ENRC vs SFO: A Decade-Long Legal Battle Ends in Confidential Settlement

The Serious Fraud Office has settled a lawsuit with the Kazakh mining group ENRC, which accused the agency of leaking information regarding a corruption probe. This confidential settlement ends a decade-long dispute involving allegations of bribery, legal conflicts, and substantial damages claimed by ENRC.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has resolved a high-profile lawsuit with Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC), which accused the agency of leaking sensitive information about a corruption investigation to journalists. The settlement, reached at London's High Court, puts an end to a legal saga that began over a decade ago.

Throughout the case, the SFO denied any wrongdoing, maintaining its defense against the accusations. However, it has now reached a confidential settlement agreement. An ENRC spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the result, highlighting the terms outlined in the consent order as favorable.

This case was one of several stemming from the SFO's investigation into alleged bribery by ENRC to obtain mining contracts in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 2009 and 2012. Despite the SFO dropping the probe last year without charges, ENRC has ongoing litigation seeking significant damages, which will be addressed in a future trial.