Boris Johnson was paid 240,000 after Maduro meeting, invoice shows

"From a private jet somewhere over the Caribbean Sea in February last year, Boris Johnson called his old political adversary David Cameron, then the foreign secretary, to notify him of a visit. Johnson had taken a day out from a family holiday in the Dominican Republic for an unlikely meeting with the leftwing president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, a man whom Johnson, when in office, had likened to a dictator of an evil regime."

"When later questioned about the meeting, Johnson told UK government officials: It is not true to say that I was paid for any meetings in Venezuela. The former prime minister said he had no contractual relationship with the hedge fund Merlyn Advisors. Johnson later suggested he had been acting as a diplomatic backchannel, but weeks after attending the 45-minute meeting, the Guardian can reveal, Johnson received 240,000 from Petermann."

"The revelation is contained in the Boris Files, a leak of data from the office of Boris Johnson, his private office, which receives a taxpayer-funded allowance. The files contain a contract with Merlyn Advisors signed by Johnson months earlier in September 2023. The contract, drawn up by Merlyn, notes that Johnson over a long career has acquired a unique experience and knowledge of domestic UK government politics and international relations."

"For each meeting, Johnson was to be paid a fee of 200,000 worth up to 1.6m a year for eight meetings. The contract was to last two years from October 2023. The company would also pay 35,000 a month to support a thinktank that Johnson was considering setting up in the UK. Johnson did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Petermann said: I have no comment. Please don't try to put words in my mouth as"

From a private jet over the Caribbean in February, Boris Johnson called David Cameron to notify him of a visit. Johnson took a day from a family holiday in the Dominican Republic for a meeting with Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and hedge fund manager Maarten Petermann. Johnson previously likened Maduro to a dictator. Johnson told UK government officials that he was not paid for any meetings in Venezuela and denied a contractual relationship with Merlyn Advisors, later suggesting a diplomatic backchannel. Weeks after the meeting Johnson received 240,000 from Petermann. The Boris Files contain a Merlyn contract signed in September 2023 promising 200,000 per meeting, up to 1.6m annually for eight meetings, a two-year term from October 2023, and 35,000 a month to support a proposed thinktank. Johnson did not respond to requests; Petermann declined comment.

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