Trader Trafigura Targeted by US and Swiss Over Corruption (1)

Trafigura Group and one of its longstanding top executives have been charged over allegations of bribing public officials in Angola, in a major blow to one of the world’s largest commodity traders.

Trafigura acknowledged the Swiss charges in a statement, and also revealed for the first time a US Department of Justice investigation into “improper payments” made in Brazil.

The charges are the latest in a series of actions from global prosecutors targeting corruption in the commodity trading industry, and the most serious so far against Trafigura, a leading oil and metals trader.

The charges against Mike Wainwright, ...