Bribes and "Mercedes" for state agencies

After several months of inspections Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal investigation of the Russian ports of the concern Daimler. Managers of companies is illegal contracts to supply vehicles to state agencies, are accused of fraud. On Friday at the site of the Investigative Committee, it was reported that in respect of the Russian representation of Daimler has been prosecuted. "As a result of pre-investigation checks conducted by Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee, a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part 4 of Art. 159 of the Criminal Code, for fraud committed by fraud and breach of trust in awarding contracts for the supply of cars Mercedes-Benz government agencies "- says the site office. At the end of March 2010 in media reports that the U.S. Justice Department accused the Daimler in the fact that from 1998 to 2008, the German company paid bribes to representatives of government agencies to obtain contracts for the supply of cars Mercedes-Benz. A criminal case on this occasion was opened in 2004 on the testimony of one of the dismissed employees group, which described in detail the corruption scheme. The investigation lasted several years, they were engaged in U.S. Department of Justice and the Commission on the Securities and Exchange Commission. And in April 2010 the court found carmaker guilty of fraud and ordered him to pay $ 93.6 million in fines and another $ 91.4 million in damages for the profits earned during the illegal transactions. In late April, the German company Daimler Export and Trade Finance and Mercedes-Benz Russia formally pleaded guilty before the U.S. Justice Department. Both companies have a probationary period of 3 years, and German in addition, was fined $ 29.12 million. During the hearing in Washington, representatives of Daimler AG have admitted that such a scheme was used in 22 countries, including Russia. Managers of the German automaker reported that in 10 years was spent on bribes of $ 56 million, and only illicit transactions totaled more than 200. It was so resonant, that the department's own Security Interior Ministry launched its own verification of the incident. Their findings DRC handed to the prosecutor. Some media outlets have questioned that in Russia this thing picks up the pace, as in our country do not often rattle the corruption scandals involving major companies and government agencies. In response to the unrest in April, Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika said that investigators have requested materials from the U.S., on the basis of which immediately began checking. Mercedes-Benz cars bought in Russia for the structures of Ministry of Internal Affairs, Defense, Government of Moscow, the Garage, and various special-purpose regional municipalities. Prices for cars in the overhead were deliberately exaggerated, and the difference settled in the pockets of Russian officials. The approximate amount of bribes in Russia amounted to EUR 3 million, resulting in Daimler enriched by almost 65 million euros. It is noteworthy that about the investigation in respect of government officials who took bribes from managers of Daimler, is unknown.