Bribery fines are a critical enforcement tool in the global fight against corruption, designed to uphold fair business practices and deter unethical behaviour.
Each year, organisations and individuals face substantial penalties for engaging in bribery schemes, often involving payments to secure contracts, reduce regulatory scrutiny, or gain competitive advantages.
Bribery fines in 2024
- RTX - $950m penalties
- Gunvor S.A. - £661m fine
- SAP - $222m settlement
- Trafigura - $127m fine
- McKinsey Africa - $122m settlement
- Cambridge International Systems - $2.25m fine
Take a closer look at each of 2024’s bribery fines.
Bribery fines in 2023
- Glencore - $700m fine & forfeiture
- Entain - £585m settlement
- Televisa - $95m settlement
- Recidivist Philips - $62m fine
- Frank’s International - $8m settlement
- 3M - $6.5m fine
- Gartner - $2.5m settlement
Take a closer look at each of 2023’s bribery fines.
Bribery fines in 2022
- Glencore - $1bn settlement & £280m fine
- Stericycle - $84m settlement
- K.T. Corporation - $6.3m settlement
- FirstEnergy - $180m settlement
- Tenaris - $78m settlement
- KPMG - £3.4m fine
- Boulting Group - £500k fine
- Tritec & Electron - £70k fine each
Take a closer look at each of 2022’s bribery fines.
Bribery Fines in 2021
- Deutsche Bank - $125m settlement
- Ericsson - €80m settlement
- Petrofac - £77m fine
- GPT - £30m fine
Take a closer look at each of 2021’s bribery fines.
Bribery Fines in 2020
- Airbus - £3.1bn settlement
- Novartis - £490m settlement
- Herbalife - £89m settlement
- World Acceptance Corporation - £15.7m settlement
Take a closer look at each of 2020’s bribery fines.
Biggest bribery fines in 2024 in detail
1. RTX - $950m penalties
RTX (formerly Raytheon), a major defense contractor, has agreed to pay over $950 million to resolve multiple federal investigations involving bribery, government contracting violations, and export control breaches.
The settlements include:
- Brooklyn Settlement: $280 million for bribery-related violations.
- Boston Settlement: $574 million for contracting violations.
- SEC Fines: Additional penalties for bribery in Qatar.
Under deferred prosecution agreements, RTX committed to improving compliance, appointing independent monitors, and preventing future misconduct. The penalties, stemming from pre-merger incidents, are covered by funds previously set aside by the company.
2. Gunvor S.A. - £661m fine
Swiss commodities trader Gunvor was fined for paying bribes to secure oil contracts with Ecuador’s Petroecuador. The company admitted to using intermediaries to distribute payments to high-ranking officials, bypassing competitive bidding processes. The case underscores the importance of robust oversight in high-risk markets.
3. SAP - $700m settlement
German software giant SAP settled charges of bribery across seven countries, including Indonesia and South Africa. The allegations involved falsified records and bribery schemes to win government contracts. The company cooperated with investigations and agreed to compliance improvements.
"[The company] has accepted responsibility for corrupt practices that hurt honest businesses engaging in global commerce,"
4. Trafigura - $127m fine
Trafigura admitted to paying $19.7m in bribes to secure oil contracts with Petrobras. The payments were concealed using shell companies, and the company earned significant profits from the scheme. This case highlights the risks of corruption in resource-dependent economies.
5. McKinsey Africa - $122m settlement
McKinsey & Company Africa Ltd has agreed to pay over $122 million to settle a U.S. investigation into a bribery scheme involving South African state-owned companies Eskom and Transnet. The company admitted to conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by bribing officials in exchange for insider information on consulting contracts.
6. Cambridge International Systems - $2.25m fine
Cambridge International Systems, Inc., a defence contractor, has been fined $2.25 million for bribing a Naval Information Warfare Center official to secure over $130 million in government contracts. The company admitted to providing bribes, including jobs for the official's family, meals, and event tickets.
Bribery fines in 2023: A closer look
1. Glencore - $700m fine and forfeiture
Glencore, a multinational commodities trader, faced penalties for its decade-long scheme to bribe officials across several countries, including Nigeria, Venezuela, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company admitted to paying over $100m in bribes to secure preferential treatment in oil trading, evading audits, and obtaining other business advantages. The fines consisted of $428.5m in penalties and $272m in forfeiture, underscoring the scale of misconduct.
2. Entain - £585m settlement
Entain, the parent company of Ladbrokes and Coral, settled bribery charges linked to its Turkish subsidiary. The investigation by HMRC revealed failures to prevent bribery and improper use of third parties and employees to secure business. As part of its settlement, Entain committed to corporate governance reforms and agreed to pay additional costs for regulatory oversight.
3. Televisa - $95m settlement
Mexican broadcaster Televisa paid $95m to resolve a lawsuit tied to bribing FIFA officials. The scheme, intended to secure broadcasting rights for four World Cup tournaments, was exposed after investor lawsuits revealed fraudulent activities. Televisa denied wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to avoid prolonged litigation.
4. Recidivist Philips - £62m fine
Recidivist Philips faced its second major FCPA fine in a decade for allegedly bribing officials in China's public hospital sector. The company's subsidiaries manipulated bidding processes, tailoring tender specifications to favour Philips' products. The SEC also uncovered bribes disguised as discounts, further tarnishing the company’s reputation.
5. Frank’s International - $8m settlement
The Dutch oil services firm settled bribery charges related to its operations in Angola. Frank's International paid commissions to intermediaries, knowing the funds would be used to bribe government officials and employees of Sonangol, the state oil company.
6. 3M - $6.5m fine
3M was fined for providing lavish incentives to Chinese healthcare officials under the guise of educational trips. These trips frequently included luxury tourism activities, with little actual focus on healthcare or medicine. The SEC highlighted failures in 3M’s internal controls to detect and prevent such practices.
7. Gartner - $2.5m settlement
Gartner settled bribery allegations tied to South African government contracts. The company was found to have paid a third-party consultant, aware that the funds would be used to bribe officials, securing lucrative consulting contracts in return.
The biggest individual bribery prosecutions in 2023
- Frank Partridge: A former Metropolitan Police officer was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison for accepting bribes while working in the Westminster licensing unit. These bribes included luxury holidays, home renovations, and event tickets, exchanged for preferential treatment of West End nightlife venues.
- Barnett, Roberts, DeAbreu, Hayman & Miles: Five individuals involved in illicit waste disposal contracts caused £417,000 in losses to Cardiff City Council. Sentences ranged from nine months to 28 months, with some suspended.
- Frank Rafaraci: The U.S. Navy contractor was sentenced to one year in prison for slipping $33.5k in bribes to a Navy official. This was part of a broader fraud scheme involving inflated invoices and tax evasion.
- John Raphael: The Ohio lobbyist received six months in prison for accepting $144k in bribes to secure food service contracts for a national vendor.
- Graeme Hossie, Rachel Rhodes & Ariel Armon: Former executives of London Mining plc were charged with conspiracy to make corrupt payments in Sierra Leone. The trial is set for 2025.
Bribery fines in 2022: a closer look
1. Glencore - $1bn settlement & £280m fine
Glencore Energy (UK) Ltd faced dual penalties totalling approximately $1bn (settlement) and £280m (fine) for systemic bribery across its oil operations in South Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Ivory Coast. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) found that Glencore paid over $28m to gain preferential access to larger cargoes, higher-value oil grades, and better delivery terms. The company generated an estimated £93.5m in illicit profits. The penalties included a record fine, a confiscation order, and reimbursement of the SFO’s investigative costs.
2. FirstEnergy - $180m settlement
FirstEnergy was implicated in a $63m bribery scheme targeting a top U.S. legislative leader. The funds were exchanged for political support and regulatory advantages, leading to both criminal and civil charges. The settlement also required significant corporate governance reforms.
3. Stericycle - $84m settlement
Stericycle, a medical waste management firm, settled bribery charges across Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Between 2012 and 2016, the company paid millions to government customers, concealing payments through falsified records. Stericycle committed to improving compliance programmes as part of its settlement.
4. Tenaris - $78m settlement
Steel manufacturer Tenaris faced fines for bribing Petrobras officials to win contracts. The payments were disguised as legitimate business expenses, and SEC investigations revealed widespread violations of the FCPA.
5. K.T. Corporation - $6.3m settlement
South Korea’s largest telecom company was penalised for bribery schemes in Korea and Vietnam. Employees created funds for illicit payments, offering cash gifts and contributions to government officials to secure contracts. Weak internal controls enabled the misconduct.
6. KPMG - £3.4m fine
KPMG was fined for serious failures in auditing anti-bribery measures at Rolls-Royce. Allegations of malpractice by intermediaries were ignored, resulting in hefty penalties and reputational damage.
“Allegations of bribery and malpractice through the use of intermediaries and ‘advisers’ in the defence field were prominent at the time of the audit.”
7. Boulting Group - £500k fine
The company, now named WABGS Ltd, was penalised for failing to prevent bribery in contract bidding. A Coca-Cola Enterprises manager provided confidential information, enabling Boulting to gain an unfair advantage.
8. Tritec & Electron - £70k fine each
These companies admitted to paying bribes to secure contracts in collaboration with the Coca-Cola Enterprises manager involved in the Boulting case. Both firms faced significant reputational consequences alongside their financial penalties.
The biggest individual bribery prosecutions 2022
- Timothy Schools: The investment manager was sentenced to 14 years in prison for diverting £19.6m from investor funds into personal luxuries, including cars and offshore accounts.
- David Ames: The former chairman of Harlequin was sentenced to 12 years for fraudulently exposing investors to financial losses totalling £6.4m.
- Andrew Skeene & Junie Bowers: The pair received 11-year sentences for defrauding investors through a fraudulent green investment scheme, spending over £2m on personal luxuries.
- Michael Strubel: Previously convicted of bribery, Strubel was ordered to repay £2.1m after failing to meet financial obligations following his conviction for a Ponzi-style scheme.
- Noel Corry: A former Coca-Cola Enterprises manager was sentenced to 20 months in prison for sharing confidential information with contractors, receiving bribes totalling £950,000.
Bribery fines in 2021: A closer look
1. Deutsche Bank - $125m settlement
Deutsche Bank admitted to bribery schemes spanning Italy, China, and Saudi Arabia. Consultants were used as conduits for bribes to secure business opportunities. The penalties included criminal and civil settlements. The German bank agreed to the payout as it entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement with the US DoJ and a civil settlement with the US SEC.
2. Ericsson - €80m settlement
Ericsson resolved claims tied to bribery in international tenders, with allegations dating back to 2000. Payments were made to government officials via intermediaries, exposing internal control failures over two decades.
3. Petrofac - £77m fine
The UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) secured convictions against Petrofac Ltd for bribes paid between 2011 and 2017. Petrofac’s executives admitted to paying £32m in bribes to secure over £2.5bn in oil and gas contracts. The case highlighted failures in senior management accountability.
4. GPT - £30m fine
A former Airbus subsidiary was fined for paying bribes to Saudi officials to secure a £2bn military communications contract. The case uncovered systemic corruption within the company.
The biggest individual bribery prosecutions 2021
- Raymond Kohut: A former Gunvor employee was fined $2m and sentenced to 20 years in prison for facilitating $22m in bribes to Petroecuador officials.
- Jose Carlos Grubisich: The ex-CEO of Braskem SA received a 10-year sentence for approving $4.3m in bribes to Petrobras officials.
- Adolfo Hernandez Frieri: The Miami executive was sentenced to four years for laundering $12m in bribes tied to Venezuela’s PDVSA.
- Donville Inniss: The former Barbados government minister received two years in prison for accepting $36k in bribes to renew contracts.
- Daren Condrey: Co-president of Transport Logistics International was sentenced to two years for paying $2m in bribes to secure contracts from Russia’s state-owned uranium company.
Bribery fines in 2020: a closer look
1. Airbus - €3.6bn settlement
Airbus faced record fines for a decade-long scheme involving bribes to secure contracts in Saudi Arabia and other regions due to the intervention of a whistleblower. Investigations revealed gifts and payments through intermediaries, bypassing compliance protocols.
2. Novartis - $678m settlement
Novartis was accused of using speaker programmes as a façade for bribing doctors to prescribe its medications. These events often served as lavish social gatherings with little educational content.
"Giving these cash payments and other lavish goodies interferes with the duty of doctors to choose the best treatment for their patients and increases drug costs for everyone,"
3. Herbalife - $123m settlement
Herbalife settled a case relating to bribing Chinese officials to reduce scrutiny and secure direct-selling licences. Payments were disguised as business-related expenses. Apart from a $55.74m criminal fine, Herbalife will also need to pay $67.31m in disgorgement and interest to settle a related SEC case. The firm will also be required to upgrade its compliance procedures to ensure this case does not repeat itself.
4. World Acceptance Corporation - £15.7m settlement
The company’s Mexican subsidiary was accused of paying bribes to union and government officials to secure business contracts. What is particularly noteworthy is how WAC were said to have attempted to disguise these bribes. WAC Mexico transferred money into accounts connected to officials and used an intermediary to "distribute large bags of cash" among the officials. Funds were deliberately mislabelled as scholarships and royalty payments.
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