"(Iraq's) former Electricity Minister Aiham Alsammarae, an Iraqi-American businessman who got himself tangled up in the hot wires of Iraqi politics, and now faces prison time for mismanaging public funds. Alsammarae somehow escaped from Iraqi custody and made his way back to his home near Chicago.

"But there are indications that Alsammarae may have some problems here in the U.S.: his name has surfaced in connection with the corruption trial of his old friend, Chicago real estate developer Tony Rezko.

In a closed-door session, federal prosecutors reportedly accused Rezko of bribing Alsammarae in order to obtain an Iraqi electricity contract. Alsammarae denies the charges and says he's doing everything possible to clear his name, short of going back to Baghdad where he says he will be killed, perhaps by Iraqis who are only getting a few hours of electricity every day, despite billions of dollars of investment from the U.S. and Iraqi governments."