Today, at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) charged London Mining Plc Chief Executive Officer Graeme Hossie, Chief Financial Officer Rachel Rhodes and international business consultant Ariel Armon with conspiring to make multiple corrupt payments to secure preferential treatment in Sierra Leone.
London Mining Plc had operations in Brazil, China, Colombia, Greenland, Saudi Arabia and Sierra Leone. The company was headquartered in central London and went into administration in 2014.
The SFO opened an investigation into the collapsed business in 2016. As part of a complex international investigation, SFO investigators carried out multiple searches and arrests.
The defendants will appear before Southwark Crown Court on 14th July.
Lisa Osofsky, Director of the Serious Fraud Office, said:
“International bribery and corruption have a devastating impact on local communities and the stability of global supply chains.
“We are committed to holding company executives to account, delivering justice for these communities and protecting the UK’s reputation.”