Sweden-based telecoms group Telia Company has announced that a global settlement has been reached with regards to the investigation by the US Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Dutch Public Prosecution Service into historical allegations of corruption in Uzbekistan. Telia Company has agreed to pay a global resolution sanction of USD965 million, bringing an end to the investigation dating back to 2007, when the company then known as TeliaSonera began operating in Uzbekistan.
The US and Dutch authorities concluded that Telia Company had violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and that corrupt payments of around USD330 million were made by the firm. The investigation into Telia Company’s malpractice in Uzbekistan began in 2014 and the investigative authorities are now satisfied that the telco has cooperated fully throughout to reach a resolution three years on. Swedish prosecutors meanwhile, are still undertaking an investigation into the individuals involved.