SEC probes Siemens, GE, Philips

SAO PAULO: The US Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating Siemens AG, Philips NV and General Electric Co for allegedly using local middlemen to negotiate bribes with Chinese government and hospital officials to sell medical equipment, two U.S. sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The investigations into the companies’ business in China, along with an existing SEC probe into their sales in Brazil, are part of a new effort by U.S. regulators to crack down on alleged corruption in sales of costly medical equipment worldwide, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.

The SEC declined to comment. Siemens, GE and Philips all denied wrongdoing and said they were unaware of any SEC investigation concerning their operations in China.

Reuters reported in May that the SEC, along with the U.S. Justice Department and FBI, were investigating Siemens, GE and Philips - as well as Johnson & Johnson - for allegedly paying bribes to win contracts in Brazil. The four companies all denied any wrongdoing in Brazil.

Under a U.S. federal law called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA), it is illegal for Americans, U.S. companies or foreign companies whose securities are listed in the United States to pay foreign officials to win business. If found guilty of violating the act, firms could face fines from the SEC.