BERLIN — German construction company Bilfinger SE says it is investigating allegations that employees at a unit in Brazil paid bribes to local officials in connection with orders to equip security control centres in cities hosting World Cup games.
Bilfinger said Sunday it launched a "comprehensive investigation" involving outside auditors and a law office after receiving internal information last year about suspected bribery payments to public officials and employees of state companies.
It said "suspicions have now been substantiated" but the investigation isn’t yet complete, with questions remaining about who received the payments and the amount involved.
The allegations are linked to orders to supply monitor walls for security control centres in what the company called "several large municipalities." The company said the orders’ value totalled some 6 million euros ($6.5 million).