Prosecutors in Cologne, Germany began an investigation in 2013 of Ford Motor Company and the state-owned freight logistics company DB Schenker. Scrutiny of the two companies began after police inspected Schenker’s office as a result of an anonymous tip of alleged bribes made to expedite the transfer of containers through the Port of St. Petersburg. Ford has agreed to fully comply with the investigation involving two Ford workers, eight former and current Schenker employees, and a Russian subcontractor.
Cologne is the home to Ford European’s headquarters and two of its manufacturing plants. DB Schenker is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn, a Berlin company specializing in transportation and logistics by air, land, and sea. DB Schenker’s operational logistics concentrates on rail freight.
Representatives from Ford and the Securities and Exchange Commission declined to comment on specific details of the investigation.
Kamal Hubbard is a lawyer by training who is certified in Fraud Examination, Cybersecurity, and Decentralized Finance.