Topic: Bribery and corruption

A Dutch court has reversed its decision to exclude certain claimants from a class action brought on behalf of investors in Petrobras who suffered losses due to the Lava Jato corruption scandal - after it emerged the Brazilian company had taken conflicting positions on the applicability of an arbitration clause.

18 June 2021

A French court has annulled a €90 million ICC award against Gabon after finding that a Maltese construction company’s gift of a luxury honeymoon trip to a public official was a “serious indication of corruption”.

26 May 2021

The Paris Court of Appeal has upheld a US$51 million investment treaty award against Libya, rejecting the state’s allegations of corruption and ruling that the legality of the claimants’ investment was a matter for the arbitrators.

26 May 2021

A UK commodities trader has agreed to withdraw ICSID and ICC claims against Sierra Leone after reaching an agreement with the state to negotiate a new lease for an iron ore mining project and lift export restrictions.

11 May 2021

The Czech Republic has defeated a US$100 million UNCITRAL claim brought by a Dutch company which alleged it was the victim of a fraudulent scheme relating to the sale of blue poppies and other commodities.

30 April 2021

A US court has allowed Italian oil producer Eni to obtain evidence from a third-party funder for use in an ICSID case against Nigeria over the state’s allegations the company paid millions in bribes to secure rights to an oil field.

23 March 2021

A Milan court has acquitted oil companies Shell and Eni of paying millions in bribes to Nigerian officials to secure prospecting rights to a lucrative oil field, allegations that have also given rise to ICSID proceedings.

19 March 2021

An ICSID tribunal hearing a claim against Serbia over the alleged expropriation of a dairy farm has refused to order the state to pause a criminal investigation into a key witness in the arbitration.

17 March 2021

General Electric has reached an agreement worth €261 million to settle an ICC claim brought by a Slovenian state-owned energy company over the construction of a lignite power plant that was plagued by corruption allegations.

16 March 2021

The Court of Appeal in London has ruled that a US$2 billion lawsuit accusing Abu Dhabi-based shipbuilder Privinvest of paying bribes to secure contracts in Mozambique should be stayed in favour of arbitration in Switzerland.

11 March 2021