The Exotic Tropic Timber Enterprises (ETTE) was formed by Fernando Robleda as a logging company in Liberia in February 1997.
It later supplied arms to Charles Taylor for his "Operation No Living Thing" in January 1998, in return for concessions, or a license, to harvest the Cavalla Reforestation and Research Plantation in Liberia.
The supply of arms was in addition to cash payments made directly to Taylor.
The Ukrainian-Israeli Leonid Minin traveled with Robleda to Liberia to meet with Taylor in September 1998 to set up the deal.
Minin became chairman of the board of ETTE on 10 December four days before the company was granted the license.