News and commentary about white-collar crime, enforcement, and compliance
Harry Cassin
Publisher and Editor
Andy Spalding
Senior Editor
Jessica Tillipman
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
Bill Steinman
Contributing Editor
As long as U.S. federal law enforcement priorities remain the same, licensed cannabis operators are unlikely to be prosecuted if they are completely compliant with state laws. However, if the DOJ or state regulators discover that a license was acquired through corrupt means, the license will not provide any protection.… Continue Reading
TechnipFMC plc paid the SEC $5 million Monday to settle FCPA offenses related to bribing Iraqi officials to win business with state-owned oil companies.
The London-headquartered oil and gas company disgorged $4.3 million plus pre-judgment interest of $735,000 to the SEC.
In an internal administrative order (pdf), the SEC charged TechnipFMC with violating the FCPA’s books and records and internal accounting controls provisions.… Continue Reading
The Criminal Division of the DOJ published expanded guidance on April 30 discussing the factors prosecutors should use to determine whether a company under investigation for misconduct will be regarded as having an effective compliance program.… Continue Reading
In December 2017, the DOJ first took aim at messaging apps in its FCPA Corporate Enforcement Policy, which required companies to prohibit employees from “using software that generates but does not appropriately retain business records or communications.”
Companies failing to do so could be disqualified from receiving full credit — e.g., the presumption of a declination — for timely and appropriate remediation in the context of cooperating with a government investigation into potential FCPA violations.… Continue Reading
The DOJ said Tuesday that a Hawaii-based businessman admitted bribing officials from Micronesia.
Frank James Lyon, 43, pleaded guilty on January 22 to conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA and to commit federal program fraud.… Continue Reading
CHS Inc. disclosed in an SEC filing Monday that it self-reported possible FCPA violations related to Mexican customs payments.
The Minnesota-based agriculture company said in a 10-K that it voluntarily disclosed the potential violations to the DOJ and SEC.… Continue Reading
Image courtesy of Covington & BurlingMythili Raman, the DOJ’s former Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, has joined 800-lawyer Covington & Burling as a partner, the firm said Tuesday.… Continue Reading
A DOJ and IRS sting resulted in the arrests of two Caribbean-based bankers — an American and a Canadian — and their Canadian lawyer for conspiracy to launder money and hide the identities and assets of U.S.… Continue Reading
A Singapore citizen formerly employed by Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA) pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States for his role in a scheme to overbill the U.S. Navy for husbanding services.… Continue Reading
In the New York Review of Books, Jed S. Rakoff, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York, wonders why the high-level executives who brought us to the brink of collapse in the recent financial crisis have escaped prosecution.… Continue Reading
The Department of Justice is focused on deterring and prosecuting criminals who use virtual currency to hide money connected to criminal or terrorist acts, said acting assistant attorney general, Mythili Raman on Monday.… Continue Reading