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Former Glencore oil executives deny bribery charges in UK court

Alex Beard and Andrew Gibson pleaded not guilty to corruption offenses, The Guardian reports.

Updated Sep 10, 2026 · 12:52 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • Glencore's former oil chief Alex Beard and former oil operations head Andrew Gibson pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges related to illicit payments.[The Guardian]
  • The Serious Fraud Office alleges illicit payments were directed to officials in west African nations between 2007 and 2014.[The Guardian]
  • Four other former traders earlier entered not guilty pleas, setting up a joint trial for all six individuals scheduled for October 2027.[The Guardian]

Key facts

  • Alex Beard, former head of oil at Glencore, pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy to make corrupt payments.[The Guardian]
  • Andrew Gibson pleaded not guilty to four counts of conspiracy to make corrupt payments and one count of conspiracy to falsify accounting documents.[The Guardian]
  • The Serious Fraud Office case concerns alleged corrupt payments to officials in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Côte d'Ivoire from 2007 to 2014.[The Guardian]
  • A trial for all six former Glencore staff members who have denied charges is scheduled to begin on October 4, 2027.[The Guardian]

What remains uncertain

  • The outcome of the charges remains unresolved ahead of the scheduled trial in October 2027.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.