Indonesia: Former US Exec Charged with Bribing Officials

An official with Alstom Power Inc. has pled guilty to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for bribing Indonesian officials in connection with a US$ 118 million power project.

William Pomponi, the former vice president of regional sales for the Connecticut- based subsidiary of Alstom SA of France, is the fourth defendant to plead guilty, after fellow Alstom executives Frederic Pierucci and David Rothschild and project partner Marubeni Corp. of Japan, which was fined US$ 88 million for its role in the scheme, reports The Wall Street Journal. 

Similar charges are pending against Alstom Power executive Lawrence Hoskins, who is due to face trial next year, the Journal reported.

The former executives are accused of bribing a member of the Indonesian Parliament and high-ranking members of Perusahaan Listrik Negara, the state-owned electricity company in Indonesia, in exchange for the US$ 118 million contract, known as the Tarahan project, reports Imperial Valley News.