Blackwater Founder Moves to Abu Dhabi

The rumors were true: Blackwater founder Erik Prince has up and moved to Abu Dhabi, according to court documents. Sources say the former Navy Seal hopes to provide security services to African and Middle Eastern governments—and escape the bad press and legal scrutiny he's faced here. “He needs a break from America,” said one colleague.

Though Prince does not face any criminal charges (five of his top deputies have been indicted), he faces a civil lawsuit brought by former employees who accuse him of defrauding the government, notes the New York Times. To avoid giving a deposition in the States, his lawyer stated Prince had moved to Abu Dhabi so that his children could begin school there Aug. 15; he'll be deposed in the UAE next week. As we previously noted, the UAE doesn't have an extradition treaty with the US. (More United Arab Emirates stories.)