KBR consultant jailed 21 months in U.S

A U.S. judge has sentenced a former British consultant for KBR Inc. to 21 months in prison for his role in a massive scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials to win $6 billion in contracts for a liquefied natural gas facility. Jeffrey Tesler, a consultant and lawyer, pleaded guilty almost a year ago to one count of conspiracy to violate the U.S. anti-bribery law and one count of violating the bribery law known as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Despite fighting extradition from Britain, he was sent to the United States in March 2011, where he entered a guilty plea. He faced up to five years in prison on each count and had already agreed to forfeit almost $150 million as part of his plea agreement. Judge Keith Ellison sentenced Tesler to 21 months in a federal prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release.
British lawyer Jeffrey Tesler who was arrested in London in 2009, pleaded guilty in Houston a year ago to conspiring and violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and has been free on $50,000 bail. Sentencing guidelines outlined in Tesler’s plea agreement called for 10 years in prison. Tesler, 63, a dual citizen of Britain and Israel, also agreed to forfeit nearly $149 million from accounts in 12 Swiss banks and four from Israel. Prosecutors said the money was traceable proceeds from the bribery.