Glasgow freight and logistics firm Braid UK to pay £2.2M over corrupt deals
A Glasgow-based company has agreed to pay £2.2 million after employees carried out corrupt deals.
A Glasgow-based company has agreed to pay £2.2 million after employees carried out corrupt deals.
An investigation into the activities of Braid UK, which specialises in freight and logistics, found two separate cases of dishonest money-making.
Parent company Braid Group contacted the authorities after making the discovery and accepts it obtained business through unlawful conduct, the Crown Office said.
Following a settlement more than £2 million will be handed to the civil recovery unit for use in community projects across Scotland.
The first scam involved an agreement between a Braid UK staff member and an employee of one of its customers.
It saw inflated invoices provided to the customer to cover unauthorised expenses including personal travel, holidays and gifts.
In a second case, a profit sharing deal was found to be in place, where the profit made on services provided to the customer was split, in return for orders continuing to be placed with Braid UK.
Criminal investigations into individuals may follow, the Crown Office said. Linda Hamilton, head of the civil recovery unit, said: "It is vital to the health of the Scottish economy that any form of bribery or corruption is identified and stopped as soon as possible.
"Only in this way can businesses who play by the rules flourish, without competing with those who obtain commercial advantage through unlawful means.
"Braid is to be commended for self-reporting the unlawful conduct to Crown Office.''
The self-reporting initiative was launched in July 2011 when the Bribery Act 2010 came into force.
The legislation states it is an offence for a business to fail to prevent bribery by an associated person.