoon who allegedly helped Bocci gain secret control of Independence Bank and National Bank of Georgia. The most immediate beneficiary of the Deal will be Independence Bank which officials said will get $5 million in Cash right away and More later. Executives at the troubled institution have warned that it could fail by year s end without an infusion of up to $50 million. Regulators Hope to bolster the Bank enough to make it attractive to a buyer. The Money for Independence and first american will come from Bocci deposits and other assets Frozen when regulators Here and in six other countries seized the Bank july 5. Officials said no determination had been made yet on How the $275 million will be divided Between the two Banks. If either Bank fails the Money would be used to reimburse the Federal Deposit insurance corp. Bocci has not been accused of looting Independence or first american but both Banks have suffered after negative publicity associated with their involvement with Bocci. As part of the plea the liquidators will receive about $275 million of Bocci s . Assets. The Money will go into a worldwide fund to repay thousands of depositors and creditors believed to have lost As much As $15 billion when the Bank was seized. M of Christmas tree budget Sonnier right adjusts a tree ornament on Catherine Dawes  mortar Board before the Louisiana state University a fall commencement ceremony thursday in Baton Rouge la. The two psychology minors were among 1,412 graduates. Admiral s inaction leads to removal by Susanne m. Schafer the associated press Washington a the Navy has decided to permanently remove an Admiral from his command because he failed to Lake a a timely action Quot in response to complaints of sex abuse the service said Friday. In november Agni. Frank b. Kelso ii chief of naval operations ordered rear adm. John w. Snyder or. Temporarily relieved of his duties As the commanding officer at the a Tuxen River naval if test Center in Maryland a Navy spokesman said. Kelso a action followed an investigation into allegations of sex abuse at the 1491 Tail Hook association symposium in l As vegas. The Tail Hook association is made up of Active duty and retired Navy pilots and others who support naval aviation. In late october the Navy announced it was cutting ties with the association after reports surfaced that several women were abused at the associations september meeting. At the time Navy Secretary h. Lawrence Garrett Iii expressed a absolute outrage in Light of the reports that a number of women were abused in Public at the association s meeting. According to officials familiar with the situation one of the incidents involved a female military aide who attended the meeting with Snyder. The officials who commented Only on condition of anonymity said naval pilots formed a Gauntlet in a hotel hallway called out Quot admirals aide Admiral s aide Quot As she came by and then tried to rip off her clothes and grab her private body parts. Snyder a past president of the Tail Hook association was not present but was told of the incident the officials said. A Navy spokesman responding to a query about Kelso a action said Friday the Admiral decided to permanently remove Snyder because of Quot a Lack of timely action in directing an investigation into certain events at the 1991 Tail Hook association in Las  the spokesman la. Fred Hen new said Snyder had been transferred to temporary duty at the naval air systems come during the interim investigation. The Admiral now must await a new assignment Henney said. A the a Tuxen station is one of the Navy a chief flight testing bases in the United states. The naval air systems come is in charge of the service s purchases and development of weapons. The Navy has two investigations under Way into the Tail Hook events. A criminal investigation is being handled by the naval investigative service. A broader investigation of the service s relationship with the association is being handled by the Navy s inspector general a no actions have been taken against any other individuals so Fai the spokesman said. When Snyder was first removed from ins command the Navy issued a statement saying that the service s policy against sexual harassment Quot is Clear Cut and firm. It will not be  plea agreements Here Are key elements of plea agreements involving the Bank of credit and Commerce International 11 forfeiture by Cir a court appointed liquidators agree to forfeit by Cir a Frozen assets in the United states estimated at $550 million a depositors half the $550 million goes to a special fund for a payout to by Cir a depositors worldwide. A Rescue fund the other half goes to a special fund to Shore up Independence Bank of Encino calif., and first american ban shares inc. Of Washington. A fines Bocci pays $10 million in fines to Settle state charges filed in new York in july. A amp  sued Over arrest of veterans san Francisco a the american civil liberties Union sued the  on thursday on behalf of military veterans who were arrested for displaying anti War banners. The veterans held their protest during a ceremony welcoming soldiers returning from the persian Gulf War. The lawsuit filed in . District court says military police at the Presidio of san Francisco  installation violated veterans constitutional rights. Six members of the veterans speakers Alliance were arrested and 10 were escorted off the base after they unfurled anti War banners in front of a reviewing stand. They weren to charged but were barred from returning to the base. Military police tried to confiscate the signs which read a vets say no War a said Paul Cox a member of the group. The lawsuit asks that the veterans be allowed to return to the base and that a permanent injunction be granted a restraining the military police from prohibiting the lawful exercise of rights guaranteed under the first  Presidio spokeswoman Rena Davies said the military  comment on the lawsuit. Cox a Vietnam Veteran said the group had marched to support Gulf War veterans but not the  workers fired for watching football Bay City Texas apr five Security workers at a nuclear Power Plant were fired and More than a dozen others were disciplined for watching football on television while on Call in Case electronic surveillance broke Down officials said. Nineteen workers at Houston Light amp Powers South Texas nuclear project were captured on videotape watching the game. They included 17 Security workers Tor Wackenhut corp. And two employees of Ebasco services inc. Plant spokesman Glenn Walker said the Security personnel were supposed to be on Call in a waiting room at the main Entrance but were in a nearby building instead watching the game. The nuclear regulatory commission which oversees . Nuclear Plant operations was advised of the incident but took no action Walker said