Overview

• The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has arrested three individuals in connection with alleged £3m bribes paid by Blu-3 to former Mace Group associates to secure a Microsoft data centre contract in the Netherlands.
• Simultaneous dawn raids were conducted in London, Kent, Surrey, Somerset, and Monaco, involving over 70 investigators and resulting in evidence seizures.
• Microsoft is not under investigation, and both Blu-3 and Mace Group have emphasized their cooperation with authorities.
• The investigation highlights broader concerns about corporate ethics and regulatory scrutiny within the rapidly growing data centre construction industry.
• The SFO director reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to tackling bribery and corruption in both domestic and international markets.