Moroccan Military Launches Probe into Fresenius Bribery Scandal at Army Hospitals

These bribes were paid to Moroccan officials in order to obtain contracts in the military hospitals of the kingdom. "A judicial investigation has been opened following the information elements on facts that occurred between 2006 and 2012 concerning presumptions of acts of corruption that may have tainted public contracts," the FAR General Staff said in a statement.

All the executives mentioned in this case will be questioned, including "a former officer who served in the military health service," the FAR said, noting that the "investigations will be conducted to establish the precise facts relating to this case and in accordance with the regulatory and judicial provisions in force."

According to the US State Department, the German company Fresenius would have sought to obtain the contract for the management of dialysis centers in the military hospitals in Morocco, in return for a "fictitious commission" paid to a Moroccan official, in the order of 10% of the total value of the contract.

For these acts, the German firm must pay a fine of $231 million, $84 million to the US Department of Justice and $147 million to the US federal agency for the regulation and control of financial markets.