{"id":1832,"date":"2014-03-21T18:26:20","date_gmt":"2014-03-22T01:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=1832"},"modified":"2014-03-21T18:26:20","modified_gmt":"2014-03-22T01:26:20","slug":"japanese-corporation-pleads-guilty-bribery-fined-88-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=1832","title":{"rendered":"A Japanese Corporation Pleads Guilty to Bribery and is Fined $88 Million"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON D.C.<\/strong> — A Japanese corporation plead guilty to paying bribes to high-ranking government officials in Indonesia to get a lucrative power project, according to federal officials.<\/p>\n

Marubeni Corporation plead guilty this week to an eight-count criminal complain: one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corruption Practices Act and seven counts of violating the Foreign Corruption Practices Act, according to officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marubeni, which is also a trading company, agreed to pay a criminal fine of $88 million.<\/span><\/p>\n

In exchange for the bribes to officials in Indonesia \u2013 including a high-ranking member of the Indonesian Parliament and high-ranking members of Perusahaan Listrik Negara \u00a0or PLN, the state-owned and state-controlled electricity company in Indonesia \u2013 Marubeni hoped to get a $118 million contract, known as the Tarahan project, officials said.<\/p>\n

Marubeni and its partner \u00a0hired two consultants to provide consulting services for this project. \u00a0However, the consultants were used to pay the bribes to Indonesian officials, according to authorities.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarubeni pleaded guilty to engaging in a seven-year scheme to pay \u2013 and conceal \u2013 bribes to a high-ranking member of Parliament and other foreign officials in Indonesia,\u201d said Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman. \u201cThe company refused to play by the rules, then refused to cooperate with the government\u2019s investigation. Now Marubeni faces the consequences for its crooked business practices in Indonesia .\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor several years, the Marubeni Corporation worked in concert with a Connecticut company, among others, to bribe Indonesian officials in order to secure a contract to provide power-related services in Indonesia,\u201d said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.<\/p>\n

The Japanese corporation, whose creed is \u201cSei, Shin, Wa\u201d which means \u201cFairness, Innovation and Harmony,\u201d issued a press release regarding the plea agreement.<\/p>\n

“Marubeni has undertaken extensive efforts to \u00a0enhance its anti-corruption compliance program, and believes that its current program is\u00a0robust and effective. Although the agreement reached with DOJ today does not require\u00a0Marubeni to further engage a compliance consultant, Marubeni is taking this matter\u00a0seriously and commits to continue to thoroughly implement and enhance its\u00a0anti-corruption compliance program,” the corporation stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

As part of the plea agreement, Marubeni agreed to cooperate with an ongoing investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some Marubeni Officials Plead Guilty or Have Charges Pending:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n