SFO Presses Criminal Charges Against Alstom UK Unit with Conspiracy to Corrupt

Britain's Serious Fraud Office has pressed criminal charges against the rail, power and electricity transmission sector manufacturer Alstom with three counts of conspiracy to corrupt.

The SFO confirmed in a statement that as part of an ongoing investigation, criminal have commenced on 24 July against an Alstom company in the UK by written charge.

The alleged offences are said to have taken place between 1 June 2000 and 30 November 2006 and concern large transport projects in India, Poland and Tunisia.

"Alstom Network UK Ltd, formerly called Alstom International Ltd, a UK subsidiary of Alstom, has been charged with three offences of corruption contrary to section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, as well as three offences of Conspiracy to Corrupt contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977," said the statement.

The first hearing in this case will take place at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 9 September 2014.

The Alstom investigation started as a result of information provided to the SFO by the Office of the Attorney General in Switzerland.