Bilfinger SE, the German parent company of Nigerian construction company Julius Berger, has reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to pay $32 million as fine for involvement in a foreign bribery scheme benefiting Nigerian government officials to obtain and retain contracts for the $387 million Eastern Gas Gathering System (EGGS)project.

“From late 2003 through June 2005, Bilfinger conspired with Willbros Group Inc. and others to make corrupt payments totaling more than $6 million to Nigerian government officials to assist in obtaining and retaining contracts related to the EGGS project,” an official statement by the US Justice Department read.

Bilfinger and Willbros formed a joint venture to bid on the EGGS project and inflated the price of the joint venture’s bid by 3 percent to cover the cost of paying the bribes.

“At another point in the conspiracy, when Willbros employees encountered difficulty obtaining enough money to make their share of the bribe payments, Bilfinger loaned them $1 million,” the statement explained.

Under the 3-year deferred agreement, Bilfinger pledged to implement rigorous internal controls, continue cooperating fully with the department, and retain an independent corporate compliance monitor for at least 18 months.

“We are pleased that we have now been able to put these events from the distant past behind us. In recent years, Bilfinger has consistently expanded its compliance instruments and today has a modern and efficient system”, said Roland Koch, Chief Executive Officer of Bilfinger SE.

The Department of Justice in its statement “acknowledged Bilfinger’s cooperation and its remediation efforts.”

In a separate release, the multinational engineering company said it had significantly reduced its investments in Julius Berger Nigeria PLC (JBN) in 2012, in tandem with the scope of its strategic alignment toward engineering and services.

The company has already reduced its stake in the Nigerian business from an initial 49 percent to approximately 33 percent.



SOURCE: http://www.ventures-africa.com/2013/12/us-fines-bilfinger-32m-for-bribing-nigerian-officials/?utm_source=Friday%2C+13th+December+2013&utm_campaign=PR%2C+Africa+Business%2C+Africa+Economy%2C+Africa+Entrepreneur%2C+Ventures+Africa&utm_medium=email

Do whiteman's company also bribe? just like they say,"when u are in rome, u behave like romans". even the whites are not saints. smh

who will the fine be paid to? the US or NIGERIA since the crime was committed in Nigeria?