ZTE Corp

ZTE Corp has a documented history of engaging in corrupt business practices and violating international sanctions. In 2017, the company pleaded guilty and paid nearly $900 million in U.S. criminal and civil penalties for illegally shipping telecommunications equipment to Iran and North Korea, in violation of U.S. sanctions. This settlement totaled $1.2 billion. As of late 2025, the company is again facing U.S. regulatory scrutiny, with reports indicating it may pay over $1 billion to resolve years-old allegations of foreign bribery. These allegations are not isolated; ZTE was also central to the Philippine National Broadband Network controversy, a major corruption scandal involving bribery allegations for a government contract. This pattern of misconduct, spanning sanctions evasion and bribery allegations across multiple countries, demonstrates systemic failures in governance and legal compliance.