Clark Clifford was a prominent American attorney and government official who advised Democratic presidents since [[Harry S. Truman|Truman]].[^1] He served as chairman of [[First American Bank]] and was chief U.S. counsel to [[Bank of Credit and Commerce International|BCCI]].[^1] ### Political and Legal Career Clifford arrived in [[Washington, D.C.]] in 1945 as a naval aide at the White House.[^2] He was a principal architect of "Fair Deal" politics and a co-author of the [[National Security Act of 1947]], which established the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] and the [[National Security Council]].[^2] He was a key figure in the creation of the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] and participated in the formulation of the [[Truman Doctrine]], a policy of Soviet containment.[^2] He advised [[John F. Kennedy]] after the [[Bay of Pigs Invasion]] and served as Secretary of Defense under [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], leading efforts to extricate the United States from [[Vietnam]].[^2] Clifford also counseled [[Jimmy Carter]] on the [[Panama Canal Treaty]] and acted as his special envoy to Greece, Turkey, and India.[^2] After leaving government service, Clifford maintained a private law practice, representing major corporations such as Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, Time Incorporated, and General Electric.[^2] He was known for his ability to navigate political complexities and his influence in Washington.[^2] ### Involvement with BCCI Clifford became involved with BCCI through his association with [[Bert Lance]], who introduced him to [[Agha Hasan Abedi]].[^2] Clifford and his law partner, [[Robert Altman]], were instrumental in BCCI's secret acquisition of [[Financial General Bankshares]], which later became First American Bank.[^3] They served as BCCI's lead counsel in the United States and were paid substantial legal fees for their work.[^4] Clifford and Altman were accused of lying to U.S. banking regulators about BCCI's secret ownership of First American Bank.[^10] In February 1988, they sold a large portion of their First American stock to a BCCI front man, making significant profits.[^6] This transaction occurred amidst growing scrutiny of BCCI's activities. In July 1992, Clifford and Altman were indicted by a New York grand jury on charges of bribery and fraud related to their involvement with BCCI.[^7] ### Footnotes [^1]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, p. 9. [^2]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, pp. 181-187. [^3]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, p. 194. [^4]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, p. 217. [^5]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, p. 30. [^6]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, p. 215. [^7]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, p. 14.