Nigeria Drops Bribery Charges against Cheney

A spokesman for Nigeria's antigraft body said they have dropped charges against former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and his former company Halliburton.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission spokesman Femi Babafemi said the charges against Cheney and other executives of Halliburton and its former subsidiary KBR were dropped Friday after a plea-bargain deal was reached. Officials did not describe the settlement.

Authorities said the charges stemmed from a case involving as much as $180 million allegedly paid in bribes to Nigerian officials from 1995 to 2004.

Cheney was named as he led the company during a period when the bribes were allegedly paid.

The Halliburton case involves its former subsidiary KBR, an engineering and construction services firm based in Houston.