SFO charges two in Unaoil bribery probe

THE son of the founder of industrial services firm Unaoil faces extradition to the UK to face charges as part of an escalating bribery probe into the firm.

Saman Ahsani, 43, who lives in Monaco, is subject of an extradition request by the Serious Fraud Office, which yesterday also announced it had charged two former Unaoil employees.

Ahsani has been the chief operating officer of Monaco-based Unaoil since 2013, alongside brother Cyrus as chief executive. It is chaired and was founded by their father, Ata Ahsani.

The Serious Fraud Office has been probing Unaoil over suspected offences of bribery, corruption and money laundering.

It has now accused two former employees of bribing Iraqi officials to win contracts for oil and gas services firm SBM Offshore.

Ziad Akle, 42, and Basil Al Jarah, 68, face one and two charges respectively of conspiracy to make corrupt payments.

They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on December 7.

Akle was Unaoil’s territory manager for Iraq and lives in London. Al Jarah was Unaoil’s Iraq partner and lives in Hull. Ahsani lives in Monaco. The probe has dragged in several global firms believed to have links to the firm.