Britain’s Serious Fraud Office announced charges against the GPT project’s Special management and three people in relation to a criminal investigation launched eight years ago into allegations of misconduct in Saudi Arabia, Compliance Week reports.
The SFO launched an investigation into GPT, a subsidiary of aerospace giant Airbus, in August 2012 in connection with the award of a 2 billion pound (us $ 2,6 billion) contract for high-level intranet and communications work for the Saudi national guard. According to the SFO, the corruption activity occurred between January 2007 and December 2012. In addition to the company, the SFO also filed charges against GPT’s former managing Director, Geoffrey Cook, and John Mason, the Finance Director and co-owner of GPT’s subcontractors and foreign registered companies Simec and Duranton.
Cook was also accused of “misconduct in public office” between September 2004 and November 2008 in connection with a Commission paid to him on contracts he entered into with ME consultants for the Department of defense, where he worked. Terence Dorothy was charged with aiding and abetting this crime.
The case against all four will go to Westminster magistrates ‘ court on September 14.
In an annual report published in June 2019, GPT stated that it plans to cease operations on December 31, 2019, when its contract with the Ministry of defense expires.
Earli anticorr.media reported that law enforcement agencies from 83 countries have eliminated 19 organized criminal groups and arrested 406 suspects during a six-month operation aimed at illegal trafficking in counterfeit and substandard food and beverages.
