The Altice Portugal/Portugal Telecom headquarters in Lisbon was raided last Thursday as part of an investigation into suspected corruption, money laundering and tax fraud. Searches and arrests targeted employees and relatives of the group. The country of Portugal and Altice will be victims of the damage.
In a letter to its employees, Altice Portugal confirmed late last week that it was “cooperating with the authorities in an ongoing investigation targeting individuals affiliated with Altice” and that it would launch an internal investigation by suspending all payments in Portugal and in all countries. Purchase orders with relevant companies or suppliers.
“We take this investigation seriously and will continue to work diligently to make decisions that are in the best interests of our employees, customers and shareholders,” confirms a text sent to employees.
The Central Department of Investigations and Criminal Procedure of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Portugal reported that “dozens of searches” had been carried out in “several regions of the country, especially in Lisbon.” He said in a press statement, “The investigation concerns facts that are likely to constitute crimes of corruption in the private sector, tax evasion, and money laundering.”
The Portuguese judiciary notes that “the decision-making process in the Altice Group was rigged regarding procurement, with practices that harm the companies of the Altice Group.” The Portuguese State, like the Altice Group, will be a victim of damage, the extent of which has not yet been estimated.
As part of this investigation, Armando Pereira, one of the historical partners of the Altice Group, was arrested and a search was conducted at his home, according to local media. The movement said: “The suspicions that led to the opening of the investigations indicate that the decision-making process in the Altice Group was rigged regarding procurement, with practices that harmed the group’s companies.”
Contacted, Altice Portugal has not commented.
BFMTV is part of the Altice Media group, itself part of the Altice France group.
