Infosys probed over ‘tainted contracts’ allegations
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Indian tech giant Infosys is under scrutiny over allegations of “tainted contracts” connected to former Australian Coalition MP Stuart Robert.
According to a parliamentary committee, Infosys reportedly paid AU$16 million to Synergy 360, a lobbying firm allegedly linked to Robert.
While Infosys Executive Vice-President Andrew Groth confirmed the amount they had paid to Synergy 360, he also clarified that they had ended its association with Synergy 360.
Groth also disclosed that he met with Robert 11 times at the MP’s request regarding a specific project’s progress.
The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) is investigating whether Robert facilitated Synergy 360 and Infosys in winning government contracts. These allegations arose following reports of Synergy 360 co-owners’ connections to Robert.
Bill Shorten, a parliamentary committee member, highlighted that 19 of 95 procurements were found to have “real deficiencies.” It was also revealed that profits from commonwealth contracts were reportedly directed towards a trust where Robert was a beneficiary until 2018.
“The initial report detailed how Mr. Robert personally intervened in contracts worth $274m awarded to Indian software giant Infosys,” Shorten added.
Robert has rejected all accusations, stating he had “zero involvement” and that procurement was carried out with utmost integrity. The former MP added that the allegations are “patently incorrect and outrageous.”
