F.H. Bertling Ltd (Angola operations)

On 19 October 2017, three individuals were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court.

This follows an SFO investigation into corrupt payments made to an agent of the Angolan state oil company, Sonangol, in relation to F.H Bertling’s freight forwarding business in Angola and a contract worth approximately $20 million.

Joerg Blumberg, Dirk Juergensen and Marc Schweiger were sentenced, fined and disqualified as company directors following their convictions for conspiracy to make corrupt payments earlier this year.

Each was given a 20 month sentence, suspended for 2 years, a £20,000 fine, payable within 3 months with a default sentence of 1 year for non-payment and were disqualified from being company directors for 5 years.

Marc Schweiger, a German national living in Uganda, was the manager responsible for the Africa market when the corrupt activity took place between January 2004 and December 2006.

Joerg Blumberg worked as Group CFO while Dirk Juergensen was the Managing Director of the UK subsidiary F.H. Bertling Ltd. Both are German nationals living in Germany.

F.H. Bertling Ltd, Giuseppe Morreale and Stephen Emler pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal law Act 1977 and section (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 on 1 September 2016. Their sentencing is scheduled to take place following the conclusion of connected proceedings, for which a trial is scheduled in September 2018.

Ralf Petersen also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make corrupt payments but is now deceased.

Peter Ferdinand was acquitted by jury at Southwark Crown Court on 21 September 2017.

The activity took place between January 2004 and December 2006.