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Articles
How ESG Rhetoric Crumbles in the Shadow of a Polluted River
In a striking illustration of the widening gap between corporate sustainability claims and environmental reality, a Dutch water authority has taken legal action against pollution caused by Nyrstar’s zinc plant in Pelt, Belgium. The dispute centers on discharges of toxic substances into the Dommel River. The pollution is so severe it is preventing the Dutch province of North Brabant from meeting EU water quality and public health standards. The question is not only why Flander
May 43 min read
Open for Business, Closed for Blindness
Last week’s meeting between Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and the leadership of Nyrstar and Trafigura may have followed a familiar script, but it exposes a deeper contradiction. As Europe frames critical raw materials as a matter of sovereignty, it continues to engage companies whose control and accountability lie beyond its jurisdiction. The real question is how far European countries are willing to accommodate actors in strategic industries that remain reputationally
Apr 304 min read
Trafigura Faces Another Scandal: A Pattern Too Familiar to Ignore
A new day, a new scandal. Commodity trading giants Vitol and Trafigura are now under investigation for fraud in Bolivia. This time, the accusations involve the smuggling of poor quality gasoline that is reportedly damaging vehicles across the country. This case does not stand alone. It adds to a growing list of controversies involving Trafigura in recent years. In Belgium a criminal investigation into the transfer of assets from zinc smelter Nyrstar to Trafigura is still ongo
Apr 63 min read
The recent articles in De Tijd about Nyrstar's activities in Belgium evoke mixed feelings.
Yes, a battery park in Balen provides job security and contributes to the energy transition, and we can only applaud that. And yes,...
Sep 2, 20252 min read
Podcast: "The Lobito Corridor: Trafigura on track for Africa's mining heartland"
Public Eye’s latest podcast investigates the Angolan corruption scandal involving Trafigura. It sheds light on how the company allegedly...
Mar 27, 20251 min read
Trafigura to Pay $126 Million and Plead Guilty to Brazil Bribes
"Trafigura Group will pay $126 million and plead guilty to US charges related to bribery in Brazil, in the latest case involving...
Mar 27, 20251 min read
Ex-Trafigura boss convicted of bribery in landmark case
The conviction of Trafigura and one of its key executives is a watershed for the commodity trading industry, and is by all means...
Jan 31, 20252 min read
Singapore-Based Trafigura Group Hit by Multiple Scandals
The post published by the well-known whistleblower Julie O'Connor confirms once again that Trafigura is under scrutiny by regulators in...
Jan 6, 20252 min read
Highlighting corruption and toxic culture at Trafigura
Recent revelations from Swiss prosecutors have unveiled a deeply entrenched culture of corruption within Trafigura Group. Between 2011...
Dec 9, 20241 min read
Trafigura used dozens of ‘high risk’ middlemen, court told in bribery case
The recent revelations in the Swiss federal criminal court paint a troubling picture of Trafigura's operations, underscoring the lengths...
Dec 6, 20242 min read
‘Mr. Non Compliant’ Believed He Was Part of Trafigura ‘Family,’ Court Hears
In a revelation, a consultant, referred to as "Mr. Non-Compliant" due to his alleged role in managing bribes, believed he was an integral...
Dec 4, 20241 min read
Settlement in the US costs Nyrstar owner Trafigura 51 million euros
Trafigura is currently embroiled in another scandal. In this article, De Tijd's Bert Broens states that 'The Singaporean commodities...
Jun 17, 20242 min read
Trafigura Is Using Late Founder as Scapegoat on Bribes, Son Says
After Trafigura last week admitted that Trafigura's former CEO Claude Dauphin personally approved bribery schemes in Brasil, his family...
Apr 9, 20242 min read
NGOs Say US Should Stop Backing Trafigura After Bribery Charges
According to Bloomberg News , several NGOs ask that the Ex-Im bank “immediately terminate its support for Trafigura and in doing so send...
Apr 2, 20241 min read
Two cases against Trafigura on suspicious payments
This year, Saint Nicholas once again generously distributed gifts to all the well-behaved children. The minority shareholders of Nyrstar,...
Dec 6, 20232 min read
Where is the moral indignation about the Nyrstar case?
While Trafigura ransacks and incorporates Nyrstar, a jewel in our industrial crown, everyone stands by and watches. The Turnhout...
Jul 26, 20223 min read
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