Microsoft under suspicion of corruption

The US authorities are studying cash flows around software sales in Hungary and are investigating whether middlemen have used the money for bribery.

In 2012, the Hungarian government tried to abandon Microsoft products. The company has over confirmed it and in the next two years sold Hungary the year of software for $ 30 million. Investigators suspect that this is the result of bribes and kickbacks to officials

The US authorities suspected Microsoft Corporation of bribery and corruption when selling software to government institutions in Hungary. This August 23 wrote to the newspaper Wall Street Journal.

According to a media report, the US authorities have filed investigations against Microsoft for suspected corruption and bribery related to software sales in Hungary. The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission examined whether Microsoft had sold software to mid-market middlemen in the European country, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing people familiar with the matter.

Software sales in Hungary not all right. Now investigate American authorities. The Group is silent on the allegations so far.

The agents should then have passed the software 2013 and 2014 to government agencies at full price. The authorities examined whether the middlemen used the difference to pay bribes. Initially, no one was available for comment at Microsoft.

The US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are studying how the corporation sold the software in Hungary in 2013 and 2014. Hungarian intermediaries received Microsoft products, including Word and Excel, at a big discount, and then sold them to the government at an almost full price. Investigators believe that the profits from these operations the company spent on bribes and kickbacks to officials.

In 2012, the Hungarian government tried to abandon Microsoft products and use free text editors instead. Operating director of the corporation Kevin Turner met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and promised that in 2013 and 2014 the company will sell them software with a discount of up to 30%. The WSJ noted that during this time Microsoft earned about $ 30 million in Hungary.

Prior to this, the US authorities suspected Microsoft of bribing and kickbacks when selling software in Romania, Italy, Russia, and Pakistan. The results of the investigations are unknown.

Microsoft - one of the largest manufacturers of software, computers, game consoles, and phones. Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded the company in 1975. The total capital of the company for 2018 is $ 82 billion.