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
The French oil giant Total SA is on trial in Paris for violating the United Nations oil-for-food program.
Total is accused of buying oil directly from the former Saddam Hussien regime in violation of the U.N.… Continue Reading
The top 20 oil producing nations have an average rank on the corruption perceptions index of 90 — just into the bottom half.
Not all are big exporters and not all are low on the cpi.… Continue Reading
In an SEC filing this week, Spanish pharmaceutical firm Grifols SA said the DOJ issued an ‘official declination to all inquiries related to the possible violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) that were underway since July 2009.’
It said the investigation related to Talecris, acquired by Grifols in 2011.… Continue Reading
Innovative uses of anti-corruption laws to fight terrorists and tyrants and companies that help them is the subject of a breakthrough article published this week by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.… Continue Reading
French oil giant Total SA said in its third quarter results it has reserved $398 million for an FCPA settlement with the DOJ and SEC.
U.S. enforcement agencies have been investigating Total’s operations in Iran since 2003.… Continue Reading
One of the biggest banks in the world just said no — to compliance.
A report released Monday by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations describes some of HSBC’s massive compliance failures.… Continue Reading
A man who lost his wife, daughter, and sister-in-law in the June 3 crash of a flight from Lagos to India blamed Nigeria’s ‘unbridled corruption’ for the crash. Safety regulations are ignored, he said, maintenance isn’t performed, and officials turn a blind eye.… Continue Reading
Iran has all the ingredients to be an FCPA minefield. It’s big — 66 million people in an area about the size of Alaska — and it’s the world’s 6th largest oil producer.… Continue Reading
Photo by Annie MoleIs there a place where anti-corruption policy stops and international politics begins? Andy Spalding — a lawyer and Fulbright scholar who’s a familiar face around here — thinks so.… Continue Reading
During this season of Thanksgiving, the folks at Norway’s Statoil ASA will be celebrating the end of the company’s three-year deferred prosecution agreement — and the Justice Department’s public announcement about it here.… Continue Reading
Should the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act be used to punish nations that don’t behave the way the United States wants them to? Michael Jacobson (left) from the Washington Institute thinks so.… Continue Reading