US company fined for paying bribes in Mexico, Panama

[Peregrine]

2. Actually it is a requirement to bribe officials in most Latin American and African countries

I worked for a large aerospace company a few years back. We spent millions on developing concepts for the Chilean government only to back away in the 11th hour of negotiations because very high ranking officials required payment of bribes inorder for us to be awarded the contract.

In Nigeria we were negotiating an agreement for a data mining system for satellite imagery and data. They were going to use it to build an "oil pipeline and water treatment facilities." Nigeria as it turns out will only contract with a single local Nigerian company (owned by the then president, treasury minister, and their families) who then would subcontract to us for a fee. Backed out of that one.