---
born: 1912-03-27
category: BCCI Scandal
died: 2005-03-26
location: Portsmouth, England
summary: James Callaghan, also known as Lord Callaghan, was a former British prime
  minister who served as a paid economic adviser to the BCCI.
tags:
- Person
- BCCI
- CIA
---

James Callaghan, also known as Lord Callaghan, was a former British prime minister who served as a paid economic adviser to the [BCCI](/organizations/bank-of-credit-and-commerce-international/).[^1] His association with BCCI was part of [Agha Hasan Abedi](/people/agha-hasan-abedi/)'s strategy to cultivate relationships with influential figures and enhance the bank's image.

### Political Career

Callaghan had a distinguished political career in the [United Kingdom](/places/united-kingdom/), culminating in his tenure as Prime Minister. His involvement with BCCI highlights the bank's reach into high-level political circles.

### Role with BCCI

Callaghan's role as an economic adviser to BCCI provided the bank with a veneer of legitimacy and access to political networks. He accompanied Abedi on visits to various countries, such as Zambia, where they engaged in carefully stage-managed acts of philanthropy. For instance, in Zambia, Callaghan was present when Abedi announced a crucial loan and donated money to a charitable trust, actions that significantly boosted Abedi's reputation as a champion of the Third World. These joint appearances with Abedi in countries like Zambia, Kenya, Ghana, [Pakistan](/places/pakistan/), Bangladesh, [China](/places/china/), [Thailand](/places/thailand/), and the [Soviet Union](/places/soviet-union/) served to further BCCI's business development and image as a philanthropic institution.[^2]

[^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. 227-228.