The U.K. Serious Fraud Office has said it will file corruption charges against Alstom SA (ALO.FR) "imminently," after starting proceedings against two of the French engineering company's companies in the U.K., The Daily Telegraph reported on its website Thursday.

Britain's financial watchdog has spent five years looking into allegations of bribery, false accounting and money-laundering at the firm, with investigators travelling to Paris this year to interview executives, The Telegraph reported.

David Green, head of the SFO, said on Wednesday that charges will be filed against the company before he then focuses on individuals, The Telegraph reported.

"Significant developments are imminent--charges are imminent," he said. "A number of individuals are of acute interest in the investigation."

The identities of the two U.K. subsidiaries are unknown, but Alstom is a major player in Britain's rail, power and electricity transmission sectors, employing more than 6,500 people, The Telegraph said.

Newspaper website: www.telegraph.co.uk

Write to: Dennis.Baker@wsj.com

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires

Alstom (EU:ALO)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Alstom Charts.
Alstom (EU:ALO)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Alstom Charts.