Lucent bags contract but faces bribery investigation

Lucent Technologies was yesterday handed a USD25 million infrastructure contract by Bechtel, becoming the first vendor to be awarded a major telecoms contract in post-war Iraq. The deal provided a much needed boost for Lucent, which on Friday admitted that its was being investigated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission over allegations that it bribed a Saudi Arabian communications minister to gain business in the Middle East. Saudi telco National Group for Communications and Computers has filed a lawsuit against the vendor seeking triple damages for business it claims it lost due to Lucent’s underhand dealings.