Kathmandu, December 2
British businessperson of Nepali origin, Deepak Sharma, has been found guilty of bribery in connection with the procurement of wide-body aircraft for Nepal Airlines Corporation. Sharma was charged under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for violating its anti-bribery provisions, according to information published on the FCPA’s website.
Sharma acted as an agent in the purchase and sale of two Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft by Nepal Airlines. The deal, facilitated through the American company AAR Corporation, saw the national carrier pay Rs 24 billion for the aircraft.
Although the planes were manufactured by European aircraft maker Airbus, they were acquired via AAR Corporation, a US-based company specialising in aircraft sales, leasing, and maintenance. Sharma, a former president of AAR’s Integrated Solutions division, was involved as a mediator in the deal. He is currently employed by Aircraft Finance Germany.
The FCPA’s recent investigation revealed that Sharma and his team paid bribes to both Nepali and foreign government officials, including a senior Nepal Airlines official who served between 2015 and 2019. The bribes, amounting to approximately USD 2.5 million, were allegedly used to secure the tender for selling the two A330-200 aircraft.
The investigation disclosed that Sharma and his associates opened bank accounts in multiple countries, including the US, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates, to transfer funds and facilitate the bribery scheme.
AAR Corporation’s latest annual report also acknowledged the bribery allegations in the Nepal Airlines aircraft procurement process, which came to light during the FCPA investigation.
This case highlights the ongoing challenges in tackling corruption in large-scale international procurement deals, particularly involving government entities.
