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Yesterday the Serious Fraud Office has charged two further individuals in relation to the Unaoil investigation.

Paul Bond and Stephen Whiteley have both been charged with conspiracy to make corrupt payments to secure the award of contracts in Iraq to Unaoil’s client SBM Offshore.

The charges relate to alleged corrupt conduct within Unaoil, between June 2005 and August 2011.

• Paul Bond has been charged with two offences of conspiracy to make corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and contrary to section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.
• Stephen Whiteley has been charged with one offence of conspiracy to make corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and contrary to section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.

Paul Bond and Stephen Whiteley will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court at 10am on Thursday 7th December.

The investigation is ongoing.

Notes to editors:

1. The SFO opened its investigation into Unaoil in March 2016.
2. Paul Bond (65) was formerly a Senior Sales Manager with SBM (Offshore) and resides in France.

Stephen Whiteley (62) was formerly a Vice President with SBM (Offshore) and Unaoil’s General Territories Manager for Iraq, Kazakhstan and Angola. He resides in Aberdeen.

3. Details of other individuals charged in relation to this investigation can be found here.
4. The strict liability rule in the Contempt of Court Act 1981 applies.