The downfall of ex-US Ambassador Robert Olson: Diamonds, diplomacy, and disgrace
Former US Ambassador Robert Olson, once hailed as a distinguished diplomat, has been sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay $93,400 for lying in ethics paperwork and violating lobbying laws. Olson's fall from grace involved extramarital affairs, unreported gifts of diamond jewelry, and accusations of lies and illegal lobbying. His arrival in Islamabad as ambassador to Pakistan in 2012 marked the beginning of a scandal-filled few years, with court documents revealing his risky behavior and vulnerability to blackmail. Despite escaping jail time, Olson's case has shocked the typically rule-following world of US diplomacy.