German
construction company Bilfinger says it is investigating claims employees in
Brazil paid bribes to officials in connection with orders to supply security
centers to Brazilian host cities for the 2014 World Cup.
Deutsche Welle, 22 March 2015
In a
statement released on Sunday on Bilfinger SE's website, the company said it had
launched a "comprehensive investigation" into an outside auditor and
a law firm's involvement in "suspected bribery payments from employees of
a Bilfinger company in Brazil to public officials and employees of state
companies."
The
allegations relate to orders to equip security command centers at 12 host
cities during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The company
said the probe, involving auditors Ernst & Young and Deloitte, plus a
specialized law firm in Brazil, showed that "suspicions have now been
substantiated," although the investigation has not yet been completed,
such as how much was paid to each player.
The
construction company is accused of paying bribes to secure a contract worth
more than 20 million euros ($21.6 million) for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil
through its subsidiary Mauell, reported German tabloid Bild am Sonntag on
Sunday.
The newspaper
reported that illegal payments went to local Brazilian politicians and
officials from world football's governing body, FIFA.
FIFA
dismissed the allegations on Sunday, saying it had no influence on the project,
and refuted claims its staff were bribed.
"Traffic
control and security centers in the 12 FIFA 2014 World Cup venues was the
responsibility of local governments. Neither FIFA, nor their employees, were
involved in the awarding of contracts for host cities or the federal
government," it said in a statement.
Bilfinger
announced on Sunday that it received internal communication last year and
immediately started an investigation into the corruption allegations by
Bilfinger in Brazil.
"The
company and its supervisory board have an interest in ensuring this is cleared
up," the group's supervisory board chairman Eckhard Cordes told Bild.
"If
the allegations are proven, we will take action with regard to personnel and
will initiate legal steps," an unnamed company spokesperson said.
At the 12
host city venues for the 2014 World Cup, Bifinger had over 1,500 security
monitor walls and the appropriate software needed to run the security command
centers for police, fire and emergency services.
jlw/msh (Reuters, dpa, AP)
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