Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) agreed to pay a total of $25 million to settle allegations that its four subsidiaries violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
On Monday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced separate settlements with Microsoft.
Under its settlement with the SEC, the software giant will pay more than $16 million to resolve the alleged FCPA violations of its subsidiaries in Hungary, Thailand, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
SEC findings against Microsoft subsidiaries
In its investigation, the securities regulator found that Microsoft Hungary provided discounts on software licenses to its distributors, resellers, and other parties. Instead of passing the discounts to government customers, the company used it to make improper payments to Hungarian government officials.
The SEC also found that the software giant’s subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia and Thailand provided improper gifts and travel to government officials and employees of its non-government customers.
