Jill Kelley, a focal point of a scandal which took down U.S. CIA Director David Petraeus, is said to have made a New York businessman an offer to help him win a South Korean energy project, citing her friendship with Petraeus and her honorary consul status granted by the South Korean Embassy.

According to TBO.com, an online media outlet based in Tampa, Florida, and other news reports, Adam Victor, president and CEO of TransGas Development Systems, said Wednesday that Kelley was introduced to him at the Republcan National Convention in Tampa in August. His acquaintance described the 37-year-old Tampa socialite as someone whose close ties with Petraeus would help facilitate a no-bid deal with South Korea on a coal-gasification project. 

She would supposedly be in a position to help broker the billion-dollar deal directly with the South Korean president, Victor told the Associated Press.

Taking her as a bigwig broker, Victor flew her to New York to learn more about his clean coal technology, but soon began to question her.

Kelley sought about $80 million for her matchmaking services, exorbitantly higher than a typical fee which might run into six figures. The figure sounded so outlandish that he began to suspect her and eventually cut ties with her, Victor said.

Kelley is an honorary consul for South Korea, a ceremonial position. But Victor concluded Kelly had little to do in the way of deal-making expertise or connections with Korean leaders.

Back in August, she was granted the South Korean honorary consul status, but she is unknown to leaders in Tampa’s Korean-American community.

After being awarded the title, she applied for a special license plate reserved for honorary consular officers, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said. The state agency verified her consular officer status with the U.S. Department of State in October and shortly after issued her the specialty plate, reading “Honorary Consul 1JK.”

Kim Tae-jin, South Korean Embassy consul, told TBO.com that Kelley does not represent the government. “She has been appointed as an honorary consul. This is an honorary position. She is not doing anything for South Korea.”

Former South Korean foriegn minister Han Sung-joo told Christian Science Monitor that Korean officials, anxious for close ties with U.S. commanders, recognized Kelley as someone connected with both the civilian and official community.

A Korean foreign ministry official said that she should be retired as an honorary consul if “problems” with her are confirmed, though she is neither prosecuted nor sentenced yet.

The U.S. State Department said Thursday that it had nothing to do with South Korea’s appointment of Jill Kelley.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)