Financial Crime World

Seven Ex-Eaters Convicted of Bribery and Embezzlement in Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark - A major corruption scandal has led to the conviction of seven former employees of Danish IT company Atea and government officials on charges of bribery and embezzlement. The investigation into allegations of widespread corruption within the company and government agencies has been ongoing for a long time.

Convicted Individuals

  • Former CEO Claus Hougesen
  • Two former sales directors: Carsten Ritzau and Per Juul Andersen
  • Former vice president Peter Trans
  • Government officials:
    • Former IT operations manager Rene Clausen
    • Former IT director Michael Steen Hansen
    • Former IT development director Michael Mølkær Jensen

All seven defendants, along with Atea, were convicted on 38 counts of bribery and embezzlement. Sentencing is expected to take place in February next year.

Concerns about Corruption in Denmark

The scandal has raised concerns about the extent of corruption within Denmark’s corporate and government sectors. The country’s anti-corruption laws prohibit active and passive bribery, trading in influence, embezzlement, fraud, breach of trust, and money laundering. Penalties for bribery can include fines and up to six years’ imprisonment.

Denmark has been criticized by the OECD for its handling of corruption cases, with the organization expressing concerns that authorities have failed to thoroughly investigate allegations of foreign bribery.

Need for Greater Transparency and Accountability

The scandal has also highlighted the need for greater transparency and accountability within Denmark’s government and corporate sectors. The country’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression, but there is no specific legislation to protect whistleblowers or regulate conflicts of interest and asset disclosures for members of parliament.

Despite these challenges, Denmark remains a signatory to several international anti-corruption conventions and has made progress in implementing measures to prevent corruption. The country’s media plays a central role in uncovering scandals of political abuse, with cases often starting in the press and subsequently picked up by public authorities.

Sources

  • Børsen: “Navneforbuddet er hævet: Her er de tiltalte i Atea-sagen”, 12 October 2017
  • Fyens.dk: “Sag om korruption: Chef i Atea godkendte ‘underlig tur’ til Dubai”, 10 November 2017
  • OCCRP: “Denmark’s Biggest Bank Hosted Azerbaijani Slush Fund”, 5 September 2017
  • Politico: “Danish Fishing Scandal Strengthens UK’s Brexit Hand”, 17 August 2017