Press review
7 July 2023

Press review – Week of 2 July 2023

The press review highlights the 209 million euros fine imposed on TechnipFMC, for acts of corruption in Africa in exchange for signing a Judicial Public Interest Agreement (Convention judiciaire d'intérêt public) with the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF). Additionally, two former executives of Orpea have been placed in custody as part of a judicial investigation for fraud, money laundering, and corruption. Regarding the investigation opened for illegal conflicts of interest, misappropriation of public funds, and favoritism related to the Organizing Committee of the 2023 Olympic Games, Tony Estanguet, the Committee’s president, stated that no resignations are currently being considered.

 

The battle of Airbus

In 2013, aerospace giant Airbus was prosecuted for alleged corruption by the US authorities. This case highlights how justice can be wielded as a tool in the economic warfare waged by the United States against prominent European companies. Arte, the renowned media outlet, featured a news report on this case, in which Stéphane de Navacelle delves into the benefits of internal investigations for companies involved in international lawsuits. > Watch the news report

 

Corruption in Africa: 209 million euro fine validated for TechnipFMC and Technip Energies

The Paris judicial court (le tribunal judiciaire de Paris) has validated the Judicial Public Interest Agreement (Convention judiciaire d’intérêt public) signed by TechnipFMC and Technip Energies for acts of corruption that took place in Ghana and Equatorial Guinea between 2008 and 2012. The companies acknowledged the crimes and agreed to pay fines of €179.45 million and €29.45 million, respectively. The American authorities have already sanctioned TechnipFMC with a fine of $296 million in 2019.  > Read article

 

Orpea: two former executives were arrested as a judicial investigation was opened for fraud, money laundering and corruption

The former CEO and CFO of the Orpea Group were arrested and taken into custody on Thursday as part of an investigation involving various allegations, including misappropriation of corporate assets, fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, and corruption. Another former executive was placed under judicial monitoring. > Read article

 

Tony Etanguet : « For now we’re definitely not considering » the dismissal of two Paris 2024 executives under investigation

In an interview, Tony Estanguet, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, defended Etienne Thobois and Edouard Donnelly, who are currently under investigation by the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office relating to taking illegal interest, misappropriation of public funds, favoritism, and concealment of favoritism. Mr. Estanguet indicated that, for the time being, the Committee was not considering their resignation. He points out that the Committee is proceeding cautiously, leaving no room for error. > Read article

 

Microsoft faces EU antitrust investigation after preemptive remedies fail, sources say

A European Union antitrust investigation could be launched against Microsoft in the coming months after negotiations with the EU’s authority aimed at preventing an investigation have failed. The European Union became interested in the American giant after Slack, the messaging app, filed a complaint alleging that Microsoft had unfairly integrated the Teams tool into the Microsoft Office suite without raising its price, contrary to competition law.> Read article

 

War in Ukraine: an office to investigate Russian aggression opens in The Hague

On 3 July 2023, an office dedicated to investigating Russia’s aggression against Ukraine opened in The Hague, Netherlands, on Monday. Five European Union countries, and Ukraine, are participating in creating what will be known as the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine (ICPA). This office is under the authority of Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation. The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has signed an agreement with Eurojust to facilitate the exchange of evidence held by the ICC. > Read article

 

French judges’ personal data published online by a group of hackers

A group of hackers allegedly affiliated with the Anonymous movement has released the personal information – including personal addresses and telephone numbers – of nearly a thousand French judges online. Most of whom appear to be retired. According to the group, they obtained this information by hacking into the servers of the Ministry of Justice. A complaint for breach of a data processing system was filed. > Read article

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