Halliburton settles Nigeria bribery case

HOUSTON, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Halliburton will pay Nigeria $35 million to settle a bribery case that led to charges against Richard Cheney and others, the company said.

Nigerian officials charged the former U.S. vice president, who led Halliburton in the 1990s, and nine other executives with conspiracy and "distribution of gratification to public officials." They said the Kellogg, Brown and Root subsidiary paid bribes to get $6 billion in contracts for a liquefied natural gas project in the Niger Delta.

"Pursuant to this agreement, all lawsuits and charges against KBR and Halliburton corporate entities and associated persons have been withdrawn," the company announced Tuesday in a statement reported by CNN.

The $35 million includes $2.5 million to pay legal fees and other expenses for the Nigerian government, Halliburton said. There was no immediate comment from Nigeria.

Halliburton said it also will help Nigeria recover funds from a Swiss account set up by a former agent for its Nigerian joint venture TSKJ. Officials say as much as $130 million is hidden there.

Cheney's attorney, Terrence O'Connell, said, "The Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission investigated that joint venture extensively and found no suggestion of any impropriety by Dick Cheney."