Corruption prosecutors raided the offices of Swiss drug maker Novartis in Athens a few days ago as part of an ongoing investigation over bribery allegations, sources told Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) on Tuesday.
According to the same sources, the prosecutors requested a thorough search to gather electronic data and documents relating to the probe which was launched in Greece in mid-December. The investigation was ordered by the Supreme Court’s prosecution after a file with media reports on bribery allegations was submitted by Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis. The reports claimed Novartis bribed doctors and public officials to boost prescriptions and company sales.
Greek authorities have also requested the assistance of U.S. authorities which, along with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) first launched an investigation into the drug maker two years ago. According to the reports, two executives of Novartis in Greece had submitted to U.S. authorities hundreds of documents which prove payments to private doctors and doctors who work in the public healthcare system (more than 4,000 in total), in an effort to promote the company’s products.
The prosecution requested that U.S. authorities share any data pertaining to the Greek part of the scandal.
High rank executive of Novartis threatened to kill himself at Hilton
In the meanwhile, protothema.gr reported that in the first day of 2017, a 44-year-old man was threatening that he would jump from the 13th floor of the Hilton in Athens. It was Sunday around 17:00’ and according to him, he was a high rank executive of Novartis.
Finally, it was the police negotiator that talked him into rethinking it. The 44-year-old’s wife and mother were also there present.
When he was moved to the police station for a statement he “broke” and he started telling to the police officers that “they will not put onto me all the ‘sins’ of the company” arguing that he had been set up and that he was afraid for his life. He was apparently talking about the Novartis case.
It was confirmed that he is indeed a high rank executive of the company who was also transferred to the headquarters of the company in Switzerland.
The FBI and the Ministry of Justice of the USA are investigating the company. A few days ago, according to sources of Proto Thema, two company executives traveled to the US with their attorney Pavlos Sarakis to testify what they know about the case. They were placed under the Witness Protection Program.
Background of the Novartis case
The US authorities are investigating the multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis since August the 12th 2016 when a big Washington based law firm submitted a report that included the statements of two former company employees in Greece regarding unfair methods that the company uses to improve its position in the Greek market.
The two former employees testified to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Their position gave them access to proofs on bribing of doctors, public servants, high rank officials and companies in order to get favorable decisions for Novartis and to have a greater share in the Greek market.
The two men have submitted hundreds of documents as well as the name of companies Novartis used in order to “launder” money.
The accusations against the company are that of bribing, insufficient internal auditing to find the illegal payments of doctors, officials, companies and media that criticize politicians whose decisions effected the company’s interests.
Read more here.
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Source: ANA-MPA
