In a significant crackdown on corruption, US authorities have imposed hefty penalties exceeding 300% of the bribes paid by companies, including Moog Inc, Oracle Corporation, and Albemarle Corporation, who were involved in bribing Indian entities such as HAL, Railways, and IOC. These firms settled by paying millions of dollars to avoid prosecution.
Moog Inc’s Bribery of HAL and Railways
Moog Inc, a US-based research and design firm, was found guilty of bribing Indian officials to secure contracts with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and South Central Railway. The company paid more than half a million dollars in bribes, with the investigation revealing that the bribes were recorded as legitimate contractor services. Moog settled the case by paying a penalty of more than 1.68 million dollars.
Oracle Corporation’s Corrupt Practices Across Multiple Countries
Oracle Corporation faced charges for bribery in India, the UAE, and Turkey, particularly for its dealings with Indian Railways. In 2019, Oracle India’s sales employees engaged in corrupt practices, funnelling bribes to Indian state-owned entities. Oracle settled the case by paying a significant fine of 23 million dollars after being caught for a 6.8 million dollar bribe.
Albemarle Corporation’s Extensive Bribery Scandal
Albemarle Corporation, a US-based chemical manufacturing company, was caught for bribing Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and companies in Indonesia and Vietnam. The company paid bribes amounting to more than 63.5 million dollars over several years to secure contracts. In September 2023, Albemarle settled the case by paying a fine of over 198 million dollars to avoid prosecution.
Details of Bribery and Settlement Agreements
The US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have exposed a detailed picture of bribery schemes by these firms. Moog’s Indian subsidiary, Moog Motion Controls Private Limited (MMCPL), bribed officials to win contracts for South Central Railway and HAL, while Oracle used excessive discounts to funnel bribes. Similarly, Albemarle’s bribery practices with IOC extended over several years, starting in 2009.
Crackdown on Corruption and its Implications
These settlements serve as a stern warning to companies engaged in corrupt practices, with US authorities taking aggressive actions to curb international bribery. The substantial penalties imposed on these companies reflect the seriousness of the violations and reinforce the commitment of the US authorities to fight corruption globally.
