Anglo-Dutch energy giant Royal Dutch Shell is under investigation in Italy for corruption related to an oil contract with the Nigerian government, the daily Corriere della Sera reported on Wednesday.
In 2011, Shell secured Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 246 in Nigeria, awarding it exploration rights for one of West Africa‘s largest oil fields, together with Italian state-controlled peer Eni.
There are suspicions that bribes helped clinch the 1.3-billion-euro (1.47-billion-dollar) deal.
Corriere della Sera reported that Milan prosecutors searched Shell‘s headquarters in The Hague on February 17, in cooperation with the Netherlands‘ anti-fraud authorities, as well as the Dutch home of former Nigerian justice minister Adoke Bello.
Milan prosecutors have already placed Eni Chief Executive Claudio Descalzi under investigation over the affair. The Italian company denies any wrongdoing, insisting it did not know the money it paid to the government was going to be siphoned off into bribes.
Shell was not immediately available for comment.
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