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back to article UN corruption cops commence probe into domain-name and patent body WIPO

The global domain-name and patents agency WIPO (the World Intellectual Property Organisation) is under investigation by the UN's corruption investigation unit – the Office of Internal Oversight – The Register can reveal. UN investigators based in Vienna have opened a preliminary investigation into allegations of DNA theft, …

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  1. Jimmy2Cows Silver badge

    Just to say about ignoring cheaper bids...

    He is also accused of overruling an IT procurement decision in favour of a bid from an acquaintance, despite cheaper bids being on the table.

    Not making a judgement about whether or not the deal was... questionable... but the cheapest bid is not always the best one. The sensible choice looks at the value of each bid, and the cheapest bid rarely offers the best overall value.

    The guy seems bent as a nine-bob note, and given his position of power there's a good chance he is, but overriding the cheaper bid isn't necessarily dodgy and the fact it went to an acquaintance may be irrelevant.

    7 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Diplomatic Immunity

      Why do companies like this have Diplomatic immunity to begin with??

      It's as bad a FIFA having diplomatic immunity in South American countries.

      1 0 Reply
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Just to say about ignoring cheaper bids...

      > Not making a judgement about whether or not the deal was... questionable... but the cheapest bid is not always the best one

      Have you read the report referenced by (and linked to in) the article?

      1 0 Reply
  2. Jason Hindle

    So...

    - Headquartered in Switzerland

    - Thinks it's above the law

    - Does what the hell it wants.

    Nope, I'm not finding anything to draw parallels with.

    9 0 Reply
  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Examine your own house

    before you cast aspersions upon others.

    UN, FIFA, WIPO all corrupt and you want more overreaching corrupt politicians to have even more power over your lives?

    1 4 Reply
  4. Alistair

    This fellow seems to have no friends

    At least where he works. Its apparent that he has managed to seriously piss off a few in his office.

    He is in a position that not only wields power directly, but has lateral affect to numerous countries, legal systems and commercial entities. Considering the current weight of Intellectual Property around the world, and the number of large international entities that stand to gain from his direct action, his position should be so clean it squeaks. Hell, that position should be held by someone with the moral stature of M. Ghandi.

    Real life, however is not so accommodating. It is about time (considering the accusations) that OIOS got involved. Either he gets strung up for dodgy stuff or he's clean. At least now we stand a chance of finding out. <it may be a SLIM chance, but we stand a chance>

    5 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      WTF?

      Re: This fellow seems to have no friends

      Ever consider that having leverage on the head of WIPO may have been part of the selection process? Over and over we find the people with oversight and/or control of finances are flawed. One would think we would be able to select properly after six millenia of practice unless the flawed outcome were the desired result. Just a bit of applying process engineering insight to a social process.

      5 0 Reply
  5. Alister
    Pint

    Worry Gurry, super scurry, call the troops out in a hurry

    neunundneunzig luftballons

    Good old Nena.

    6 0 Reply
  6. AndyFl

    FIFA Link

    Considering that FIFA are being investigated for Brazil corruption (amongst other things) where they were joined at the hip with WIPO it is a pretty good guess that WIPO are a target too.

    So what will the UN do? Easy, start a quick investigation of WIPO to demonstrate they are active in anti-corruption and dig up the dirt before the Swiss and USA authorities publish embarrassing information. Having read previous stories it is obvious that there has been significant misbehaviour over several years from the top so public embarrassment is certain if they are not quick to do something.

    It is a pity that they are not going to investigate WIPO UDRP Panel decisions at the same time which always always seem to support the complainant who is paying their fees.

    Ho hum

    andy

    1 0 Reply
  7. Bucky 2

    I think I'm sick

    ...because I found the article hilarious.

    1 0 Reply
  8. Herby

    Shocked!

    A UN agency that is corrupt? I'm shocked. Shocked I say.

    I'd probably be more shocked to find a UN agency that ISN'T corrupt. I suspect these are few and far between.

    2 0 Reply
    1. Crazy Operations Guy
      Reply Icon

      Re: Shocked!

      You can expand that to any agency, ever. Absolute power absolutely corrupts after all...

      1 0 Reply
  9. Drew 11

    Ah Francis. The man that once suggested the Internet would have been better off if it was patented.

    He's always batting on about how "cybersquatting" is rife and destroying intellectual property, yet in 2011 only 9000 domains UDRP'd out of 220 MILLION total domains. See: http://www.circleid.com/posts/20120516_2011_udrp_filings_up_at_wipo_down_at_naf_and_still_infinitesimal/

    The guy is a joke. Seeing him taken down a peg or two would be quite enjoyable.

    6 0 Reply

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