Algeria Graft: Eni Acquitted, Saipem Guilty

Eni said September 19 that it welcomed its acquittal that day by a court in Milan, in a case relating to alleged corruption in Algeria during 2007-11.

It said the judgement reiterates its 2015 acquittal by the preliminary hearing judge of the court of Milan "confirming that the company and its management were not involved in the alleged illegal activities".

The company said it is pleased that the court reaffirms the findings of several previous inquiries carried out by the company and independent third parties, which had already found no involvement on the part of Eni and its management in alleged illegal or corrupt activity.

Reuters however reported that Italian contractor Saipem and the latter's former CEO Pietro Tali were found guilty of corruption, with Tali sentenced to four years and nine months in prison; the seizure of €197.9mn was ordered, with the company fined €400,000. Eni at the time, a decade ago, was Saipem's largest shareholder. 

Italian newspaper La Repubblica and other media reported that the court acquitted Eni's former CEO Paolo Scaroni and one of his senior executives Antonio Vella. But former Saipem executives Alessandro Bernini and Pietro Varone and three Algerians - Farid Bedjaoui,  Samyr Ouraied and Omar Habour - were found guilty, receiving prison sentences. A report in English was published by Italian news agency ANSA here.