September 2, 2007 — Oscar Wyatt, the last of the Texas oil wildcatters, is a self-made billionaire, World War II fighter pilot and an outspoken critic of Gulf War I and Gulf War II.

But this week, federal prosecutors intend on painting the 83-year-old tycoon as one of the most unpatriotic lowlifes of recent history.

The government alleges Wyatt’s Coastal Corp. paid millions of dollars in bribes to Saddam Hussein in order to get oil under the botched United Nations oil-for-food program. Prosecutors last week won the right to show jurors notes from an Iraqi official that appear to show that Wyatt tipped off Hussein to when the 2003 invasion would take place and how many troops would be involved.

The trial, set to open Sept. 5 in Manhattan federal court and expected to last four-to-six weeks, could get ugly and give Wyatt, a vocal critic of the Bush administration, and his socialite wife, Lynn, plenty of agita.

But those close to Wyatt claim he is relishing the opportunity to prove that prosecutors have singled him out as the only person among thousands fingered for violating the U.N. program to stand trial.

Wyatt believes it is a vindictive prosecution and that the New York jury will see through the government’s case, persons close to him said.

September 2, 2007 — WINNERS
TROUBLE

Leona Helmsley tosses her female Maltese a mouth-watering $12M bone.

FRANK QUATTRONE

Judge formally approves request by prosecutors to dismiss all remaining charges against ex-Credit Suisse Group

banker.

NELSON PELTZ

Billionaire investorenters into confidentiality agreement with thirdlargest U.S. hamburger chain Wendys.

LOSERS
EUGENE PLOTKIN

Former Goldman Sachs traders pleads guilty to masterminding audacious trans-Atlantic stock-fraud scheme.

THOMAS COUGHLIN

Appeals court rejects house arrest sentence for former Wal-Mart executive, opening the door for a possible

prison term.

HAL PENNINGTON

Credit crunch wrecks havoc on Finish Line takeover of his Genesco.

TWO illegal immigrants were found working as prostitutes after police swooped on a brothel in a Leith waterfront flat.

Twenty officers raided the flat in Ocean Way after two months of covert surveillance. Two women in their 30s, one Chinese and the other Thai, were detained and both now face being deported.

Two middle-aged Asian men believed to be the ringleaders behind the scheme are still being hunted by police.

The brothel was believed to be frequented by gamblers from the Stanley Casino complex across the road, and is thought to have been running for at least a month before a tip-off alerted detectives.

Neighbours living in the new development, where flats sell for 250,000, today spoke of their shock at what had happened.

The two prostitutes were found alone in the first-floor flat in Ocean Way after officers smashed down its door with a hydraulic ram at 7.30pm on April 25.

The women may have been trafficked into the UK to work in the sex industry, but there is no suggestion they were being held against their will.

One neighbour, a mother who lives only two doors away, said: “I know the flat was being rented by two Asian men.

“I didn’t see them much. I saw them with two young girls once, who were Asian too.

“They kept themselves to themselves. I had no idea what was going on.

“My husband and I were having dinner with friends when we looked out of the window and saw all the police.

“We went into the corridor to see what was happening and we were sternly told to go back inside. They said we weren’t in danger, but didn’t tell us anything else.”

Another young mother, who lives on the second floor at Ocean Way, said: “I’m totally flabbergasted by this. When they had the raid I thought it was something to do with drugs.”

Police later returned to question residents over whether they noticed brothel clients entering or leaving the building. It is believed the two arrested women were the only prostitutes using the flat.

Last year, police appealed for help in tracing women who are trafficked into the city and forced to work as sex slaves.

Undercover officers led a three-month crackdown on saunas and private flats in the city in a bid to identify victims being compelled to work as prostitutes.

Two years ago, police raided another flat at The Ironworks complex, near Leith, which was running as a brothel with Oriental women.

A police spokesman said: “We have run an operation in conjunction with our partners the UK Immigration Service.

“This is still ongoing and anyone who has information or may know about people being held against their will or being trafficked in the sex industry should let police know immediately.”