The illicit diamonds are hitting a market that, it turns out, is not as immune to the world recession as it seemed.

DeBeers has repeatedly maintained that it does not buy illicit diamonds.

American and European officials say, though, that while most of DeBeers' trade may be legal, its dealers also buy illicit diamonds.

"Once you were offered a hundred thousand pounds: illicit diamonds, and you couldn't bring yourself to take them."

Human rights groups were accusing it of buying illicit diamonds from African rebels and rulers who used the proceeds to help pay for their wars.

But as for the Guineans - did they deal in illicit diamonds?

"Because of weaknesses of the system," it said, "the United States cannot ensure that illicit rough diamonds are not traded."

The husband, wanting nothing to do with his famous wife, isn't lost and is in Africa attempting to use money he embezzled to purchase illicit diamonds.

A separate effort to combat the sale of illicit diamonds is under way at an international conference in Botswana this week.

Blood diamonds are illicit diamonds procured from war zones and used to fund conflict.