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
Construction firms have been at the center of many enforcement actions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including some of the biggest FCPA cases ever. Why is the construction industry so vulnerable, and how can companies protect themselves and their employees?… Continue Reading
Halliburton’s recent decision to enter into a $29.2 million settlement with the SEC over alleged FCPA violations in Angola illustrates the challenges faced by corporate compliance officers in designing and implementing an effective FCPA compliance program.… Continue Reading
Halliburton Company paid the SEC $29.2 million in disgorgement and penalties Thursday for violating the FCPA’s books and records and internal accounting controls provisions.
The SEC said Halliburton gave business to a friend of an Angolan official.… Continue Reading
On March 29, two senior UK judges dismissed an attempt by Unaoil to challenge an SFO investigation into allegations that the company paid bribes around the world. It is the latest in a fast-growing list of failed judicial reviews against the SFO brought on shaky legal grounds.… Continue Reading
This could be the first year since 2005 when the DOJ won’t issue any FCPA Opinion Procedure Releases.
There have never been a lot FCPA releases — just 61 since 1980, an average of less than two per year.… Continue Reading
Image courtesy of KBRThe Securities and Exchange Commission announced its first enforcement action Wednesday against a company for using restrictive language in confidentiality agreements that could illegally stifle whistleblowing.
The SEC charged Houston-based KBR Inc.… Continue Reading
The current list of the ten biggest FCPA cases includes only two U.S.-based companies — KBR at number three and Alcoa at number six. The rest are non-U.S. companies.
France’s Alstom is the latest to land in the top ten.… Continue Reading
In the DOJ’s second FCPA opinion procedure release of the year, the agency restated some important boundaries around successor liability.
Successor liability makes an acquiring company responsible for criminal acts of the acquired company before the acquisition.… Continue Reading
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Click to enlargeAt ACI’s annual FCPA Conference last November, SEC FCPA Unit Chief Kara N. Brockmeyer disclosed that the SEC expects to rely more frequently on administrative proceedings (as opposed to more traditional civil court actions) to resolve FCPA-related enforcement matters.… Continue Reading
Kellogg Brown & Root LLC, Technip S.A., and JGC Corp. agreed to pay $17 million in penalties in a settlement with the African Development Bank (ADB) for corrupt practices by affiliated companies in connection with contracts for liquefied natural gas production plants on Bonny Island, Nigeria from 1995 until 2004.… Continue Reading
Here’s the latest FCPA disclosure from oil field services firm Halliburton Company from its Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 7:
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We are conducting internal investigations of certain areas of our operations in Angola and Iraq, focusing on compliance with certain company policies, including our Code of Business Conduct (COBC), and the FCPA and other applicable laws.… Continue Reading
Thursday’s $384 million enforcement action against Alcoa and one of its subsidiaries ranks 5th on our list of the Top Ten FCPA cases of all time.
With Pittsburgh-based Alcoa’s entry, two of the top ten cases now involve U.S.… Continue Reading