Gunvor Offices Searched in Swiss Corruption Probe.

Swiss authorities have searched the Geneva headquarters of commodities trader Gunvor as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into suspected bribery involving foreign public officials.

The search was conducted by federal police in May on the orders of the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland. The development became public after it was reported by the Swiss non-governmental organization Public Eye and later confirmed by Swiss authorities.

According to the Office of the Attorney General, the investigation remains active and authorities have provided only limited information. Officials emphasized that the presumption of innocence applies throughout the legal process.

Public Eye has raised questions about an oil contract allegedly concluded in Gabon in 2024. The organization claims that a parallel payment system may have been used to compensate intermediaries operating in Africa. These allegations are currently being examined within the broader investigation.

Gunvor has strongly rejected the accusations. The company stated that it has never seen or known of the contract referenced by Public Eye and accused the organization of exaggerating and misrepresenting information. Gunvor also emphasized that the company itself is not currently the direct target of the criminal proceedings and has pledged full cooperation with investigators.

The case comes as Gunvor faces renewed scrutiny due to previous corruption-related convictions in Switzerland. In 2019, Swiss authorities found the company criminally liable for corruption involving activities in Congo and Côte d’Ivoire. In 2024, the company was again found criminally liable in connection with corruption offenses linked to Ecuador.

Commodity trading remains one of Switzerland’s most important economic sectors, with Geneva serving as a major international hub for energy and commodity businesses. As a result, investigations involving large trading firms often attract significant public and regulatory attention.

Authorities have not announced when further information regarding the investigation will be released. The inquiry remains ongoing.