Whistleblower at Johnson & Johnson unit jailed over bribes to Greek doctors – Robert Dougall, a former executive of DePuy International who turned whistleblower, has been jailed for 12 months for helping pay £4.5m of bribes to Greek state doctors.
The 44-year-old, a former director of marketing at the subsidiary of US healthcare group Johnson & Johnson, was sent to prison by a judge at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, despite requests from the prosecution and the defence for a suspended sentence.
Mr Justice Bean said: “I accept the public policy consideration but it does not justify a suspended sentence in a case where corruption was systemic and long-term and involved several million pounds in corrupt payments.”
Dougall, who pleaded guilty, joined DePuy International (DPI) in 1999 and was handed responsibility in 2000 for developing the company’s business in Greece.
He was found to have paid bribes to medical professionals in the Greek state healthcare system between 2002 and 2006.
DPI paid money directly to Greek surgeons to encourage them to use the company’s products through “commission” payments made by local distributor Medec.
The company also used “cash incentives” or so-called “Professional Education” payments.
“It is satisfying when corruption has been admitted, the offender has co-operated and has been dealt with swiftly,” said Richard Alderman, director of the SFO.
“I hope that today’s outcome will be seen as an example of how such cases can be resolved effectively.”
The SFO began its investigation into DPI after a referral in 2007 from the US Department of Justice.
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