Supported
The cited record supports the material proposition.
Swedish courts acquitted three former Telia executives of bribery over Uzbekistan in 2019, and the appeal court upheld the acquittals in February 2021.
upholding an earlier verdict that dismissed the charges
- About
- Telia Company AB
- Claim made by
- Sveriges Radio, press report
- Published
- 4 February 2021
- Evidence score
- 82 How it was scored
- Last reviewed
- 25 October 2026
Why this label
The Stockholm District Court's own notice of 15 February 2019 states the acquittals and the ground, that the recipient was not shown to belong to the group of persons who can take a bribe under Swedish lawS5. A Willkie Farr note of the same date reports the same outcomeS4. Sveriges Radio and SVT reported on 4 February 2021 that Svea Court of Appeal upheld the acquittalsS6S7. SVT reported that the appeal court did not need to rule on the business case for the dealsS7. The acquittals turn on the legal status of the recipient. They do not decide whether the payments in the US record took place. The appeal judgment was not read directly, and no later appeal was found.
Current procedural position
Acquittal by the Stockholm District Court on 15 February 2019 in cases B 12201-17 and B 12203-17S5, upheld by Svea Court of Appeal as reported on 4 February 2021S6S7. No further appeal found as of October 2026.
Record supporting the assessment
it has not been proven that alleged bribes have been given to someone who belongs to the circle of persons
on grounds that the prosecution failed to prove that the recipient of alleged bribe payments was a public official
upholding an earlier verdict that dismissed the charges
Hovrätten har i och med detta inte haft anledning att pröva
Conflicting or limiting record
paid approximately $331 million in bribes to an Uzbek government official
Evidence score: 82 of 100
The score grades how well the record establishes this assessment. It is not a score of Telia Company AB. Score = source authority + directness + corroboration + procedural accuracy + currency + reproducibility.
| Component | Points | Max | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source authorityIs the source competent to establish the proposition? | 23 | 30 | The district court outcome rests on the court's own notice. The appeal outcome rests on press reports. |
| DirectnessDoes the source state the proposition or only discuss adjacent facts? | 18 | 20 | The reports state the acquittals and the appeal outcome directly. |
| CorroborationDo independent records support the same material point? | 13 | 15 | The court notice, two broadcasters and a law firm agree. |
| Procedural accuracyDoes the record settle the procedural state the claim describes? | 12 | 15 | Two instances acquitted. No later appeal was found. |
| CurrencyHas the record been checked against later developments? | 7 | 10 | Searches found no later ruling, but no court register was checked. |
| ReproducibilityCan a reader locate the passage and repeat the assessment? | 9 | 10 | The court notice and the reports are public and dated. |
| Total | 82 | 100 |
Timeline
Related cases
- Swedish Prosecution Authority v. three former Telia executivesStockholm District Court and Svea Court of Appeal. Criminal. B 12201-17 and B 12203-17 (Stockholm District Court).Stage: Acquittals upheld on appealS6S7
Revision history
- Assessment first published with label Supported.
Have a record that changes this assessment? See corrections and responses.
Sources
- S5Tier A Verdict of acquittal in the Telia court caseStockholms tingsrätt (Stockholm District Court). Government press release. 15 February 2019.Court's own notice of the acquittals in cases B 12201-17 and B 12203-17 and the dismissal of the USD 208,500,000 forfeiture claim against Telia. It is not the full judgment.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
- S4Tier D Swedish court acquits former telecommunications executivesWillkie Farr and Gallagher LLP, Compliance Concourse. Academic paper. 15 February 2019.Professional note reporting the 2019 acquittals and the dismissed confiscation claim. It is not the judgment.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
- S6Tier C Appeals court upholds acquittal of former Telia bosses in bribery caseSveriges Radio. Press report. 4 February 2021.Reports the appeal outcome. No reporter is named.
- S7Tier C Teliachefer frias även i hovrättenSVT Nyheter (TT). Press report. 4 February 2021.Reports Svea Court of Appeal's reasoning via a court spokesperson. It does not mention the confiscation claim.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
- S1Tier A Telia Company AB and Its Uzbek Subsidiary Enter Into a Global Foreign Bribery Resolution of More Than $965 Million for Corrupt Payments in UzbekistanUS Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs. Regulator press release. 21 September 2017.Supports the DPA, the Coscom plea, the admitted payments and the amounts. It gives no docket number.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
- S3Tier B Telia Company reaches a global settlement with the authorities regarding Uzbekistan investigationTelia Company AB. Company statement. 21 September 2017.Company account of the settlement and of the then open Swedish case. It does not report later Swedish rulings.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
Other claims about Telia Company AB
- Supported95The US Department of Justice said on 21 September 2017 that Telia and its Uzbek subsidiary Coscom agreed to pay more than US$965 million over bribes paid to win business in Uzbekistan.Regulator statement, 21 September 20175 records citedBribery
- Outdated87Telia said in September 2017 that the Swedish investigation was still ongoing and that the company may be subject to disgorgement proceedings in Sweden.Company statement, 21 September 20174 records citedCorporate status