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Former senior Petrofac executive pleads guilty to bribery offences

14 January, 2021 | Case Updates

In connection with the SFO’s ongoing investigation into Petrofac Limited and its subsidiaries (Petrofac), David Lufkin, a British national and the former Global Head of Sales at Petrofac, has today pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to three counts of bribery.  The offences relate to corrupt offers and payments made between 2012 and 2018 to influence the award of contracts to Petrofac in the United Arab Emirates worth approximately $3.3 billion.

Specifically, Mr Lufkin has pleaded guilty to his role in offering and making corrupt payments to agents to influence the award of an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to Petrofac in 2013 (and a variation to that contract awarded in 2014) on the Upper Zakum UZ750 Field Development Project, and a front-end engineering design (FEED) contract awarded to Petrofac in 2014 on the Bab Integrated Facilities Project, each located in Abu Dhabi.  Total payments of approximately $30 million were made, or were due to be made, by Petrofac to those agents in connection with these contracts.

These charges are in addition to eleven charges of bribery already brought by the SFO, to which Mr Lufkin pleaded guilty in February 2019.  Those charges related to corrupt offers to influence the award of contracts to Petrofac in Iraq worth in excess of $730 million and in Saudi Arabia worth in excess of $3.5 billion.

The matter has been listed for a mention hearing on 21 June 2021.

The SFO’s investigation into the activities of Petrofac, its officers, employees and agents for suspected bribery, corruption and money laundering continues. This is an active case and the SFO can provide no further comment at this time.

Notes to editors:

  1. David Lufkin (30/11/1967) pleaded guilty to three additional counts of bribery, contrary to sections 1(1) and 1(2) of the Bribery Act 2010, on 14 January 2021.
  2. Counsel for the SFO was Jonathan Kinnear QC of 2 Hare Court. Representing David Lufkin was Kevin Roberts of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP.
  3. Further details of the eleven charges of bribery to which Mr Lufkin pleaded guilty on 6 February 2019 can be found here.

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