Embraer’s North American spokesman says the company has been internally investigating “certain commercial transactions abroad” since 2010 and is cooperating fully with authorities in several countries to get to the bottom of bribery allegations involving two aircraft deals. Bob Stangarone told AVweb the company can’t comment directly on reports that some of its employees are alleged to have paid bribes to gain sales in Argentina and the Dominican Republic. “Integrity, transparency in its business transactions and ethics in its relationships are the principles that always guided Embraer,” Stangarone said in a statement. “The Company requires that all its employees have a conduct of strict compliance with laws and regulations, as established in its corporate policies and in its Code of Ethics and Conduct.”
Reuters is reporting that U.S. and Brazilian authorities are investigating allegations that a Dominican military officer received a $3.4 million bribe to secure a deal for eight Super Tucano light attack aircraft. There are also allegedly unspecified irregularities with the sale of 20 E-190 airliners to Austral, a subsidiary of Argentina’s state airline Aerolineas Argentinas. Stangarone noted that Embraer went public about the allegations in 2011 and regrets all speculation before the effective conclusion of the process.
