What Sanctions? Assad allies got $18 million in UN Syria payouts
The United Nations paid at least $18 million last year to companies with close ties to Bashar Assad, some of them run by cronies of the Syrian president who are on U.S. and European Union blacklists.
Contracts for telecommunications and security were awarded to regime insiders including Rami Makhlouf, Assad's cousin. UN staff ran up a $9.5 million bill…
