State media alleges widespread bribery in Rio Tinto case

October 5th, 2009 Dallas official guilty in bribery, extortion scamDALLAS — A federal jury has returned guilty verdicts against a Dallas City Council member accused of bribery and extortion. Former Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill was convicted Monday of seven out of nine counts against him in a bribery and extortion scheme.

August 22nd, 2009 Ex-La. congressman's brother convicted of briberyNEW ORLEANS — A federal jury has convicted New Orleans political operative Mose Jefferson of bribery charges less than a month after his brother, a former Louisiana congressman, was found guilty of unrelated corruption charges. The jury of six men and six women on Friday convicted Jefferson of two counts each of bribery and obstruction of justice for paying $100,000 in kickbacks to former New Orleans school board president Ellenese Brooks-Simms.

August 12th, 2009 BEIJING - Chinese prosecutors have charged Australian executive Stern Hu with commercial bribery, which means he could be facing up to seven years jail if found guilty by Beijing. China's official news agency Xinhua said Hu and three Rio Tinto Chinese colleagues were charged late on Tuesday, six days after being detained in Shanghai.

August 12th, 2009 Rio employees face trade secrets, bribery chargesSHANGHAI, China — China has formally arrested four employees of the Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd. on charges of infringing trade secrets and bribery, in a case that has strained relations with Australia.

August 11th, 2009 Rio Tinto 'still unaware' of China case evidenceSYDNEY — Rio Tinto Ltd. said Tuesday it was still unaware of any evidence to justify China's detention of four employees on spying allegations, as the Australian government urged Beijing to speed up the case.

August 10th, 2009 Rio Tinto prices plunge on China spy claimsSYDNEY —Rio Tinto Ltd.'s share price plunged more than 3 percent Monday after China accused the Anglo-Australian miner of conducting a six-year spying campaign that it claimed cost Chinese steelmakers billions of dollars in inflated prices for iron ore. Rio Tinto declined to respond to the latest allegations but said in July that bribery allegations against four Rio Tinto employees detained in China were baseless.

August 10th, 2009 SHANGHAI - Relations between China and Australia are likely to take a turn for the worse with authorities in Beijing accusing the British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto of engaging in commercial espionage that cost China about 100 billion dollars. The sensational allegation was published on Sunday on a website affiliated with China's State Secrets Bureau, which has detained four Rio Tinto employees - three Chinese citizens and one Australian - in Shanghai last month on suspicions of stealing confidential documents from the country's huge, government-controlled steel industry.

July 23rd, 2009 Australia, China FMs discuss Rio Tinto spying casePHUKET, Thailand — Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith met with his Chinese counterpart Thursday over the case of a Rio Tinto Ltd. manager accused of espionage in China but made no progress resolving the issue.

July 22nd, 2009 BEIJING - China has told Australia that it has sufficient evidence to prove Rio Tinto staff's involvement in espionage and bribery case. "I've introduced the information about the case to him (Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith) and stressed we have sufficient evidence to show that people involved in the case have obtained our state secrets through illegal means," The Australian quoted He Yafei, as saying.

July 21st, 2009 Australian FM hopes to discuss Rio case with ChinaCANBERRA, Australia — Australia's foreign minister said Tuesday he hopes to discuss the detention of an Australian mining executive accused by China of stealing state secrets with his Chinese counterpart this week. Stephen Smith flew to Thailand on Tuesday for an Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting that China will be participating in.

July 21st, 2009 Australian asks China for quick Rio resolutionSHANGHAI — A visiting Australian state leader said he appealed to Chinese officials Tuesday to quickly resolve the case of a Rio Tinto Ltd. manager accused of espionage, warning that delays could harm business ties.

July 17th, 2009 Rio Tinto: bribery allegations without foundationADELAIDE, Australia — Bribery allegations against four Rio Tinto Ltd. employees detained in China are "wholly without foundation," the mining giant said Friday, as Australia continued to press Beijing for details of a case that is straining ties between the two nations.

July 9th, 2009 SHANGHAI - Four employees of the international mining group Rio Tinto Ltd. have been detained on charges of stealing China's state secrets, authorities said Thursday.

July 2nd, 2009 Chinalco maintains 9.3 percent stake in Rio TintoMELBOURNE, Australia — State-controlled Aluminum Corp. of China said Thursday it took up its full entitlement in Rio Tinto's $15.2 billion share issue to maintain a 9.3 percent stake in the Anglo-Australian miner.

December 30th, 2008 BHOPAL - Rio Tinto India will soon set up a project for production of diamonds in Madhya Pradesh, the state government has said. 'The company has detected a diamond deposit in Chhatarpur district and will soon set up a diamond project for commercial production of diamonds,' Minister of State for Mineral Resources Rajendra Shukla told IANS.