December 6, 2019

SFO notifies multinational mining group of bribery investigation

On December 5, 2019, Glencore plc, a multinational Swiss-British commodities trading and mining group headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, disclosed that the UK Serious Fraud Office had notified the company that it was investigating suspicions of bribery in the conduct of Glencore’s business.  Glencore indicated that it intended to cooperate with the SFO investigation.  Following Glencore’s announcement, the SFO confirmed that it had opened an investigation into the conduct of the Glencore group of companies, its officials, employees, agents and associated persons.

Earlier this year, Glencore reported that it is under investigation by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission.  The company has also disclosed that it is under investigation by the US Department of Justice in connection with the company’s operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Venezuela and Nigeria.