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Claim review. Bribery

Supported

The cited record supports the material proposition.

ABB said it voluntarily disclosed improper payments on the Kusile project and cooperated fully with the authorities.

ABB has cooperated fully with all authorities
About
ABB Ltd
Claim made by
ABB Ltd, company statement
Published
2 December 2022
Original
ABB concludes settlements for Kusile project
Evidence score
86 How it was scored
Last reviewed
25 October 2026

Why this label

ABB's 2020 release refers to improper payments it voluntarily disclosed on Kusile and to its cooperation with the NPAS4. Its 2022 release says it cooperated fully with all authoritiesS3. The DOJ release credits ABB for demonstrated intent to disclose the misconduct promptly and applies a 25 percent discount off the midpoint of the guideline rangeS1. The DOJ language confirms disclosure credit. It did not decline prosecution, and the SEC notes two prior FCPA cases against ABBS2. None of the ABB releases, the DOJ release, the motion or the order read gives the year of the disclosure, so a 2017 date is not confirmed here.

Current procedural position

Disclosure credit applied in the DPA announced on 2 December 2022S1. DPA ended early and charge dismissed on 20 June 2025S8.

Record supporting the assessment

demonstrated intent to disclose the misconduct promptly to the department
S1 Tier A US Department of Justice, ABB Agrees to Pay Over $315 Million to Resolve Coordinated Global Foreign Bribery Case, 2 December 2022
ABB will continue to cooperate fully with the National Prosecuting Authority in South Africa
S4 Tier B ABB Ltd, ABB reaches settlement with Eskom and South Africa's SIU, 11 December 2020
ABB has fully complied with all of its obligations under the DPA.
S6 Tier A US Department of Justice, filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Government's Unopposed Motion to Dismiss Information, United States v. ABB Ltd, No. 1:22-CR-220, 18 June 2025

Conflicting or limiting record

ABB was the subject of two prior FCPA cases by the SEC in 2004 and 2010.
S2 Tier A US Securities and Exchange Commission, Press Release 2022-214, Dated 3 December 2022 on the page

Evidence score: 86 of 100

The score grades how well the record establishes this assessment. It is not a score of ABB Ltd. Score = source authority + directness + corroboration + procedural accuracy + currency + reproducibility.

ComponentPointsMaxReason
Source authorityIs the source competent to establish the proposition?2630The DOJ release and court filing are official, and ABB's releases are its own account.
DirectnessDoes the source state the proposition or only discuss adjacent facts?1620The DOJ credits prompt disclosure but does not state the date of the report.
CorroborationDo independent records support the same material point?1215DOJ language and the 2025 compliance statement agree with ABB.
Procedural accuracyDoes the record settle the procedural state the claim describes?1315The DPA ended with a finding of full compliance by the government.
CurrencyHas the record been checked against later developments?1010Checked against the June 2025 motion and dismissal.
ReproducibilityCan a reader locate the passage and repeat the assessment?910All documents are public online.
Total86100

Timeline

  1. ABB settles with Eskom and the SIUS4
  2. DOJ applies disclosure creditS1
  3. Government says ABB fully complied with the DPAS6

Related cases

  • United States v. ABB LtdUS District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Criminal. 1:22-CR-220.Stage: Dismissed with prejudice on 20 June 2025 after early termination of the DPA.
    • Government files unopposed motion to dismissS6
    • Order dismissing the information with prejudiceS8
  • Eskom Holdings and the Special Investigating Unit with ABB South AfricaSpecial Investigating Unit and Eskom, South Africa. Civil. Not published.Stage: Full and final settlement.
    • ABB agrees to pay about 1.56 billion rand to EskomS4

Revision history

  • Assessment first published with label Supported.

Have a record that changes this assessment? See corrections and responses.

Sources

  1. S1Tier A ABB Agrees to Pay Over $315 Million to Resolve Coordinated Global Foreign Bribery CaseUS Department of Justice. Regulator press release. 2 December 2022.Supports the DPA, the penalty, the guilty pleas and the disclosure credit. It does not give the South African amount.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  2. S4Tier B ABB reaches settlement with Eskom and South Africa's SIUABB Ltd. Company statement. 11 December 2020.Supports the 1.56 billion rand Eskom settlement and the reference to voluntary disclosure. It makes no explicit admission.
  3. S6Tier A Government's Unopposed Motion to Dismiss Information, United States v. ABB Ltd, No. 1:22-CR-220US Department of Justice, filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Court filing. 18 June 2025.Government motion filed as ECF No. 23 with a proposed order. It supports full compliance, payment of the US$315,000,000 penalty and the request for dismissal with prejudice.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  4. S2Tier A Press Release 2022-214US Securities and Exchange Commission. Regulator press release. Dated 3 December 2022 on the page.Supports the Kusile contract value, the US$37 million in payments and the SEC amounts. It does not cover the 2025 dismissal.
  5. S8Tier A Order, United States v. ABB Ltd., No. 1:22-cr-00220-MSNUS District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Court judgment. 20 June 2025.Signed order filed on 20 June 2025 per the docket stamp, dismissing the information with prejudice. Copy hosted by a law firm, not the court.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  6. S3Tier B ABB concludes settlements for Kusile projectABB Ltd. Company statement. 2 December 2022.ABB's total of US$327 million and its list of authorities. It does not break out the South African payment.

Other claims about ABB Ltd