Sunday, October 02, 2011

Bloomberg News Investigation: Koch Industries Bribed Foreign Officials, Sold Petrochemical Equipment To Iran

Bloomberg News Investigation: Koch Industries Bribed Foreign Officials, Sold Petrochemical Equipment To Iran

A new article by Bloomberg News reporters Asjylyn Loder and David Evans profiles decades of corporate crimes at the petrochemical and commodity speculating giant Koch Industries. Some of the examples, like a pipeline explosion that killed two teenagers and a cover-up of heightened benzene releases in Corpus Christi, have been well-documented. However, the report outlines new scandals, including a Koch scheme to sell petrochemical products for the state-owned National Iranian Petrochemical Company to build a methanol plant in Iran. The company has also apparently been “involved in improper payments to win business in Africa, India and the Middle East,” actions that may open Koch Industries up to prosecution under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a law that prohibits American companies from bribing foreign officials.

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