Eni CEO Says Has No Ties with Unaoil

The head of Italy's Eni said on Monday the oil major had no ties with Unaoil, the Monaco-based energy services company caught up in an investigation into alleged corruption.

 

"There are no contacts with the company (Unaoil)," Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi said on the sidelines of a business plan presentation.

 

Authorities in Monaco recently raided the offices of Unaoil and the homes of its directors after Britain sought help investigating alleged corruption in the oil industry.

 

Joint reports by Australia's Fairfax Media and the Huffington Post said the U.S. Department of Justice and anti-corruption police in Britain and Australia had launched a joint investigation into the activities of Unaoil.

 

Eni, one of the companies mentioned in the reports, said last week that it would be holding an internal inquiry into the allegations.

 

"The two disputed managers are not with us anymore," Descalzi said, adding, as far as he was aware, there were no investigations under way against Eni.

 

A spokesman for Unaoil said on Monday allegations were being treated as if they were true, adding speculation was rife.

 

"We are engaging with authorities and are considering what actions we will take," the spokesman said.


(Reporting by Stephen Jewkes, editing by David Evans)