French. oil giant corruption probe ends

French judges today ended an eight-year probe into an alleged kickback scheme at former state-owned oil giant Elf Aquitaine, implicating more than 40 people in a web of corruption that reached into Africa.

Those named by Investigative judges Eva Joly and Renaud Van Ruymbeke have 20 days to respond to allegations linking them to the former company’s attempts to buy influence.

During a four-year period ending in 1993, up to £272m (€445m) looted from the company for personal and political gain, the judges concluded.

Among those named in the final report is former Interior Minister Charles Pasqua, who is running in this spring’s presidential race. Pasqua is under suspicion for allegedly using Elf company planes for personal use.

Many of those named have already been placed under formal investigation, one step short of being charged. They include Albert Sirven, the former second-in-command at Elf, who is widely considered to be a key figure in the scandal.

The judge’s recommendations go to the Paris prosecutor’s office for review after any challenges are filed. A final decision on who goes to trial is made by the judges.

The vast Elf scandal has tarnished the reputations of prominent French businessmen and politicians, including Roland Dumas. The former foreign minister was convicted of corruption last year and sentenced to six months in prison in a separate Elf investigation.

During Dumas’ trial, prosecutors said money was channelled in numerous kickback schemes, including one which involved the multimillion euro sale of French frigates to Taiwan in 1991.

However, the frigate scandal and another probe involving the creation of fake jobs are still under investigation.

Elf Aquitaine was taken over in 1999 by oil giant TotalFina.