Beny Steinmetz bribery conviction appeal begins in Geneva

• Author: Assaf Uni, Berlin
• Published date: 30 August 2022
• Publication title: Globes (Rishon LeZion, Israel)

Steinmetz, 66, who also has French citizenship, was found guilty in 2021 of "bribing senior foreign public officials" and "fraud and forgery of corporate documents," regarding the granting of rights for one of the world's largest iron ore mines in Guinea

According to the court, BSGR (Beny Steinmetz Group Resources), a company registered in Geneva, worked illegally by handing bribes to Guinea President Lansana Conte and his fourth wife Mamadie Toure for the rights to a mine in the Simandou province in the early 2000s. Steinmetz stood trial together with Sandra Merloni-Horemans, a former senior executive with BSGR and Frederic Cilins, Steinmetz's business partner. These two were also found guilty.

The appeal will be heard over the next eight days, and Steinmetz has brought in a new legal team. In his first trial he...