Swedish telco TeliaSonera’s operations in Uzbekistan are also under investigation by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in addition to Dutch and Swedish authorities. The DoJ has informed TeliaSonera that…
Swedish telco TeliaSonera’s operations in Uzbekistan are also under investigation by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in addition to Dutch and Swedish authorities.
The DoJ has informed TeliaSonera that it is conducting an ongoing investigation into its Uzbek operations and requested documents, the telco said. The SEC has also requested documents and information in relation to Uzbekistan.
The US authorities’ investigations relate to TeliaSonera’s 2007 acquisition of 3G licence in Uzbekistan, a company spokesperson confirmed.
“The questions are very broad at this stage,” he noted.
TeliaSonera was one of three European telcos to reveal last week that its operations in the Central Asian nation are subject to investigation, the others being Russia-focussed VimpelCom and one of its main shareholders, Norway’s Telenor.
Meanwhile, the Swiss federal prosecutor is investigating Gulnara Karimova, daughter of the Uzbek president, in relation to money laundering accusations which may be connected to illegal activity in the Uzbek telecoms market.
Last Thursday, TeliaSonera disclosed that two of its Dutch holding companies, which own its Uzbek operations, are subject to a preliminary investigation concerning bribery and money laundering.
In its statement today, the Stockholm-based operator said Dutch authorities have asked for collateral of between €10m and €20m for any financial claims which may be decided against subsidiary TeliaSonera UTA Holding.
TeliaSonera head of group communications, Peter Borsos, said the common denominator in its contacts with the various authorities is requests for information about its investments in Uzbekistan.
“TeliaSonera cooperates fully with all the authorities, as we are doing with the Swedish prosecutor, in order to fully gain clarity on all these issues.”
TeliaSonera’s operations in Uzbekistan became subject to controversy in 2012, when a Swedish television programme claimed it may have been involved in corruption when it acquired its Uzbek mobile licence.
Last year, the company’s board mandated Swedish law firm Mannheimer Swartling to conduct an investigation into its Uzbek investments and international firm Norton Rose Fulbright to review deals and partners in other parts of Eurasia.
While Mannheimer Swartling found nothing to support allegations the telco committed bribery or participated in money laundering, it said the company should have carried out more in-depth analysis.
The controversy has prompted major management changes at TeliaSonera, including the departures of its CEO and CFO.
As well as Uzbekistan, TeliaSonera’s Eurasian portfolio includes Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Moldova and Nepal.
