Two banknote firms linked to Australia's central bank and six of their former employees were charged with bribing Asian officials to secure contracts to print their currencies.
Australian Federal Police said the charges against the men and currency companies Securency International and Note Printing Australia (NPA), relate to alleged bribes given to officials in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Police said that during the period 1999 to 2005, the senior managers from Securency and NPA were believed to have utilised international sales agents to bribe foreign public officials in order to secure banknote contracts.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said it deeply regretted that the governance arrangements and processes in the companies at that time were not able to prevent or detect the alleged behaviour.
Governor Glenn Stevens said controls at both firms had been overhauled since the scandal broke two years ago, adding that all those charged no longer worked with the companies and the use of sales agents had stopped.
Securency, which is partly owned by the RBA and produces polymer banknotes used in more than 30 countries, said it had been charged with three counts of conspiracy to influence foreign officials.
The company said it was cooperating fully with authorities and considering its legal position.
NPA, a wholly owned RBA subsidiary responsible for running the printing works where Australia's banknotes are printed, made no immediate comment.
Police said that, in Indonesia, a foreign official allegedly received a bribe to ensure a joint venture banknote contract for Securency and NPA, while in Malaysia a bribe was allegedly used to win a contract for NPA.
In Vietnam, an official allegedly received a bribe paid in the form of a university scholarship to secure a banknote contract on behalf of Securency.
Police Commander Chris McDevitt said the six Australians charged, aged between 50 and 66, had been chief executives, chief financial officers or sales agents for Securency or NPA. - AFP
Source : The Star
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