ArsipBerita.com

Barclays is already facing an investigation by the Financial Services Authority

Barclays says the UK's Serious Fraud Office has "commenced an investigation" into payments between the bank and Qatar Holding LLC, part of sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority.

The probe relates to 2008 when Barclays was raising money from Middle East investors during the banking crisis.

The Financial Services Authority had said in July it was looking at issues around Barclays' deal with the Qataris.

Separately, in June Barclays was fined 290m for rigging Libor interest rates.

Neither Barclays or the SFO would release further details of the investigation.

But it is understood that after the FSA investigation was begun in July, information was made available to the SFO and it has now opened a formal investigaion.

Barclays has not revealed which payments between it and Qatar are being investigated by the SFO.

Funds raised from investors in Qatar in 2008 allowed Barclays to avoid being semi-nationalised along with Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds.

The Financial Services Authority said in July it was investigating both the bank and four current and former senior employees, including finance director Chris Lucas.