Alcatel Pays $137 Million to Settle Bribery Charges

Alcatel-Lucent SA is paying over $137 million to settle charges brought against it by The Securities and Exchange Commission and DOJ for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by paying bribes to government officials to gain business in Latin America and Asia. Alcatel supplies phone companies and allegedly paid bribes to officials in Costa Rica, Honduras, Malaysia and Taiwan. The bribes were improperly recorded as consulting fees on company financials.