A daily scrapbook of stories from major news media on corruption, bribery and financial crimes
LONDON - Police forces in England and Wales must improve plans to combat corruption in the service, inspectors cited in a BBC report have said. Investigations into corruption are rising but too few forces are gathering intelligence to prevent it happening, the Inspectorate of Constabulary found.
PRAGUE - The appeals High Court in Prague yesterday lowered the original six-year prison sentence given to Czech lawmaker Roman Pekarek for bribery and abuse of office to five years behind bars, the Prague Daily Monitor reports. Both the opposition and government politicians yesterday called on Pekarek to leave the Chamber of Deputies. The court also imposed a 250,000-crown ($13,200) fine on Pekarek.
SAO PAULO - A Brazilian journalist who won the Committee to Protect Journalists’ International Press Freedom award received death threats after publishing an investigation that documented alleged police corruption, Bloomberg reports.
BRASILIA - Brazil's attorney general says he will investigate claims that former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva knew about a cash-for-votes scheme in Congress, the AP reports. Roberto Gurgel said on Wednesday he'll examine statements by businessman Marcos Valerio that Silva approved of the so-called monthly payout scheme and that he used cash from it while in office.
GENEVA - An anti-corruption panel advising FIFA has urged a European lawmakers’ group which meets on Wednesday to increase calls for reform at soccer’s world governing body, the AP reports. FIFA adviser Mark Pieth suggested to the 47-nation Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that “it could add its voice to those demanding urgent change,” the agency said.
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