An investigation is underway against the French defense company Thales for suspected bribery and corruption, the British Serious Fraud Office (SFO) announced.
A statement, issued shortly after French financial markets closed, said a joint investigation involving the SFO’s French counterparts, the PNF, was underway.
The case did not detail allegations beyond the alleged offenses, although the Reuters news agency, citing a French judicial source, said they were linked to allegations of bribery of a foreign public official , influence peddling, receiving stolen goods and money laundering.
This is an arms contract awarded in Asia, the source said.
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Although based in Paris, the multinational aviation and defense electronics group employs more than 7,000 people in the UK.
She participated in the supply of weapons to Ukraine and in September concluded a £162m contract with the UK government for the supply of 650 lightweight multirole missiles from its Belfast site.
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It was reported in June that police in France, the Netherlands and Spain had raided the company’s offices over suspected corruption linked to foreign arms sales.
Thales is Europe’s largest defense technology company and operates three divisions: aerospace, transportation, defense and security.
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SFO Director Nick Ephgrave said: “Working collaboratively with our international partners is a crucial factor in tackling international corruption and with this case I hope to strengthen the long-standing relationship between the SFO and the PNF , based on mutual cooperation and shared success.
“We will pursue together and rigorously all avenues of our investigation into these serious allegations. »
A Thales spokesperson confirmed the company was cooperating with both authorities in a related investigation
to four of its entities in France and the United Kingdom.