Manhattan - Diamond-Grading Bribery Scandal Brewing

Federal prosecutors are gathering information about a bribery scandal at a diamond-grading laboratory in Manhattan that is known as the nation's most trusted evaluator of the quality of precious gems.

The Gemological Institute of America said it reported to federal law enforcement officials that a small community of diamond dealers had been trying to improperly influence employees of its Midtown laboratory, which assigns grades to diamonds for their clarity and color.
The institute replaced the executive who oversaw the lab and fired four employees who worked there, but has declined to say how many dealers were offering bribes or how many diamonds may have been fraudulently rated.