Motorola Solutions Under Investigation For Bribery: Report

The Wall Street Journal Monday reported that those U.S. authorities have requested two years' worth of information from Motorola Solutions about deals in seven European countries, on grounds that Motorola may have violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The Journal sourced people said to be familiar with the matter.

According to the report, the investigation began in 2009 after the company -- then Motorola, before Motorola Solutions was split off from Motorola Mobility this year -- had launched an internal investigation. Motorola Solutions has been providing information to authorities voluntarily, the Journal reported.

Motorola Solutions declined a request for comment by CRN Tuesday.

A bribery investigation would be a discouraging turn for Motorola Solutions, which since splitting off from Motorola Mobility -- currently being acquired by Google -- has been streamlining its business. Earlier this year, Motorola Solutions completed a sale of wireless infrastructure assets to Nokia Siemens Networks, and in August, confirmed it would sell its two wireless broadband networking units, Orthogon and Canopy, to Vector Capital.

Longtime Motorola VARs have championed Motorola Solutions' recent focus, telling CRN the company is in better touch with its partner community than before and is pushing programs that better reward loyal and technically accomplished solution providers. Motorola Solutions houses the majority of the former Motorola's channel-facing businesses, including radio, wireless networking equipment and mobile solutions.