Latest news with #Blu-3
Bloomberg
01-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
UK SFO Makes Arrests in European Data Center Bribery Probe
By Updated on Save The Serious Fraud Office has made three arrests and searched multiple properties in England and Monaco as part of an investigation into bribes paid by a construction firm to win a contract to help build a data center for Microsoft Corp. Former associates of the Mace Group, a London-based construction group, and infrastructure firm Blu-3 are the subjects of the SFO's investigation, according to an announcement on Wednesday. Individuals at Blu-3 are accused of paying over £3 million ($4 million) in bribes to Mace associates to win contracts to help build the data center in the Netherlands.
The Guardian
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Serious Fraud Office make three arrests after dawn raids in bribery investigation
UK fraud investigators have made three arrests in dawn raids targeting alleged bribery by a British company during the construction of a Dutch datacentre for Microsoft. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said on Wednesday that it was targeting UK company Blu-3 and former associates of the global construction firm Mace Group. Individuals at Blu-3 are suspected of paying more than £3m in bribes to the people linked to Mace Group. More than 70 investigators searched four homes and one commercial property in London, Kent, Surrey and Somerset on Wednesday morning, the SFO said. Authorities in Monaco simultaneously searched a suspect's premises with help from the UK. Three people were arrested for questioning, and evidence was seized for further examination. Microsoft is not under investigation. Blu-3, founded in 2004, helps to manage large construction projects. It has helped Mace in the construction of the Shard in London, the UK's tallest building, and was involved also in the regeneration of London's Battersea power station and the Chelsea Barracks. It has also worked on the UK's HS2 railway project, for Transport for London and for the struggling Thames Water. More recently, Blu-3 has focused on datacentres, amid a boom in demand for buildings to house the computer servers on which internet and artificial intelligence companies rely. It made revenues of nearly £100m in the year to March 2024, and said it had a 'strong pipeline of work for 2025', according to accounts published before the arrests. Blu-3 first entered the datacentre market in the Netherlands in 2014. Its website refers to a 'large-scale datacentre project on behalf of a blue chip software company' managed by Mace in Middenmeer, north Holland. Mace Group, which employs more than 7,400 people, made revenues of £2.4bn in 2023. The UK-headquartered company has worked on a wide range of projects, including Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Tate Modern gallery extension. The SFO has faced scrutiny over the length of its investigations, as well as other troubles such as the £250m cost of an investigation into Kazakh mining company Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation which resulted in no charges. Nick Ephgrave, the director of the SFO, said: 'Paying bribes to do business undermines our financial markets, the reputation of British companies and the rule of law and will not be tolerated. 'Today's action is a reminder that we will take rapid and robust action to tackle suspected bribery and corruption wherever it appears – at home and overseas.' The solicitor general and Labour MP, Lucy Rigby, attended one of the arrests in north London this morning. A Mace spokesperson said: 'Mace has a zero tolerance approach to breaches of our code of ethics and takes any allegations of bribery extremely seriously. We are committed to fully supporting the Serious Fraud Office in investigating allegations against any former associates of the group.' Blu-3 and Microsoft were approached for comment.
Reuters
30-04-2025
- Business
- Reuters
UK fraud office investigates Blu-3, Mace Group in bribery probe
LONDON, April 30 (Reuters) - Britain's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) on Wednesday arrested three people as part of an international bribery investigation into British infrastructure provider Blu-3 and former associates of the global construction firm Mace Group. The SFO said in a statement that more than 70 of its staff searched four homes and one commercial property in Britain and Monaco authorities searched another suspect's premises. The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here. The SFO said individuals at Blu-3 were suspected of paying over 3 million pounds ($3.99 million) in bribes to former associates of the Mace Group relating to the construction of a data centre in the Netherlands for Microsoft. Neither Mace Group, which built London's Shard skyscraper, nor Blu-3 immediately responded to requests for comment. The three suspects were arrested for questioning, the SFO said. "Paying bribes to do business undermines our financial markets, the reputation of British companies and the rule of law and will not be tolerated," said SFO's director Nick Ephgrave. ($1 = 0.7514 pounds)
