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OPL 245

Court rejects Nigeria’s compensation request against Eni, Shell

REUTERS

Court rejects Nigeria’s compensation request against Eni, Shell

By  and : November 11, 2022

MILAN, Nov 11 (Reuters) – An appeals court in Milan on Friday rejected Nigeria’s $1.092 billion compensation request against Italian energy group Eni SpA (ENI.MI) and Shell Plc (SHEL.L) in civil proceedings relating to a $1.3 billion oilfield deal.

The decision was read out in court.

In July prosecutors had dropped related criminal proceedings, clearing Eni and Shell, as well as managers including Eni Chief Executive Claudio Descalzi, in one of the oil industry’s biggest alleged corruption cases. read more

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Malabu Oil Scandal

Malabu Oil Scandal

October 18, 2022

The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) has strongly condemned Italy for recent judgments that now place Italy at odds with the OECD’s Anti-Bribery Convention.

An Italian court sitting in Milan had a few months ago acquitted energy companies, Eni and Royal Dutch Shell along with a series of past and present managers, including Eni Chief Executive, Claudio Descalzi in one of the oil industry’s biggest corruption scandals.

The trial judge held that the companies and defendants had been discharged as there was no case to answer.

Italian prosecutors had alleged corruption in the deal while campaigners said the Federal Government of Nigeria was short-changed in the deal. They said $1.1 billion of the purchase price was siphoned off to politicians and middlemen, including the then Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete.

They also called for Eni and Shell to be fined and for a number of past and present managers from both companies, including Descalzi, to be jailed.

The defendants all denied any wrongdoing. They said the purchase price for OPL 245 was paid into a Nigerian government account and subsequent transfers were beyond their control. read more

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JP Morgan under fire for dubious $1.3bn Nigeria oil deal

CITYA.M.

JP Morgan under fire for dubious $1.3bn Nigeria oil deal

: 20 Feb 2022

A bitter legal dispute between the Nigerian state and banking giant JP Morgan is due to be heard in the UK’s High Court this week.

JP Morgan is being sued by the Nigerian government over allegations it negligently allowed corrupt officials to pilfer more than three quarters of a $1.3bn oil investment, the Telegraph first reported. Court filings reportedly state that JP Morgan should have been aware that the transactions it was asked to perform, transferring hundreds of millions of dollars to foreign bank accounts controlled by Nigerian oil minister Dan Etete, were potentially fraudulent. read more

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Malabu Oil Scam: Groups hail appeals against acquittal of Shell, Eni

Premium Times

Malabu Oil Scam: Groups hail appeals against acquittal of Shell, Eni

By Kunle Sanni: August 18, 2021

Three anti-corruption groups have applauded the appeals lodged by Milan prosecutors against the acquittal of Shell, Eni and 13 other defendants accused of corruption in the acquisition of Nigeria’s OPL 245 offshore oilfield.

Human and Environmental Development Agenda, (HEDA), Re: Common, and Corner House described the development as a welcome development in their joint statement on Tuesday.

The statement was signed by Lanre Suraj of HEDA, Nicholas Hildyard of The Corner House, and Antonio Tricarico of Re: Common. read more

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Oil Giants Get 20-Year License Extension from Nigeria

allAfrica.com

Oil Giants Get 20-Year License Extension from Nigeria

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has signed a contract with its partners on oil mining lease (OML) 118 to expand the Bonga oilfield and unlock a U.S.$10 billion investment in the country’s deepwater resources. The OML license for the block partners Shell, Total, Exxon Mobil and Eni were renewed for another 20 years, and five agreements including settlements on a tax dispute and production sharing contracts were finalized. The deal signals the end of “long-standing disputes over the interpretation of the fiscal terms of the production-sharing contracts” between the investors in the field. read more

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OPL 245 Saga: Anti-corruption groups applaud President’s stance

THE SUN

OPL 245 Saga: Anti-corruption groups applaud President’s stance

27 MAY 2021

By Henry Uche

Human & Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, Re: Common, Corner House and Global Witness have applauded President Buhari’s insistence that the oil field could not be developed until corruption cases had concluded.

HEDA’s Chairman, Olarenwaju Suraj in a statement revealed that the license for Nigeria’s offshore OPL 245 oil block has expired, as Eni confirmed in response to questions at their 2021 annual general meeting. The expiry of the license returns control of the oil field to the Nigerian Government. read more

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JPMorgan ordered to disclose US documents in Nigeria oil case

JPMorgan ordered to disclose US documents in Nigeria oil case

Ruling comes ahead of trial in which bank is accused of enabling $875m in misappropriated payments

Nigeria has succeeded in an effort to force JPMorgan Chase to disclose more documents ahead of a trial in which the US bank stands accused of enabling the misappropriation of almost $900m in state funds. The UK High Court on Tuesday granted the African nation’s application to secure records from top US executives and compliance officers involved in signing off $875m in payments between 2011 and 2013 relating to the controversial OPL 245 oil licence deal. read more

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Malabu Scandal: UK group declares support for Nigerian anti-corruption activist

Malabu Scandal: UK group declares support for Nigerian anti-corruption activist

By Premium Times: April 28, 2021: 10 min read A UK anti-corruption group, Global Witness, has declared support for a Nigerian activist, Olanrewaju Suraju, who was recently questioned by the police based on a petition by Nigeria’s former attorney-general, Mohammed Adoke.

Mr Suraju’s civil society organisation, HEDA, and other international anti-graft CSOs including Global Witness have been at the forefront of the demand for justice over the Malabu OPL 245 scandal involving Mr Adoke and many others including oil giants, Shell and Eni.

While the prosecution of the suspects is still ongoing in Nigeria, a court in Milan recently discharged the oil giants and their officials who were named in the scandal which involved the transfer of about $1 billion from the oil giants to private Nigerian accounts for the control of an oil block, OPL 245. Mr Adoke was involved in the negotiation as Nigeria’s attorney general during the Goodluck Jonathan administration but has denied any wrongdoing. read more

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International Groups Condemn Detention of Nigerian Anti-corruption Campaigner

International Groups Condemn Detention of Nigerian Anti-corruption Campaigner

We will be raising Mr Suraju’s totally unjustified detention with the board of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and calling for Nigeria’s suspension.

BY SAHARA REPORTERS, NEW YORK APR 21, 2021

International Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Groups have condemned the detention of Nigerian Anti-Corruption Activist and Chairman of HEDA Resource Center, Olanrewaju Suraju, for exposing corruption allegations surrounding the acquisition of the OPL 245 oil field by oil multinationals Shell and Eni. read more

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OPL 245: Abacha family and Malabu trial scandal

OPL 245: Abacha family and Malabu trial scandal

14 April 2021

Ten years after an international inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the sale of OPL 245 oil field by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited to Shell and its partners, ENI and Agip, for a princely sum of $1.3 billion following the resolution agreement of 2011 was opened, findings so far have revealed no evidence of corrupt practices on the part of those involved in the deal.

And, like a pack of badly arranged cards on a shaky table, the case of criminal prosecution against Mohammed Bello Adoke, Nigeria’s former attorney-general and minister of justice and the man whose legal advice formed part of the processes leading to the resolution agreement of 2011, and international oil giants, Shell, ENI and Agip, over their respective roles in the sale of OPL 245 appears to be collapsing from one international jurisdiction to the other. From Washington to London and Milan, the efforts of the Federal Government and its partners to proceed with the criminal prosecution of Bello Adoke and others have been fruitless and unsuccessful. read more

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OPL 245: Italy Ruling Can’t Save Oil Giants

Malabu Deal: Italy Ruling Can’t Save Oil Giants From Trial, Group Writes Buhari

The Milan Tribunal ruled on March 17, 2021, that the 13 defendants in OPL 245 international corruption trial had no case to answer. But there are prospects of an appeal in Italy.

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKMAR 28, 2021

The partial freedom granted oil giants by Italian courts in the celebrated OPL 245 corruption case will not stop the prosecution of the accused in Nigeria, a foremost global anti-corruption coalition has said.

In a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, the anti-corruption coalition said Nigeria should press on with the corruption charges and should not be cowed by any bully tactics of the oil giants who may see the Italy ruling as a shield. read more

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OPL 245: Dan Etete says he has no case to answer in Nigeria after Italian court verdict

OPL 245: Dan Etete says he has no case to answer in Nigeria after Italian court verdict

22 March 2021

Dan Etete, former minister of petroleum, says Nigerian courts must now strike out charges against him after an Italian court ruled that there was no corruption involved in the OPL 245 transaction.

He also said Malabu Oil and Gas lost over $10 billion to the corruption allegations tied to the oil block.

The OPL 245 deal involved the $1.3 billion purchase of an oil bloc by Royal Dutch Shell and Eni from Malabu, a company in which Etete held majority shares. read more

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Nigeria Bribery Case Ends In Victory For Shell, Eni

Nigeria Bribery Case Ends In Victory For Shell, Eni

An Italian court has ruled that oil giants Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Eni SPA are not guilty in a bribery case involving a Nigerian oilfield that has spanned years, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Shell, Eni, and Eni’s CEO Claudio Descalzi, have been on trial for years in the infamous OPL 245 case. Shell, Eni, Descalzi, and others, were accused of knowing that more than $1.1 billion of the $1.3 billion deposited a decade ago into an escrow account controlled by the Nigerian government would eventually be used as bribes to secure oil drilling rights. read more

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Timeline: Nigeria’s OPL 245 oilfield licence bribery cases

Timeline: Nigeria’s OPL 245 oilfield licence bribery cases

LONDON (Reuters) – An Italian court acquitted Royal Dutch Shell and Italy’s Eni on Wednesday of corruption in one of the oil industry’s biggest court cases centred around the acquisition of a Nigerian oilfield in 2011.

Italian prosecutors alleged that most of the $1.3 billion purchase price for the licence for the offshore oilfield known as OPL 245 was siphoned off to politicians and middlemen. read more

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Oil company on trial in $1.1bn corruption case given access to top EU officials to lobby for gas

Oil company on trial in $1.1bn corruption case given access to top EU officials to lobby for gas

Eni holds six European Parliament passes – more than any other oil and gas company, report finds

Ben Chapman: @b_c_chapman: 16 March 2021

An Italian energy giant on trial in a $1.1bn (£790m) bribery and corruption case has been granted privileged access to senior EU officials to lobby for fossil fuel investment, an investigation has found.

Eni and its chief executive Claudio Descalzi are on trial alongside Royal Dutch Shell in connection to a deal for one of Nigeria’s most promising oil blocks. read more

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Court declines to unfreeze Shell’s bank accounts in alleged oil diversion case

Court declines to unfreeze Shell’s bank accounts in alleged oil diversion case

By Joseph Onyekwere: 10 March 2021 Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday, declined to vacate her interim Mareva injunction directing 20 banks to block accounts of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) and its subsidiaries.

The judge also summoned three of the banks’ secretaries and chief financial officers for allegedly disobeying the order made on January 25, 2021.

The court ordered the alleged contemnors to appear before it on the next adjourned date of March 29, 2021.

Justice Oguntoyinbo warned that their failure to appear would result in a warrant for their arrest.

The judge made the order in her ruling on three applications in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/52/2021, filed by Aiteo Eastern E&P Company Ltd against SPDC and four others. read more

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Malabu: Eni gets green light to subpoena companies over Nigerian litigation arrangement

Malabu: Eni gets green light to subpoena companies over Nigerian litigation arrangement

The Malabu scandal involves the transfer of about $1.1 billion by oil multinationals, Shell and ENI, through the Nigerian government to accounts controlled by a former Nigerian oil minister, Dan Etete.

By Oladeinde Olawoyin: December 8, 2020

Italian oil giant, Eni S.P.A, has been granted approval to subpoena asset recovery and litigation finance companies that it accused of being involved in a shady deal to fund litigation relating to Nigeria’s OPL 245 scandal in Italy. read more

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OPL 245: Nigeria hires London-based firm to lead dispute with Eni

OPL 245: Nigeria hires London-based firm to lead dispute with Eni

Nigeria has hired the services of Franklin Wyatt, a London-based consultancy company, to provide legal advice in a dispute with Eni, an Italian oil and gas company.

Franklin Wyatt, according to information on its website, specialises in dispute consultancy by providing advise beyond legal perspectives.

There is an age-long dispute between Eni and Nigeria over oil prospecting licence (OPL) 245 deal.

The oil deal dates back to 2011, when Shell and Eni acquired the massively rich OPL 245 for over $1.3 billion — paying $1.1 billion to take over 100 percent of Malabu’s interest and $210 million to the federal government as signature bonus. read more

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Nigeria Government Lawyer Accuses Jonathan, Adoke And Diezani Of Receiving Bribes To Facilitate Malabu Deal

Nigeria Government Lawyer Accuses Jonathan, Adoke And Diezani Of Receiving Bribes To Facilitate Malabu Deal

He informed the court that Nigeria wanted to take action because of this fact, which it considers to be of very serious prejudice to the nation.

BY SAHARA REPORTERS, NEW YORK: SEP 10, 2020

The lawyer representing Nigeria at the ongoing trial of the Malabu OPL245 scandal, Lucio Lucia, has indicted ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, at the hearing of the case in Milan court on Wednesday. read more

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Malabu Oil Deal: Canadian judge dismisses suit challenging Nigeria’s grounding of Etete’s jet

Malabu Oil Deal: Canadian judge dismisses suit challenging Nigeria’s grounding of Etete’s jet

A Canadian judge on Thursday dismissed an application seeking leave to appeal the judgement that confirmed the grounding of a luxury private jet purchased by a former Nigerian oil minister, Dan Etete, with some of the alleged proceeds of the controversial $1.3 billion Malabu OPL245 oil deal.

The suit was filed before the court by Tibit Limited, an anonymously owned company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), claiming ownership of the jet. read more

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How Nigeria’s AGF Malami Indicted Predecessor Adoke In OPL 245 Scam While Testifying In London

How Nigeria’s AGF Malami Indicted Predecessor Adoke In OPL 245 Scam While Testifying In London

Malami, while testifying, said Adoke accompanied P&ID in making Nigeria lose the case. He also accused Adoke to have received a bribe of more than $800,000.

BY SAHARA REPORTERS, NEW YORK JUL 30, 2020

Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has made egregious corruption claims against his predecessor, Mohammed Bello Adoke, while testifying for Nigeria in the ongoing P&ID case. read more

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Shell avoids loss with strong trading, wipes $17 billion off assets

Shell avoids loss with strong trading, wipes $17 billion off assets

Ron BoussoShadia Nasralla: JULY 30, 2020

LONDON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) avoided its first quarterly loss in recent history, helped by a booming trading business, but announced nearly $17 billion in impairment charges reflecting a pessimistic outlook for oil and gas prices.

Shell had warned last month it was set to slash the value of its oil and gas assets by up to $22 billion as the coronavirus crisis hollowed out energy demand.

“Shell has delivered resilient cash flow in a remarkably challenging environment,” CEO Ben van Beurden said in a statement on Thursday. read more

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OPL 245: International transparency groups raise 25 questions

International transparency groups raise 25 questions for AGF Malami on OPL 245 contracts

Four civil society groups who have been monitoring the OPL 245 scandal have raised 25 questions for Nigeria’s justice minister, Abubakar Malami, on the handling of the assets recovered in relation to the oil block.

The groups include Corner House, Global Witness and Re:Common – all European transparency organisations – and the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), a Nigerian anti-corruption group. read more

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OPL 245: Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight may suffer setback

Magu: International groups write Buhari, say Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight may suffer setback

Prominent international groups involved in anti-corruption efforts globally have written to President Muhammadu Buhari on what they consider the unfortunate treatment of Ibrahim Magu.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the arrest of Mr Magu, acting chairman of Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, EFCC, on Monday.

He has been detained since then as he continues to appear before a panel probing allegations of corruption and insubordination against him. The allegations were made by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. read more

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OPL 245:EFCC arraigns Malabu oil, 6 others over alleged $1bn fraud

OPL 245:EFCC arraigns Malabu oil, 6 others over alleged $1bn fraud

1 July 2020

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, arraigned Malabu Oil & Gas Limited, six other companies and an oil tycoon, Aliyu Abubakar before the Federal High Court on a 48-count fraud charge.

The Defendants were docked over their involvement in alleged fraudulent transfer of controversial OPL 245, considered as one of the richest oil blocks in Africa.

Other defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/268/2016, are A-Group Construction Company Limited, Rocky Top Resources Limited, Mega-Tech Engineering Limited, Novel Properties and Development Company Limited, and Carlin International Nigeria Limited. read more

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OPL 245: Fresh Charges Against Malabu Oil and Gas Limited

EFCC drops Adoke from key OPL 245 case, files fresh charges against Malabu

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Malabu Oil and Gas Limited on fresh charges of money laundering in the OPL 245 deal of 2011.

July 02, 2020

Malabu, alongside Aliyu Abubakar, a businessman, and six other companies were arraigned on a 48-count charge before Iyang Ekwo, judge of a federal high court in Abuja.

The companies listed in the charge are: A-Group Construction Company Limited, Rocky Top Resources Limited, Mega Tech Engineering Limited, Novel Properties and Development Company Limited, and Carlin International Nigeria Limited. read more

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OPL 245: How Italian Prosecutors Hid Vital Information from Judge

OPL 245: How Italian Prosecutors Hid Vital Information from Judge

By Davidson Iriekpen:

Facts have emerged that the lead Italian prosecutor in the criminal case involving Shell and ENI over the OPL 245 affair, Dr. Fabio De Pasquale, concealed a significant material fact from the Milanese court concerning the former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, THISDAY has learnt.

In the transcripts of the hearing with Criminal Proceeding No. 54772/13 RGNR, the prosecution witness, Ferri Alessandro, had told the court that Adoke owned the property at No. 271, Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama, Abuja, for which he had collected a mortgage of N300 million from Unity Bank in 2011. read more

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Malabu Oil Block: ex-minister Orubebe’s wife quizzed over N360m deals

Malabu Oil Block: ex-minister Orubebe’s wife quizzed over N360m deals

MAY 15, 2020

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

Former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godsday Orubebe’s wife Maureen, has been grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a N500 million deal linked to the $1.092 billion Malabu Oil Block scandal.

Mrs. Orubebe is also being investigated for alleged money laundering.

She was alleged to have bought three assets from the company of one of the suspects on trial over the Malabu Oil Block Settlement Agreement.

The assets were alleged to be part of those which over $523 million (out of $1.06b) was used for. read more

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SEC drops inquiry into Shell-Eni OPL 245 deal, companies say

|About: Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS.A)|By: , SA News Editor

  • Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A +0.9%) and Eni (E -0.8%) say the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped its inquiry into their 2011 acquisition of the OPL 245 oil block offshore Nigeria.
  • The two companies are still on trial in Italy over allegations they bought OPL 245 knowing most of the $1.3B price would go to agents and middlemen in bribes.
  • Separately, Eni says CEO Claudio Descalzi and all senior managers will defer the collection of half of their 2020 long-term incentive plans until 2021, part of the company’s measures to reduce investment and operating costs.
  • For Descalzi, the deferral is equivalent to €735K, 15% of his total remuneration or 46% of his fixed remuneration.
  • Also, an agreement between Eni, Spanish gas firm Naturgy Energy and the Egyptian government to resolve a series of disputes over a shuttered gas plant in northern Egypt reportedly has fallen through.
  • The deal had been due to end Naturgy’s business interests in Egypt and dissolve a joint venture between Naturgy and Eni, while Eni and some Egyptian firms would have increased their holdings in the Damietta plant.        SOURCE
  • read more

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    Malabu Oil deal: EFCC seeks arrest warrant to extradite ex-Minister Etete, others

    JANUARY 29, 2020

    Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Abuja

    THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory for a warrant of arrest to enable it extradite a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dauzia Loya (Dan) Etete and two others.

    The others are Munamuna Seidougha and Amaran Joseph.

    The anti-graft agency has preferred charges against the three suspects before the High Court over the $1.09billion Malabu Oil Block (OPL 245) Settlement Agreement.

    The EFCC alleged that Rasky Gbinigie, Munamuna Seidougha (at large), Amaran Joseph sometime in 2013, in Abuja “dishonestly used as genuine the forged form CAC 7 and Board Resolution of Malabu Oil and Gas Limited and the letter of resignation of one Mohammed Sani, which they then knew to be forged documents, to open a bank account No. 2018288005 to receive $401,540,000.00 . read more

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    $1.06b Malabu oil block: Govt, EFCC, Interpol in row over Adoke

    December 8, 2019

    THE International Police (INTERPOL) has rejected the request of former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Mohammed Bello Adoke for release from its custody in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    It said it could not grant the request because it deals with states and not individuals. Adoke’s lawyers wrote the INTERPOL, seeking his release based on what they called the vacation, on October 25, of the warrant of arrest issued against him by Justice Danlami Senchi of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja. read more

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    Royal Dutch Shell searches for a purpose beyond oil

    , Senior Energy Correspondent: 27 Sept 2019

    The preceding three years offered plenty to talk about. Oil prices had collapsed; Shell had embarked on a complex $53bn takeover of natural gas giant BG Group and the company’s offices had been raided over a controversial Nigerian deal. Shell’s top brass were wrestling with a dilemma that has since beset every major oil and gas company. How should a company that generates most of its profits by meeting the world’s still-robust demand for oil and gas navigate the future as the political tide turns increasingly against fossil fuels. read more

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    Report alleges Shell and Eni made military-style Nigerian oil deal

     

    A new report alleges that Shell and Eni benefited ‘at the expense’ of the Nigerian people in a generous military-style contact in 2011.

    Analysis from non-profit watchdog Global Witness suggests the firms signed a “Sole Risk” contract, which gave away Nigeria’s right to its share of the oil produced in the $1.1bn deal.

    Court cases are underway into allegations of bribery in the deal for the OPL 245 license, which holds one of the country’s largest oil fields. read more

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    The crooks at USB Bank and Royal Dutch Shell

    Former Shell CEO Peter Voser is an unlucky man. He had the incredible misfortune to be in charge of the bad guys at both corporate giants, Shell and UBS Bank simultaneously, while presumably being personally innocent of any criminal acts? What are the chances of that happening? The question of managerial negligence, twice-over, must surely be another matter?

    By John Donovan

    Printed below is an article published yesterday by BBC News reporting that the “Swiss banking giant UBS has been fined €3.7bn (£3.2bn; $4.2bn) in a French tax fraud case.”

    The article goes on to say that “Following similar cases in the US in 2009 and Germany in 2014, the bank accepted large fines.”

    During the period of criminal activity the then Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell Plc – Peter Voser – was paid millions of Swiss francs in his role as a director of UBS AG. He was also a member of the governance and nominating committee and of the strategy committee. read more

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    Nigeria sues Shell and Eni over 2011 ‘oil bribes’

    December 14 2018, 12:01am

    Nigeria is suing Royal Dutch Shell and Eni for $1.1 billion that it claims it missed out on as a result of alleged corruption in a 2011 oil deal. The country said that it had lodged the claim in the High Court in London against the companies to recoup payments they made for an offshore oil exploration block. It alleges that the oil majors knew that much of the $1.3 billion they had paid to the Nigerian government to secure ownership of the OPL 245 licence ultimately would be paid in bribes. The allegations are already the subject of criminal proceedings in Italy and Nigeria. Both Shell and Eni deny any wrongdoing. Shell is an Anglo-Dutch group that employs about 80,000 people in more than… Want to read more? read more

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    Shell News 5 Dec 2018: Includes latest on OPL 245 graft case

    DECEMBER 5, 2018

    MILAN (Reuters) – The Russian government has asked Italy to be “reasonable” over a Russian citizen caught up in a Nigerian graft case in Milan and drop the charges against him, according to legal documents seen by Reuters.

    Ednan Tofik ogly Agaev, a former Russian ambassador in Colombia, is charged with international corruption in a case revolving around the 2011 purchase by oil majors Eni and Shell of Nigeria’s OPL 245 oilfield.

    Milan prosecutors allege bribes totalling around $1.1 billion (£862.4 million) were paid to win the licence to explore the field. read more

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    MALABU SCANDAL: Shell, Eni officials’ trial continues as anti-corruption group head appears before court

    The trial of officials of oil giants Eni and Shell over the controversial Malabu scandal will resume Wednesday at the Milan Palace of Justice in Italy, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

    The Milan court’s decision came after Simon Taylor, a founding director of anti-corruption group, Global Witness, appeared before it as witness on Wednesday.

    Mr Taylor’s Global Witness, together with PREMIUM TIMES and its London partner, Finance Uncovered, have for years done extensive investigations into the long-running controversial oil deal. read more

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    Corruption trial in Nigeria may last several months, says Shell

    SOURCE

    Corruption trial in Nigeria may last several months, says Shell

    12 October 2018

    Royal Dutch Shell has said the corruption trial over a Nigerian oil deal may last several months, warning staff of continued critical media coverage in the $1.3 billion case.

    An internal memo sighted by Reuters indicates that Shell’s Legal Director, Donny Ching, encouraged employees to study an internal web page that the Anglo-Dutch oil giant had set up for the case before responding to questions from relatives and friends.

    Shell and its Italian peer, Eni are defendants in a Milan bribery trial, now in its early stages, focusing on the 2011 purchase of Nigeria’s $1.3 billion OPL 245 offshore oilfield. read more

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    Court Commits Shell MD to Imprisonment with Hard Labour

    NO, IT’S NOT MALCOLM BRINDED. HIS BRIBERY & CORRUPTION TRIAL (RE OPL 245) ALSO RELATING TO NIGERIA, IS STILL IN PROGRESS. 

    Those sentenced alongside the SPDC managing director are Shell’s Secretary and Head of legal and the Deputy Country Head of Legal/Managing Counsel Global litigation sub-Sahara Africa.The judge directed the Nigerian Police Force and other law enforcement to effect immediate arrest of the aforementioned Shell officials who were absent in court and send them to prison.

    By Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt: OCTOBER 10, 2018

    A Port Harcourt High Court yesterday sentenced the Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mr. Osagie Okunbor, and two others to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour for disobeying court order.

    But reacting to the court judgment, the SPDC’s spokesman, Bamidele Odugbesan, said the oil giant did not accept the judgment and had appealed it. 

    “We do not accept that SPDC has disobeyed any lawful order of court and have accordingly appealed this judgement.  read more

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    Shell, Eni Could Face Massive Damages in Nigerian Corruption Case

    CAIN BURDEAU: July 19, 2018

    CASTELBUONO, Sicily (CN) – Nigeria could learn Friday at a court in Milan whether it can pursue damages against oil giants Shell and Eni in a sprawling international corruption case.

    The trial centers on a $1.3 billion bribery deal Royal Dutch Shell Plc. and Italy-based Eni S.p.A. executives allegedly entered into in 2011 with Nigerian officials, including then-President Goodluck Jonathan, to purchase a much-coveted oil field off the coast of Nigeria.

    In December 2017, Italian judges in Milan ordered the companies and a number of individuals, including top executives at Shell and Eni, to stand trial. The trial has been slow to unfold and remains in preliminary hearings. read more

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    Italy’s top court rejects appeal to stymie Shell, Eni corruption trial

    REUTERS STAFF: JUNE 13, 2018 / 4:03 PM

    ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s Supreme Court threw out an appeal from Shell and four former Shell managers to stymie a corruption trial that has also involved Eni’s chief executive, legal sources said on Wednesday.

    The long-running graft case on alleged corruption in Nigeria, revolves around the 2011 purchase by Eni and Shell of Nigeria’s OPL-245 offshore oilfield for about $1.3 billion. The trial began last month, with the next hearing set for June 20. read more

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    Italy’s top court tosses appeal in Shell, Eni corruption trial

    |By: , SA News Editor

    Italy’s Supreme Court rejects an appeal from Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.ARDS.B) and four former Shell managers to reverse a trial on alleged corruption in Nigeria, which also has implicated Eni (NYSE:E) CEO Claudio Descalzi.

    The appeal hoped to reverse the trial to the preliminary hearing stage due to what it said were procedural errors, but the court ruled that the appeal was inadmissible.

    Nine current and former company executives or contractors, including Descalzi, are accused by Italian prosecutors of paying bribes to secure the license to explore Nigeria’s OPL-245 offshore oilfield, which holds ~9B barrels of oil but has never entered production. read more

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    The Mystery of a Geneva Briefcase, Nigeria Middleman and Big Oil

    By Hugo Miller , Kelly Gilblom , and Sergio Di Pasquale: 24 May 2018, 08:40 BST Updated on 24 May 2018, 10:23 BST

    A briefcase seized from a Geneva apartment two years ago could be the key to an Italian bribery case against Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Eni SpA — if it makes it to Milan in time.

    The bag held SIM cards, Nigerian passports, a laptop and a hard drive containing more than 40,000 documents, and belonged to Emeka Obi, according to a spokesman for the Geneva Prosecutor’s Office. Swiss prosecutors found it during a raid for an unrelated investigation and are trying to get it to their Italian colleagues, who are prosecuting Obi as an alleged middle man in a $1.1 billion kickback scheme involving the energy companies vying for a Nigerian oil license.

    Obi’s lawyers persuaded a Geneva judge to put the contents of his briefcase under seal, citing his rights to privacy. Now a decision by Geneva’s Measures of Constraint Court on whether to lift that seal is expected as soon as this month.

    While officials in Milan have moved forward with charges against the oil companies without the briefcase, the evidence could strengthen the graft case. The trial, which centers around events in 2011, begins on June 20. Milanese Prosecutor Fabio De Pasquale said he has “sent more reminders” to the Swiss saying he wants the briefcase, underscoring its importance. read more

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    Shell, Eni trial on Nigeria corruption re-adjourned to June

    Reuters Staff: MAY 14, 2018

    MILAN (Reuters) – The trial of top executives from oil majors Eni (ENI.MI) and Shell (RDSa.L) over alleged corruption in Nigeria kicked off on Monday with a brief procedural hearing and a decision to re-adjourn next month.

    At the next hearing, set for June 20, the Milan court said it would assess requests from third parties, including a series of international non-profit organizations, to join the case.

    At Monday’s hearing Domenico Cartoni Schittar, a lawyer representing the Nigerian government, said he was stepping down from his role.  read more

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    Shell boss Ben Van Beurden facing a shareholder revolt over his £7.8m pay packet

    The boss of oil giant Shell is facing the threat of a revolt over his £7.8million pay packet.

    Institutional Shareholders Services, a leading investor advisory group, is recommending that Ben van Beurden’s pay is voted down at the annual general meeting later this month.

    ISS said it also wants more information about how the 60-year-old’s bonus was affected by an incident in Pakistan in 2016, when a fuel tanker operated by a Shell Pakistan contractor exploded, killing more than 200 people. read more

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    Shell, Eni oil executives on trial for graft in Nigeria

    A corruption trial against oil giants Shell and Eni and Nigeria’s ex-oil minister Dan Etete is getting started in Milan. The case deals with alleged bribes valuing millions, and the Italian trial is not the only one.

    Starting Monday, the Italian city of Milan will be the scene of a month-long trial that deals with corruption allegations in the oil industry.

    The Milan public prosecutor’s office accuses the Italian oil firm Eni and the British-Dutch oil company Shell of having paid millions of dollars in bribes in order to acquire a lucrative oil exploration and drilling license in Nigeria.

    Now 15 defendants are facing trial. Most of them employees of the two companies but Nigeria’s ex-Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete, will also be tried. read more

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    Shell and Eni in court over alleged corruption in $1.1bn Nigerian oil deal

    Royal Dutch Shell, Italian oil giant Eni and a number of senior executives at the two firms face trial in Milan on Monday over corruption charges relating to a $1.1bn (£800m) deal for a Nigerian oil block.

    The Milan public prosecutor alleges that $520m from a 2011 deal to buy rights to a vast oil block off Nigeria’s coast was converted into cash and intended to be paid to the then Nigerian resident Goodluck Jonathan, members of the government and other Nigerian government officials.  read more

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    Trial set for two of the world’s largest oil companies

    Trial set for two of the world’s largest oil companies

    13 May 2018: Two of the world’s largest oil companies, Royal Dutch Shell and Eni of Italy, are expected to go on trial on Monday in Milan. Prosecutors are bringing corruption charges over a $1.3 billion oil deal in Nigeria. The defendants include current and former oil executives, among them Claudio Descalzi, Eni’s chief executive, who has the backing of his board despite his legal troubles. The case revolves around a payment the companies made in 2011 to the Nigerian government to settle a dispute over an offshore oil tract in the Atlantic Ocean known as OPL 245. The companies have consistently denied wrongdoing, but the case may shine a light on the sometimes murky dealings of the international oil industry. The proceedings, which are expected to last for months, may be delayed after initial procedures. Stanley Reed read more

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    Malabu Oil Deal: Two British Secret Service Agents Docked As Trial Begins In Milan

    Shell and Italian oil giant, Eni, are also defendants in the charge of ‘Aggravated international corruption,’ leveled against the oil executives in the trial which began in Milan, Italy on Monday.

    BY SAHARA REPORTERS, NEW YORK: MAY 11, 2018

    Two retired secret agents of British Mi6 identified as Collegate Guy Jonathan and John Coplestone De Carteret, are among the executives of Royal Dutch Shell under prosecution in the ongoing trial of bribery allegation in the purchase of lucrative Nigerian Malabu oil block.

    Shell and Italian oil giant, Eni, are also defendants in the charge of ‘Aggravated international corruption,’ leveled against the oil executives in the trial which began in Milan, Italy on Monday. read more

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    Malabu Oil: Trial of Shell, Eni CEO, Other Top Executives, Begin Monday

    By Bayo Akinloye: 12 MAY 2018

    The Royal Dutch Shell and Eni, along with a number of their senior executives, will on Monday face criminal charges in Milan, Italy, for alleged aggravated international corruption for their role in a $1.1bn deal for a Malabu Oil’s OPL 245.

    This was made known in a statement yesterday by the international corruption watchdog, the Global Witness.

    It noted that no company as large as Royal Dutch Shell or senior executives of a major oil company had ever stood trial for bribery offences.  read more

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