According to the Associated Press, Jose Antonio Lobo, a former director of Costa Rica's power and telephone company, testified that he had accepted a $2.4 million "prize" on a $149 million cellular telephone contract that had gone to Alcatel in 2001, the year before Rodriguez left office. The Associated Press reported that Lobo said Rodriguez had received $510,000 of the payment, after asking for the majority of the money. It also reported that Rodriguez admitted receiving $140,000 from Lobo, but claimed it was only a loan that he used to finance his campaign for the OAS leadership.
The SEC investigation at this point is only an informal inquiry, and not a formal investigation. Depending on the results of the inquiry, it may launch a formal investigation.
The F-3 filing noted that "Alcatel has terminated the employment of the president of Alcatel de Costa Rica and a vice president-Latin America of a French subsidiary. We are also in the process of pursuing criminal actions against the former president of Alcatel de Costa Rica, the local consultants and the employee of the French subsidiary based on our suspicion of their complicity in an improper payment scheme and misappropriation of funds."
Alcatel's filing says that if it is found that Alcatel violated the law "Alcatel may be banned from bidding on public contracts within Costa Rica for a certain period and fines or penalties may be imposed on us."
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