The CEO of Total, Christophe de Margerie (pictured), is to appear in a Paris court on Monday to fight charges of wrongdoing relating to the United Nations oil-for-food relief program in Iraq.
Total, Vitol and 18 individuals, including de Margerie (61), are listed as defendants in the trial over claims the program was abused by Iraqi officials to evade the controls.
Bloomberg quotes de Margerie’s lawyer, Emmanuel Rosenfeld, as saying that France is alone in prosecuting corruption claims related to the program, misinterpreting kickbacks as bribes. The company, accused of influence peddling, and CEO, charged with enabling the misuse of corporate assets, deny the allegations.
The trial is scheduled to run until 20th Feruary, with De Margerie set to testify on 5th February.
