Three former managers have been charged with bribery following improper payments conducted to win a €35 million computer sale in Russia.
Three former HP 
managers have been charged in Germany with bribery, breach of trust and aiding in tax evasion following a corruption investigation targeting payments made in order to win a €35 million ($45 million) sale of computers in Russia almost a decade ago, reports Bloomberg Businessweek.
The former HP subsidiary is said to have sold the computers to the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation. Although the ex-managers have yet to be named, Wolfgang Klein of Saxony’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office has identified them as a Finnish woman, an American male and a German male. A German businessman has also been indicted.
“About €7.5 million ($9.12 million) of kickbacks were allegedly paid as part of the deal to people at Russian authorities to win the contract […] A network of accounts at companies in several countries was used to hide the money transfer.”
HP’s offices in Moscow were searched in 2010 by Russian prosecutors, and the US Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission are examining the issue.
Bloomberg states that prosecutors are seeking to make the OEM as associated party to the case, and if the court grants the request and allegations are found to be proven, HP profits from the transaction may be seized, Klein continued.
Anette Nachbar, a spokesperson for HP, stated that the OEM is fully cooperating with the authorities and “stresses that the company expects from employees and partners strict compliance of its business principles”.