In recent days, the Guardia di Finanza of Milan has carried out various searches in the Eni offices in Milan and Rome and in the homes of people involved in the investigation, conducted by the Milan prosecutor's office, on alleged bribes for oil contracts of the group led by Claudio Descalzi in Congo.
Eni is under investigation as a legal entity under Law 231 for the crime of international corruption. The beneficiaries of the alleged payments would have been Congolese public officials and also managers of the company.
As "Il Sole 24Ore" points out, when the oil concessions were renewed, Eni would have agreed to involve Congolese companies indicated by the government of the African state for at least 10% of the value of the contracts, estimated at 350 million euros.
Last July 6, on the occasion of the publication of the half-yearly report, Eni had reassured about the start of investigations by prosecutors on facts relating to Eni Congo. Among the suspects are the names of Roberto Casula, current head of exploration and production activities of Eni, Maria Paduano, manager of the six-legged dog, Ernest Olufemi Akinmade, former manager of Agip in Nigeria, and another former manager of Agip, Andrea Pulcin.
New troubles therefore for Eni, after the investigations opened against Eni for alleged illicit behavior in Nigeria e Algeria.
The company confirmed in a note that "it had received yesterday from the Milan prosecutor's office a request for the delivery of documents in relation to some activities carried out in Congo in 2009 and 2014". "The request follows two previous ones received in 2017 which the company had already disclosed in its financial information" continues the note, explaining that "the company has already provided for the delivery of the requested documentation" and confirming that "at the same time search operations carried out at the offices of two Eni people".
“Eni declares its own total stranger from alleged illegal conduct in relation to the operations under investigation, operating in full compliance with the laws established by sovereign states, and will continue to provide its collaboration to the judiciary so that maximum clarity can be made on the matter. Lastly, Eni would like to point out that it has not had any relationship with the company WNR-World Natural Resources” a company incorporated under British law to which the Congolese company AOCG sold the exploration rights.
Really? Eni does not declare its intranetness to the disputed conduct? Then the case is solved.