In December last year, the DOJ and SEC charged eight former executives and agents from Siemens with bribing government officials in Argentina.
‘Over the course of the bribery scheme,’ the SEC said, ‘over $100 million in bribes were paid.’
The DOJ’s Lanny Breuer said: ‘This indictment reflects our commitment to holding individuals, as well as companies, accountable for violations of the FCPA.’
So what has happened in the case?
Well, nothing. At least nothing that would show up in the court’s records.
A day after the New York grand jury indicted the eight defendants, the DOJ wrote to Judge Denise L. Cote. All the defendants in this case, the DOJ said, ‘reside overseas and none of the defendants is currently in custody.’
‘As such,’ the DOJ said, ‘none of the defendants will be arraigned in the immediate future. The Government will keep the Court apprised of any developments regarding the defendants’ extradition.’
On the letter, the judge wrote a note that said a ‘status letter is due [from the DOJ on] May 1, 2012.’
There’s no sign of that status letter in the court records. And no other pleadings or papers have been filed in the case by the DOJ or any defendants.
Siemens’ settlement in December 2008 with the DOJ and SEC for $800 million is still the biggest FCPA case of all time.
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Here’s the DOJ’s December 13, 2011 to Judge Cote:
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