News and commentary about white-collar crime, enforcement, and compliance
Harry Cassin
Publisher and Editor
Andy Spalding
Senior Editor
Jessica Tillipman
Senior Editor
Bill Steinman
Senior Editor
Richard L. Cassin
Editor at Large
Elizabeth K. Spahn
Editor Emeritus
Cody Worthington
Contributing Editor
Julie DiMauro
Contributing Editor
Thomas Fox
Contributing Editor
Marc Alain Bohn
Contributing Editor
Bill Waite
Contributing Editor
Shruti J. Shah
Contributing Editor
Russell A. Stamets
Contributing Editor
Richard Bistrong
Contributing Editor
Eric Carlson
Contributing Editor
In the prior post, I described recent FCPA enforcement actions — involving Stryker, Polycom, Microsoft, and Juniper Networks — which show that the SEC is on an ‘internal controls rampage’ involving the way issuers (public companies) establish and manage relationships with third parties, particularly distributors and resellers.… Continue Reading
Over the last two years, the Securities and Exchange Commission has set its sights on distributor and reseller relationships, and excoriated companies that failed to adequately manage and supervise them. The focus on these third-party relationships is part of the agency’s broader application of the FCPA’s internal controls provision in an increasingly aggressive manner.… Continue Reading
Last month, while all eyes in the FCPA world were on the acquittal of former Alstom executive Lawrence Hoskins in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, a far more significant FCPA decision was delivered a bit further down the coast by Judge Kevin McNulty of New Jersey’s federal trial court.… Continue Reading
Last year, we saw more enforcement actions brought against individuals than ever (up to 34, depending on how you’re counting), and a record number of convictions secured after trial (three). The cost of violating the FCPA continued to skyrocket.… Continue Reading
In this era of heightened FCPA enforcement, it is easy to assume that a red flag signals the end of a relationship with a business intermediary. By my count, 11 of the last 17 FCPA enforcement actions involved bribes funneled to foreign officials through third parties.… Continue Reading
Federal court opinions interpreting the FCPA are rare indeed — my informal tally puts the number at a dozen or so since 1977. This week, that number increased by one, thanks to the 9th Circuit’s opinion in Wadler v.… Continue Reading
I see it time and time again — third parties that would otherwise pass muster under a client’s due diligence process create their own red flags.
They push back on a local registration requirement.… Continue Reading
Last week the Department of Justice reminded us that the FCPA remains a force to be reckoned with. And for the second time in as many years, I’ve taken to my keyboard to remind the world that, despite so many hopes and predictions, FCPA enforcement is not dead.… Continue Reading
Your company has just won a major contract with a foreign government, and before you can even break out the champagne, your customer instructs you to engage a specific local subcontractor.… Continue Reading
FCPA practitioners welcomed Rod Rosenstein’s announcement that the Department of Justice has made the FCPA Pilot Program permanent, and incorporated it into the U.S. Attorneys’ Manual. In the words of one of my colleagues, the audience “noticeably lightened up” at the Deputy AG’s news. … Continue Reading
When Jimmy Carter signed the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act into law in December 1977, it couldn’t have been further from my mind. Had it entered my consciousness at all — which it likely didn’t — it would have been crowded out by Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca and Darth Vader.… Continue Reading
Lawyers: As a group, we think we’re pretty special. Servants of the law and all that. But in truth, there’s really only one thing that sets us apart from other professionals: the attorney-client privilege (yes, yes, we can also represent others in court, but that’s not the point of this post). … Continue Reading