In November last year, Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) announced a joint investigation with French authorities into “suspected bribery and corruption” at the multinational Thales, which denies any wrongdoing. A 41-year-old management controller, who worked at the company from August 2018 to June 2023, was the whistleblower who alerted the authorities, prompting the probe.
The former employee, wishing to remain anonymous and contacted through his lawyer, began raising concerns after noticing suspicious orders related to major air defense deals with Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. In late 2018, he discovered a payment order for a service worth £400,000 ($520,000) linked to a deal between Thales UK and Indonesia, which raised his suspicion.
He became increasingly concerned when asked for retroactive approval of the order accompanied by incoherent documentation and reported his findings to superiors. Despite his efforts, he was told to remain silent. He later noticed another £100,000 transferred to Saudi Arabia, where a contract had also been signed, and he alerted colleagues through multiple channels, including an internal complaint platform in 2022. He believes this ultimately led to his dismissal.
In response, Thales stated that the former employee only filed an internal complaint after being summoned to a meeting regarding potential dismissal for professional incompetence. An internal investigation by in-house auditors concluded that there were no grounds for his allegations, although Thales is cooperating with British and French authorities.
Neither the SFO nor the French financial prosecutor’s office has commented on the ongoing investigation. One source indicated that the Indonesian contract is part of the joint probe, but it remains unclear if any Saudi contracts are also under examination.
A judicial source revealed that French investigators are exploring an “arms market” in Asia, with at least five other cases of alleged graft involving Thales currently under investigation. An investigating magistrate is looking into a 2002 submarine sale to Malaysia and could order a trial against involved parties, including the firm.
Four additional preliminary probes initiated between 2016 and 2023 are examining alleged corruption in Brazil, India, and the United Nations, with no charges filed against Thales in any of these investigations. Thales has reiterated that they strictly adhere to national and international regulations amid the ongoing probes.
Platform with AFP
