Algeria asks Italy to give all names involved in Sonatrach corruption scandal

Algerian and Italian judges met on Tuesday in a court in Milan and exchanged investigation results about corruption cases between Italy’s Saipem and Algeria’s energy group Sonatrach.

Saipem said it was notified by the Algerian justice to extend the probe into allegations that it paid bribes to win energy contracts in Algeria worth $11 billion.

According to the Italian company’s trimester report, Saipem does not know the names of persons and contracts concerned by the judicial expansion.

It said its 80 million euros accounts in Algeria were effectively frozen by justice following the probe.

The Algerian and Italian judges exchanged documents found on computers of the two companies’ officials.

Algeria is one of Italy’s major suppliers of natural gas. Saipem have important energy contracts in the country.

Earlier in December former Saipem CEO Pietro Franco Tali and Eni CFO Alessandro Bernini resigned after an investigation had opened into alleged corruption in Algeria. Investigations showed that Saipem gave $200 million to Khelil and Sonatrach’s officials in return for gaining the Galsi gas pipeline project.

Eni which owns 43 percent of Saipem has operated in Algeria since 1981.