. ▁In ▁response , ▁a ▁Palace ▁sp okes man ▁said ▁" This ▁was ▁a ▁private ▁sale ▁between ▁two ▁trust s . ▁There ▁was ▁never ▁any ▁impro p ri ety ▁on ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁The ▁Duke ▁of ▁York ". ▁ ▁Lib by ▁Pur ves ▁wrote ▁in ▁The ▁Times ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 5 : ▁" Pr ince ▁Andrew ▁d azz les ▁easily ▁when ▁confront ed ▁with ▁immense ▁wealth ▁and ▁apparent ▁power . ▁He ▁has ▁fallen ▁for ▁' friend ships ' ▁with ▁bad , ▁cor rupt ▁and ▁clever ▁men , ▁not ▁only ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁but ▁in ▁Lib ya , ▁Kaz akh stan , ▁U z bek istan , ▁Tun is ia , ▁wherever ." ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁a ▁fresh ▁controvers y ▁broke ▁out ▁when ▁the ▁Daily ▁Mail ▁alleg ed ▁that ▁the ▁Duke ▁had ▁bro ker ed ▁a ▁deal ▁to ▁assist ▁a ▁Greek ▁and ▁Swiss ▁cons ort ium ▁in ▁se cur ing ▁a ▁£ 3 8 5 ▁million ▁contract ▁to ▁build ▁water ▁and ▁se wer age ▁networks ▁in ▁two ▁of ▁Kaz akh stan ' s ▁largest ▁cities , ▁while ▁working ▁as ▁British ▁trade ▁en voy , ▁and ▁had ▁stood ▁to ▁gain ▁a ▁£ 4 ▁million ▁payment ▁in ▁commission . ▁The ▁newspaper ▁published ▁an ▁email ▁from ▁the ▁Duke ▁to ▁Kaz akh ▁o lig arch ▁K eng es ▁Rak is he v , ▁( who ▁had ▁alleg edly ▁bro ker ed ▁sale ▁of ▁the ▁Prince ' s ▁Ber k shire ▁m ansion ▁Sun ning hill ▁Park ), ▁and ▁claimed