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IRAQ'S CORRUPTION
العربية
Cases

Innospec (Octel): bribes to Iraqi Ministry of Oil officials to keep buying tetraethyl lead (from 2004 to 2008)

UK-US chemicals company Innospec (formerly Octel), the last major maker of tetraethyl lead (TEL), a toxic petrol additive banned in the West, admitted in 2010 paying bribes to officials in Iraq (and Indonesia) to keep buying TEL. Its Lebanese agent Ousama Naaman agreed to plead guilty in the US (2010). In the UK, former sales director David Turner pleaded guilty in January 2012 to conspiracy to corrupt, including payments to Iraqi public officials between 2003 and 2008 as inducements for TEL contracts; former CEOs Paul Jennings and Dennis Kerrison were also prosecuted. Iraqi officials involved were not publicly prosecuted.

Period
From 2003 to 2014
Sector
Foreign bribery (Iraq-related)Fuel additive sales to Ministry of Oil refineries
Kind of case
Criminal prosecution
Jurisdiction
More than one jurisdiction

How the money moved

Commissions paid via an agent to Ministry of Oil officials to renew TEL purchase contracts and resist phasing out leaded petrol.

What happened

Company settlement (2010) and individual guilty pleas; no Iraqi prosecutions are on record.

Open questions

  • Iraq-specific bribe amounts (DOJ/SEC 2010 filings).
  • Names of Ministry of Oil officials (court documents).

People and companies

The table lists everyone this case names, with their legal status on the date shown. A status in this case does not carry over to any other case, and an accusation is not a conviction. How to read the status.
People and companies
NameRole in the caseLegal statusDetailAs of
David Turner
ديفيد تيرنر
Former Global Sales Director (TEL), InnospecConvicted (reported)Pleaded guilty 17 January 2012 at Southwark Crown Court to three counts of conspiracy to corrupt (Iraq and Indonesia).25 September 2026
Ousama (Osama) Naaman
أسامة نعمان
Lebanese agent of InnospecConvicted (reported)Agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with US prosecutors (2010, according to Guardian).25 September 2026
Innospec Inc. / Innospec Ltd
إنوسبيك
ManufacturerConvicted (reported)Admitted bribery (2010 settlements with US and UK authorities).25 September 2026
Paul Jennings
بول جينينغز
Former CEO, InnospecNot charged as of the date of writingProsecuted in the UK.25 September 2026

Sources

These are the documents on which this case rests. Each quote is given in the language of the document.
  1. The Guardian (Leigh, Evans, Mahmood)30 June 2010Press reportTier D

    UK firm Octel bribed Iraqis to keep buying toxic fuel additive

    bribed officials in Iraq and Indonesia with millions of dollars to carry on using TEL
    Original
  2. The Guardian (Rob Evans)9 August 2010Press reportTier D

    Innospec executive fined over bribes to boost sales of toxic fuel additives

    Original
  3. Iraq Business News (SFO release)18 January 2012Press reportTier D

    Former Innospec Director Guilty of Iraq Corruption

    pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy to corrupt
    Original

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