Switzerland Probes Glencore’s Business Practices in DR Congo
Swiss prosecutors have launched a second investigation
against mining company Glencore International AG, this time for failing to put
organizational measures in place to prevent alleged corruption in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The investigation against the Swiss-based commodity miner
and trader has the “same thematic context” as the one opened in 2019 after
prosecutors received a complaint about possible bribery of foreign public
officials, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) told OCCRP
on Monday.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office said it would not further
comment on the case.
Glencor confirmed it has been informed about the probe and
said it would “cooperate with the investigation by the OAG.”
The US Department of Justice has also been looking into
corruption and money laundering allegations concerning Glencore's operations in
the DRC, as well as in Venezuela and Nigeria.
The company is being also probed by the U.K. Serious Fraud
Office.
Global Witness, an NGO that exposes corruption,
environmental and human rights abuses, welcomed the new investigation on home
turf, saying that the company is now being probed in three countries.
Some of Glencore’s dealings have been linked to a wealthy
Israeli businessman, Dan Gertler, who has been sanctioned by the US for
enriching himself through “opaque and corrupt mining and oil deals in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
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