U.S. Department of Justice lawyers and officials of the Commission for Trade and Financial Security are investigating a number of allegations made by a former Microsoft representative in China, including the company's relationships with subcontractors and consultants in Romania and Italy.
U.S. investigators conduct inquiries to find out whether Microsoft had any role in the case of the allegations according to which partner intermediary companies would have offered bribes to obtain software contracts with the Romanian Ministry of Communications.
According to the source quoted, a spokesman for the Romanian Ministry of Communications said the allegations were inconsistent with the institution's activities, noting that the institution officials were not aware of the business arrangements that Microsoft had with its intermediaries.
U.S. authorities also investigate the businesses that Microsoft has with partners from Italy, under suspicions that some consultants employed by the Italian branch of the company were used as intermediaries to offer bribes to government officials in Rome.
"We take all suspicions seriously and we investigate all sources," John Frank, Vice Microsoft responsible for Legal Affairs responded, stressing that there will be full cooperation with the U.S. federal authorities in the investigation.