GlaxoSmithKline, the British pharmaceutical company, is under investigation in China, reportedly for alleged bribery.
The Times of London reported that police raided GSK offices in China on Friday looking for evidence of alleged bribery by sales staff.
“Plain-clothed officers visited the drug company’s offices in Shanghai, Beijing, and Changsha on Friday, detaining staff and seizing accounting documents,” the Times said.
GSK spokeswoman Mary Anne Rhyne told CorpCounsel.com Tuesday, “I can confirm that we are aware of an ongoing investigation by China government authorities. At this stage it is still unclear what the precise nature of the investigation is.”
Rhyne said the company was cooperating with the inquiry.
About two weeks ago, after the Wall Street Journal reported on bribery allegations by a whistleblower, GSK issued a statement saying it had investigated the accusations for four months and had found no evidence of wrongdoing.
"We have used significant resources to thoroughly investigate each and every claim from this single, anonymous source and have found no evidence of corruption or bribery in our China business," the company’s June statement said. “GSK wants to reiterate to its patients, staff and partners in China that these allegations are false.”
The company, which also has offices in the U.S., has previously said in its regulatory filings that it was in “discussions” with authorities from the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission about possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including in China.
The FCPA prohibits the bribing of a foreign official to obtain or retain business. These same authorities have been examining several Big Pharma companies for over two years.
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