Former Olympus CEO Asks UK To Look Into Payments Company Made

The former chief executive of Olympus Corp. (7733.TO, OCPNY) said Monday that he has asked U.K. government investigators to look into payments the Japanese company made in relation to its 2008 acquisition of U.K. medical technology firm Gyrus Group.

Michael Woodford said he met Monday afternoon London time with the U.K. Serious Fraud Office to "pass over the documents," including what he said was a report prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers that looked into fees Olympus paid its advisor for the Gyrus deal.

Olympus's board removed Woodford from all executive posts Friday, citing major differences in management style.

But Woodford said in an interview over the weekend that he was fired after raising questions about payments relating to some acquisitions made before he joined the Olympus board.

The SFO investigates and prosecutes complex fraud cases. A spokesman for the SFO declined to comment.

Woodford said that the SFO didn't approach him, but he went to the SFO to pass over the documents for prosecutors to take into consideration.

Calls to Olympus offices in London and Europe were unanswered.

-By Juro Osawa, Dow Jones Newswires: 813 6269 2794; [e-mail]

--Cassell Bryan-Low in London contributed to this article.