By John Lee. The U.S. Justice Department has filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to seize a Beverly Hills mansion allegedly purchased with the proceeds from a scheme to defraud the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The complaint alleges that a defence contractor obtained more than $700 million from DLA for fuel deliveries to U.S. forces […]
By John Lee. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has responded to a claim that large sums are being lost to corruption in Iraq as donors fail to track spending on post-war reconstruction. According to an article in the British newspaper The Guardian: "The alleged kickbacks are one of a number of claims of corruption […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Commission of Integrity has announced that a former governor of Salah Al-Din province has been found guilty, in absentia, of corruption. It said the governor took bribes of approximately $7 million in return for the awarding of contracts. The bribes included 4.6 billion Iraqi dinars and 1.5 million US dollars, in […]
By John Lee. Shares in Swedish telecom company Ericsson have again fallen sharply, following further disclosures about the its conduct in Iraq, and concerns that it had not cooperated fully with the US Department of Justice. In a statement on Wednesday, the company said: "On December 6, 2019, Ericsson entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement […]
By John Lee. Shares in Swedish telecom company Ericsson closed down nearly 11 percent on Wednesday after the company admitted that some of its employees may have bribed members of the Islamic State group (IS, ISIL, ISIS, Daesh) in Iraq. In a lengthy statement to the markets, the company said: "The investigating team also identified […]
By John Lee. Petrofac shares closed the day up more than 26 percent on Friday, after the company announced that it has reached a plea agreement with the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in relation to bribery in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The Company indicated guilty pleas to seven counts of failing to […]
By John Lee. An Iraqi court has sentenced the director of the Baghdad Star [Najmat Baghdad] housing project to two years in prison and fine of IQD 10 million on a charge of bribery. According to Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, the director giving an employee money to get investment licenses in Baghdad. (Source: Iraq Supreme […]
By Ahmed Maher, for The National. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq corruption: how ministry officials make millions in 'cash for jobs' schemes A part-time job with a temporary contract in Iraq's Industry and Minerals Ministry cost mechanics graduate Yasmine $1,000. […]
Paul Bond has today been sentenced to three and half years' imprisonment for conspiring with others to bribe Iraqi public officials to secure lucrative oil contracts in post-occupation Iraq. Earlier this week, Bond, a former senior sales manager at SBM Offshore (SBM), was found guilty on two counts of conspiracy to give corrupt payments following […]
United Kingdom National Charged with Bribery and Kickback Scheme Involving Iraqi Reconstruction Contracts A United Kingdom national is charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery for his role in a scheme involving the award of millions of dollars of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) reconstruction contracts in Iraq, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael […]
By John Lee. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has made one arrest, and issued a further two arrest warrants, following an investigation into alleged improper payments made by Singapore-registered Leighton Offshore Pty Ltd, regarding two contracts with Iraq Crude Oil Export in 2010 and 2011. The Sydney Morning Herald names the arrested suspect as Russell […]
Australian construction giant CIMIC, formerly known as Leighton Holdings, has reportedly settled a long-running class action with investors over allegations its senior executives had knowledge of corrupt behaviour relating to the Unaoil bribery scandal that hit the company's share price. The class action alleged that CIMIC failed to comply with its continuous disclosure obligations and […]
