Thales, the French defense and electronics giant, is under investigation by UK and French authorities for alleged corruption and bribery.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and France’s Parquet National Financier (PNF) are jointly probing the company, following raids on Thales’ offices in France, the Netherlands, and Spain in June. The investigation is believed to focus on potential corruption linked to arms sales, possibly to Brazil or Asia. Additionally, another probe examines the transfer of a former Thales employee to the UN in 2020.
Thales, which manufactures military technology and provides defense systems globally, recently delivered 650 Lightweight Multirole Missiles to Ukraine as part of a £162 million deal. The company also secured a £1.8 billion contract to maintain the UK’s Royal Navy fleet. Thales, with 81,000 employees in 68 countries, cooperates fully with the ongoing investigations, though it has withheld further comment. The French government and Dassault Aviation each own 25% of the company.
