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The Carlyle Group
The Carlyle Group is a private investment equity firm based in Washington DC that currently controls more than $89 billion in equity capital. By some estimates, Carlyle, which specializes in leveraged transactions, is the largest private equity firm in the world.
Carlyle's current and former employees and advisers include George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, James Baker III, Donald Rumsfeld (Former US Secretary of Defense serving as Carlyle Chairman and Chairman Emeritus from 1989 to 2005), Frank C. Carlucci (Former US Secretary of Defense), and Shafig bin Laden (brother of Osama bin Laden).
Although its role in financing weapons systems is downplayed by firm's defenders, the Carlyle Group has a history of buying and selling Pentagon contractors. 1 Having bought and sold United Defense Industries, the Carlyle group may acquire the Booz Allen Hamilton, a $2-billion government contractor supplying the US spy agencies. 2
Acquisition of Interest in SEGS Plants
In 2005, the Carlyle Group as affiliate of Carlyle/Riverstone Global Energy and Power Fund, purchased, along with FPL Energy, a majority interest in five of the nine Solar Energy Generating System (SEGS) plants. 3
References
2. Carlyle Group May Buy Major CIA Contractor: Booz Allen Hamilton, CorpWatch.org, 3/8/2008 [cached]
3. FPL Energy and Carlyle/Riverstone Purchase Solar Assets in California, BusinessWire.com, 2/1/2005 [cached]