The Public Prosecutor is looking into the role of Dutch banks and law firms in the bribe affair telecom company Vimpelcom. That says Marianne Blush, chief public in the fight against fraud and corruption specialist Functional Court, in an interview with Het Financieele Dagblad.
Thursday made it OM known to the Russian Vimpelcom, one of the six largest telecommunications companies in the world, has reached a settlement of $ 795 million. half of that amount goes to the US authorities, together with the Netherlands and some other countries have done research. Vimpelcom, which has its headquarters are in Amsterdam, is suspected of bribery and official forgery around and after accession to the Uzbek telecom market. It concerns the period from 2006 to 2012.
Gibraltar
the telecom companies TeliaSonera (Swedish-Finnish) and MTS (Russian) suspected of corruption in Uzbekistan. A 79-page document from the US Department of Justice (read the piece here – pdf) shows that bribes partly run on ING bank, the former Fortis, Amsterdam Trade Bank and a Dutch office of Svenska Handelsbanken. In response, ING does not of course know to respond to questions from the authorities, but to give any comment publicly. Also ran a bribe transaction TeliaSonera of $ 220 million for the third account of the law firm Houthoff Buruma. From that bill went through the former Fortis Netherlands to a mailbox company in Gibraltar.
Gatekeeper
Chief Public Blush reported emphatically that the OM look at the behavior of the banks and the law firm: “We always look how everything has gone exactly and who is the role played by. Furthermore, we always investigate this kind of look at the role of facilitators, people or institutions who have made corruption possible. It not only looks at possible criminal impropriety, but also whether for instance the gatekeeper function is filled in properly.
From such for example, research can prove that there had been no violation of criminal law, but that there was reprehensible act. In that case, we will report it to the supervisor or submit a complaint to the disciplinary authority of the relevant profession.
External monitor
part of the settlement is that appointed the American justice for three years for someone to Vimpelcom go watch the “compliance”:
Astute official
the Dutch study, like in the big Ivy-business (real estate fraud) started an observant officer of the Inland Revenue. “Simultaneously, a request for assistance came in,” says Blush. The study is not only collaborated with the US with “a handful” other countries
Country names do not call the Chief:. “I will not hamper investigations in other countries. “the settlement does not mean the end of the matter. The prosecution is still investigating several suspects and companies who do not belong to the Vimpelcomconcern. Names do not mention it. “But our aim is, if the evidence is there, bring some suspects to justice. And that can be seen close collaboration between a number of countries, however a foreign court. “
Clear signal
How was the collaboration with Uzbekistan? “There was no cooperation needed with the Uzbeks. Vimpelcom has handed us an internal investigation into the affairs of that country asked whether it is not surprising that it accepts OM evidence of the accused says Blush ‘. We do have everything that was in that study can verify yourself . Was it for example that money had gone somewhere, we could verify that it was indeed gotten there. “
Multinational enterprises under Netherlands via other structures set up so they evade tax, are under attack internationally. How should we see the settlement with Vimpelcom in this discussion? Blush: ‘Our aim is to give a clear signal. If you walk through the Netherlands activities, you must abide by the laws and rules that apply here. Point. If not, then we strike hard. Corruption not only undermines the economy, but it also makes for unstable societies.
Read the statement of the facts of the OM
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