Chennai: Responding to reports about its lawyers funnelling legal fees to pay bribes to government officials in India, Amazon said it would investigate all allegations of corruption and take action.
A media report said that a whistleblower had complained that Amazon's legal representatives used money paid to them to bribe Indian officials. Following this, Amazon's senior corporate counsel has been sent on leave pending investigation, said the report by Morning Context, a news portal.
The report also pointed to a possible role played by another lawyer, who had worked with Amazon as an external counsel, and a legal firm that helped it in a recent high-profile case.
"We have zero tolerance for corruption. We take allegations of improper actions seriously, investigate them fully, and take appropriate action. We are not commenting on specific allegations or the status of any investigation at this time," said an Amazon spokesperson.
The allegations, if true, are a violation of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act that prohibits companies and individuals from paying bribes to foreign government officials.
