US Firm Probed for Alleged Bribes to Mexican Officials EFE
go to original March 15, 2012

MEXICO CITY - The Mexican Attorney General's Office announced Wednesday the opening of an investigation into allegations that a U.S. firm bribed officials in Mexico.

Employees of Oklahoma-based aviation services company BizJet told U.S. investigators that executives at the firm offered money to officials in exchange for nearly $25 million in contracts to maintain, repair and inspect aircraft belonging to Mexican state and federal agencies, the AG's office said in a statement.

The purported bribes totaled roughly $2 million and were paid between 2004 and 2009.

The money was channeled "through an enterprise operated by a BizJet sales director who is now a fugitive," according to the Mexican AG's office.

U.S. investigators have aided Mexico in identifying employees of BizJet International Sales & Support involved in the scheme as well as six Mexican public officials who accepted bribes.

While withholding the names of the officials and the posts they held at the time of the alleged misconduct, the AG's office said it notified the federal and state agencies implicated in the case.

The AG's office added that Mexico's federal audit agency is already carrying out administrative probes of the suspects.

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!