WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators have charged a former CEO of Swiss oil services company Noble Corp. and two other executives with bribing Nigerian government officials to get permits for drilling rigs in that country.
The Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday filed civil charges against the three executives of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act from 2003 through 2007.
They are former CEO Mark Jackson, former controller and head of internal audit Thomas O'Rourke, and James Ruehlen, who is the director and division manager of Noble's Nigerian subsidiary.
O'Rourke settled the charges by agreeing to pay a $35,000 fine. Ruehlen is disputing them. An attorney for Jackson didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
Noble, which has operations worldwide and an office in Sugar Land, Texas, was charged with criminal and civil foreign-bribery violations in November 2010.
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