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
Russell A. Stamets
Contributing Editor
Richard Bistrong
Contributing Editor
Eric Carlson
Contributing Editor
The biggest FCPA resolutions yearly show enormous variation and no predictable pattern. Although four of the biggest cases for each of the past ten years settled for more than $1 billion, with an overall average settlement size for the ten cases of about $996 million, a couple of years were laggards.… Continue Reading
The Securities and Exchange Commission Monday awarded more than $20 million to a whistleblower who helped the SEC act “against wrongdoers before they could squander the money.”
The $20 million award is the third biggest since the SEC’s whistleblower program issued its first award in 2012.… Continue Reading
The SEC Tuesday awarded a whistleblower more than $4 million for original information that alerted the agency to a fraud.
The agency didn’t release any details about the whistleblower and redacted its award order (pdf).… Continue Reading
After this week’s $22 million award to a whistleblower, SEC leaders called the whistleblower program a game changer that has transformed the SEC’s ability to protect investors.
More than $107 million has been awarded to 33 whistleblowers.… Continue Reading
Has the SEC paid a whistleblower for an FCPA-related tip? Yes, according to reports this week.
FCPA Today carried this item Tuesday morning:
Making FCPA History? The SEC doesn’t identify whistleblowers.… Continue Reading
It’s not illegal for most people to own anonymous companies. Walt Disney used them to buy land near Orlando for Disney World. He didn’t want prices to go crazy with news Mickey Mouse was coming to town.… Continue Reading
The biggest FCPA settlement in 2015 was BHP Billiton. It paid $25 million to the SEC to settle Olympics-related FCPA offenses. The case fell far short of the Top Ten List, missing a tenth place finish by a whopping $160 million.… Continue Reading
2015 continued the trend of FCPA enforcement actions brought by the SEC with no parallel DOJ enforcement action. As you might expect, these SEC enforcement actions turned on violations of the FCPA accounting provision, either the books and records or the internal controls provisions.… Continue Reading
The SEC took a seemingly aggressive stance in the BHP Billiton case, penalizing the Australian company $25 million for FCPA offenses because it sponsored foreign officials to attend the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.… Continue Reading
From April through June, there were two corporate FCPA enforcement actions. There were also two individual guilty pleas, with one — by Joseph Sigelman in the midst of his FCPA trial — resulting in probation only and no jail time.… Continue Reading
The Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday charged global resources company BHP Billiton with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act when it sponsored foreign government officials as guests at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.… Continue Reading
BHP Billiton is in discussions to resolve an investigation of potential Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations that relate to the company’s sponsorship of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The world’s largest miner said in its annual report Thursday, “The issues relate primarily to matters in connection with previously terminated exploration and development efforts, as well as hospitality provided as part of the company’s sponsorship of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.”… Continue Reading