The Prosecutor General’s Office has announced it will be investigating the transnational bribe of an Ecopetrol official and eight others allegedly involved with the scandal, Colombian media reported Monday.
U.S.-based PetroTiger Ltd is accused of having paid an official of Colombia’s state-run Ecopetrol oil company a $333,500 bribe to keep a $39.6 million service contract with the American petroleum firm.
MORE: US petroleum company accused of offering bribe in Colombia
Head of the National Anti-Corruption Unit Mario Gomez will reportedly be investigating the involvement of eight officials from PetroTiger Ltd and Ecopetrol in relation to the alleged irregularities, pending an official complaint expected to be filed by the Secretary of Transparency Monday afternoon.
U.S. federal prosecutors charged two former PetroTiger Ltd Co-CEO’s, Joseph Sigelman and Knut Hammarskjold, with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud back in November of last year.
Both former co-chief executives are currently released on bail and will stand trial in the U.S. in the near future.
Sources
- Por tres delitos, Fiscalía abre investigación por escándalo de soborno en Ecopetrol (RCN Radio)
Fiscalía abre investigación por soborno a exfuncionario de Ecopetrol (El Tiempo)
