Two charged in UK's Unaoil Investigation

The UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has charged two individuals in relation to the Unaoil investigation.

Ziad Akle (42) and Basil Al Jarah (68) have both been charged by requisition with conspiracy to make corrupt payments to secure the award of contracts in Iraq to Unaoil’s client SBM Offshore.

Akle, who resides in London, was Unaoil’s territory manager for Iraq, while Al Jarah, who lives in Hull, was Unaoil’s Iraq partner.

A third man, Saman Ahsani, is subject to an extradition request to Monaco on related charges; he was Unaoil’s Commercial Director.

The charges relate to alleged corrupt conduct within Unaoil, between June 2005 and August 2011.

  • Basil Al Jarah has been charged with two offences of conspiracy to make corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and contrary to section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.
  • Ziad Akle has been charged with one offence of conspiracy to make corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and contrary to section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.

Ziad Akle and Basil Al Jarah will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court at 10am on Thursday 7th December.

The investigation is ongoing.

(Source: SFO)

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