NEW YORK (AP) — A French businessman who pleaded guilty to obstructing a U.S. investigation into alleged bribes paid for West African mining rights has been ordered to serve two years in prison.
Frederic Cilins was sentenced Friday in Manhattan federal court. He pleaded guilty in March to a single count of obstructing a criminal investigation.
Prosecutors say the 51-year-old tried getting the wife of Guinea’s ex-president to destroy evidence of bribes paid for the right to mine iron ore.
Court papers cited secret recordings of Cilins telling the wife he had orders to make sure the documents burn. They say he was overheard offering her millions of dollars.
The wife claimed to have proof a company employing Cilins used bribes to secure Guinea mining licenses.
The company has denied any wrongdoing.
