As highlighted in this prior post, in April 2025 PetroNor E&P ASA (an Africa-focused independent oil and gas exploration and production company listed in Norway) announced the closure of a DOJ investigation regarding allegations of corruption – while also noting that an investigation by law enforcement in its home country was still ongoing.
Økokrim, a law enforcement agency in Norway, recently announced bribery charges against a wholly owned subsidiary of Petronor E&P ASA and two individuals in connection with a bribery scheme in the Republic of Congo.
According to the release, “the bribes mentioned in the indictment are linked to the President of Congo and his close family members, and the value of the bribes is particularly high.”
The release further states:
“The indictment is an illustration of what may be described as “grand corruption”. This entails the use of bribes directed to the top public officials of a country, and often implies bribes of huge monetary value.
Bribes in grand corruption cases may facilitate that the rulers of a country may abuse their powers to enrich themselves and their families to the detriment of the citizens of the country. Under the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention (officially the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions), Norway is under an obligation to investigate suspicions of this type of corruption.
Norway does not have jurisdiction over the individuals who have received what is described as bribes in the indictment, and Økokrim has therefore not considered any potential criminal liability in their regard.
The case originated with a suspicious transaction to a bank in Monaco, leading to investigation by the FIU (Financial Intelligence Unit) of Monaco, and a subsequent request for legal assistance from Monaco to Norway.
The investigation has been extensive and Økokrim has received substantial assistance from foreign authorities, in particular from France and the USA.”
