A former employee of an American appliance manufacturer has been jailed for one year by the District Court for accepting almost $12 million in illegal commissions from two suppliers.

Thomas Hoffman, 58, pleaded guilty to two counts of bribery.

Deputy Judge Bina Chainrai said the jail term was reduced from a starting point of two-and-a-half years, taking into account the defendant's guilty plea and his clear record. A further reduction was given since the defendant had agreed to pay the company US$3 million in restitution as an out-of-court settlement.

Hoffman was responsible for sourcing different components products in Asia, negotiating the prices with suppliers, and arranging delivery. Between May 1993 and November 2001 he accepted the money for procuring business for the suppliers.