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| Schlumberger Probed Payments Made in Yemen |
| 2010-11-19 |
| New documents have emerged relating to possible bribery in Yemen by global oil-services giant Schlumberger. Internal company documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal show that Schlumberger employees raised concerns in 2008 about payments for cars the company rented from Yemeni government officials at above-market rates--including $6,000 a month for a Toyota Camry and two Toyota Corollas. Employees also cited a contract with customs broker Dhakwan Management Petroleum Co., whose chairman had ties to Yemen's president. Internal emails say the company was aware of those ties. The new details of Schlumberger's activities in Yemen come as the U.S. Justice Department continues an investigation into whether the company made improper payments to a government-related consulting firm there. Last month, the Journal reported that the probe, which was at an early stage, concerned contract payments Schlumberger made several years ago to a consulting firm headed by a nephew of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. |
| Posted by:Fred |