WIREDGOV

Recently, Colin Bagwell received 9 months’ imprisonment to be suspended for 2 years for his part in a bribery scheme to overcharge for freight forwarding services provided by FH Bertling for a North Sea oil exploration project. He was also ordered to pay a £5,000 fine. 

Christopher Lane, having pleaded guilty prior to the trial, received 6 months’ imprisonment to be suspended for 2 years for the same offence. He is also subject to a 28 days electronic curfew order. 

Giuseppe Morreale and Stephen Emler also received sentences totalling 15 months and 12 months respectively, each suspended for 2 years, for their part in a scheme to secure contracts for FH Bertling in the North Sea. Both men pleaded guilty prior to trial. 

In relation to the SFO’s Angola investigation, Morreale was sentenced to 2 years and Emler 18 months imprisonment, to be suspended for 2 years, to run concurrently. 

In addition, Morreale was ordered to pay a £20,000 fine and Emler was ordered to pay a £15,000 fine. 

The sentencing follows a 4 year investigation and prosecution by the SFO against individuals involved in bribery schemes to secure contracts for FH Bertling in Angola and the North Sea. 13 individuals were charged, including FH Bertling itself, as part of the investigation, with 9 convicted of one or more charges and 4 individuals acquitted.

The previous FH Bertling trial relating to bribery and corruption in Angola, saw Joerg Blumberg, Dirk Juergensen and Marc Schweiger each receive a 20 month suspended sentence, a £20,000 fine and disqualification from being a company director for 5 years. 

Notes to Editors

1. Giuseppe Morreale and Stephen Emler both pleaded guilty to two counts (one on the Angola Indictment and one on the Jasmine(North Sea) Indictment) of:

• Conspiracy to make corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and section 1of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.

2. Christopher Lane pleaded guilty to one count of:

• Conspiracy to make corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and section 1of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.

3. Colin Bagwell was convicted on one count of:

• Conspiracy to make corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and section 1of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 in relation to his conspiracy with Christopher Lane

4. Colin Bagwell was acquitted on one further count of:

• Conspiracy to make corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and section 1of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906

5. Further information can be found on the FH Bertling Jasmine case page on our website.
6. Information about the previous FH Bertling trial can be found here.