Italy prosecutors seek jail sentences for Eni, Shell executives in Nigeria case

In one of the oil industry's biggest suspected scandals, Italian prosecutors allege Eni and Shell acquired a Nigerian oilfield in 2011 knowing most of the $1.3 billion purchase price would go to politicians and middlemen in bribes. The companies and individuals accused have all denied wrongdoing in the case.

Italian prosecutors have asked for oil majors Eni and Shell to be fined and some of their present and former executives, including Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi, to be jailed in a long-running trial over alleged corruption in Nigeria. In a Milan court, prosecutors asked on Tuesday for eight years in prison for Descalzi and seven years and four months for Shell's former head of upstream Malcolm Brinded.

The prosecutors also asked for Eni and Shell to be fined 900,000 euros ($1.04 million) each and sought to confiscate a total of $1.092 billion from all the defendants in the case, the equivalent of the bribes alleged to have been paid. In one of the oil industry's biggest suspected scandals, Italian prosecutors allege Eni and Shell acquired a Nigerian oilfield in 2011 knowing most of the $1.3 billion purchase price would go to politicians and middlemen in bribes.

The companies and individuals accused have all denied wrongdoing in the case. ($1 = 0.8684 euros)

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