This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/08/trump-dossier-author-christopher-steele-suing-engineering-firm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Trump dossier author suing engineering firm for alleged unpaid work | Trump dossier author suing engineering firm for alleged unpaid work |
| (25 days later) | |
| Christopher Steele, the former MI6 officer who wrote the Trump dossier, is suing one of Germany’s biggest engineering companies for allegedly failing to pay for work carried out by his intelligence firm, Orbis. | Christopher Steele, the former MI6 officer who wrote the Trump dossier, is suing one of Germany’s biggest engineering companies for allegedly failing to pay for work carried out by his intelligence firm, Orbis. |
| Steele and his ex-MI6 business partner Christopher Burrows have taken legal action against Bilfinger, a global industrial group based in Mannheim, south-west Germany. They allege it owes Orbis €150,000 (£130,000) for an investigation into Bilfinger’s activities in Nigeria. | Steele and his ex-MI6 business partner Christopher Burrows have taken legal action against Bilfinger, a global industrial group based in Mannheim, south-west Germany. They allege it owes Orbis €150,000 (£130,000) for an investigation into Bilfinger’s activities in Nigeria. |
| It is understood that Steele may give evidence in a German court. It would be his first public appearance since March 2017, when he made a brief statement and was photographed on the steps of Orbis’s office in London Victoria. | It is understood that Steele may give evidence in a German court. It would be his first public appearance since March 2017, when he made a brief statement and was photographed on the steps of Orbis’s office in London Victoria. |
| Steele has kept a low profile since his dossier was published suggesting collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. | Steele has kept a low profile since his dossier was published suggesting collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. |
| It set off an investigation by the special prosecutor, Robert Mueller, and a scandal that continues to dominate US politics. Trump has denied wrongdoing. He has dismissed Steele as a “lowlife” and a “failed spy”. | It set off an investigation by the special prosecutor, Robert Mueller, and a scandal that continues to dominate US politics. Trump has denied wrongdoing. He has dismissed Steele as a “lowlife” and a “failed spy”. |
| At the time Steele was uncovering Trump’s alleged secret dealings with Moscow, his colleagues at Orbis were investigating corruption in west Africa. In 2003, one of Bilfinger’s local subsidiaries paid $6m in bribes in order to win a $400m pipeline contract in the Niger Delta. | At the time Steele was uncovering Trump’s alleged secret dealings with Moscow, his colleagues at Orbis were investigating corruption in west Africa. In 2003, one of Bilfinger’s local subsidiaries paid $6m in bribes in order to win a $400m pipeline contract in the Niger Delta. |
| The Trump-Russia dossier: why its findings grow more significant by the day | |
| Bilfinger admitted corrupt practices. It paid a $32m fine and entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ). As part of the DoJ deal, Bilfinger appointed a compliance monitor and in 2016 a high-powered head of investigations, Marie-Alix von Sachsen-Meiningen. | Bilfinger admitted corrupt practices. It paid a $32m fine and entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ). As part of the DoJ deal, Bilfinger appointed a compliance monitor and in 2016 a high-powered head of investigations, Marie-Alix von Sachsen-Meiningen. |
| Meiningen hired Orbis to carry out a confidential investigation into Biflinger’s international subsidiaries. They included the Nigeria-based firm that gave bribes. Orbis’s research lasted eight months, covered three continents, and involved a network of sources and contacts, it says. | Meiningen hired Orbis to carry out a confidential investigation into Biflinger’s international subsidiaries. They included the Nigeria-based firm that gave bribes. Orbis’s research lasted eight months, covered three continents, and involved a network of sources and contacts, it says. |
| Burrows and his colleagues concluded that the business environment in Nigeria had not changed, and that the payment of bribes to politicians was widespread. They discovered that the subsidiary, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, was still involved in government projects. | Burrows and his colleagues concluded that the business environment in Nigeria had not changed, and that the payment of bribes to politicians was widespread. They discovered that the subsidiary, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, was still involved in government projects. |
| Orbis’s reports were sent to Meiningen who passed them on to the compliance monitor. The firm was paid for some of its work including a report on a facility management deal between an energy company on the Russian island of Sakhalin and a Bilfinger subsidiary. | Orbis’s reports were sent to Meiningen who passed them on to the compliance monitor. The firm was paid for some of its work including a report on a facility management deal between an energy company on the Russian island of Sakhalin and a Bilfinger subsidiary. |
| However, soon after Bilfinger appointed a new British CEO, Tom Blades, Meiningen was put on leave and fired. This happened on the eve of a major deal with Oman, Bilfinger’s Middle East hub. Meiningen sued the company for unfair dismissal. It launched a counter-suit against her for €1.8m. | However, soon after Bilfinger appointed a new British CEO, Tom Blades, Meiningen was put on leave and fired. This happened on the eve of a major deal with Oman, Bilfinger’s Middle East hub. Meiningen sued the company for unfair dismissal. It launched a counter-suit against her for €1.8m. |
| In a statement Bilfinger described Orbis’s legal claim as “unfounded”. It said it saw no reason to pay the intelligence firm’s outstanding bill. “This dispute will be settled by the district court, and not by the media,” it said. | In a statement Bilfinger described Orbis’s legal claim as “unfounded”. It said it saw no reason to pay the intelligence firm’s outstanding bill. “This dispute will be settled by the district court, and not by the media,” it said. |
| The company said it regularly used law firms and consulting and research firms like Orbis in the course of investigations. It said disputes sometimes arose, especially with complex international investigations. Disagreements might involve scope, work products and “ultimately compensation”. | The company said it regularly used law firms and consulting and research firms like Orbis in the course of investigations. It said disputes sometimes arose, especially with complex international investigations. Disagreements might involve scope, work products and “ultimately compensation”. |
| It added: “This, however, is nothing particularly unusual and is being dealt with by normal means of negotiation, settlement, or potentially also legal disputes.” | It added: “This, however, is nothing particularly unusual and is being dealt with by normal means of negotiation, settlement, or potentially also legal disputes.” |
| Burrows said Orbis was “perplexed” by Bilfinger’s approach: “With some regret we are having to take legal action following six months of intensive work for this client on a range of projects.” | Burrows said Orbis was “perplexed” by Bilfinger’s approach: “With some regret we are having to take legal action following six months of intensive work for this client on a range of projects.” |
| It was the first time a client had failed to settle a bill since Orbis was set up a decade ago, he said. | It was the first time a client had failed to settle a bill since Orbis was set up a decade ago, he said. |
| Burrows – a fluent German speaker who lived in Berlin and Bonn in the 1980s – will attend a court hearing in Mannheim scheduled for late February. If the parties fail to agree, the case will go to a full trial. | Burrows – a fluent German speaker who lived in Berlin and Bonn in the 1980s – will attend a court hearing in Mannheim scheduled for late February. If the parties fail to agree, the case will go to a full trial. |
| Several other intelligence firms hired by Meiningen as part of her investigation have also not been paid, it is understood. They include the strategic consulting firm Control Risks. | Several other intelligence firms hired by Meiningen as part of her investigation have also not been paid, it is understood. They include the strategic consulting firm Control Risks. |
| MI6 | MI6 |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| UK security and counter-terrorism | UK security and counter-terrorism |
| Nigeria | Nigeria |
| Germany | Germany |
| Europe | Europe |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |