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Maryland-based company enters deferred prosecution agreement for violations of FCPA antibribery provisions
On March 13, a Maryland federal court unsealed bribery-related charges filed in January 2018 against a Maryland-based company (part of a French industrial supplier), as well as a three-year deferred prosecution agreement filed on March 12. The government alleges that the company conspired to violate the FCPA by arranging and paying bribes to Russian officials to obtain uranium transportation contracts between 2004 and 2014. Pursuant to the deferred prosecution agreement, the company agreed to pay a $2 million criminal fine, adopt a compliance program, and provide periodic reporting to DOJ. According to the agreement, the company received credit for its substantial cooperation with the investigation and for its remedial actions, including firing all employees involved in the criminal conduct.
As previously covered here, in 2015 three individuals entered into guilty pleas in this matter: a former Russian official based in Maryland; a former co-president of the company; and an alleged intermediary between the company and the Russian official. Most recently and as covered here, the other former co-president of the company, was charged in an 11-count indictment, unsealed in January 2018, alleging numerous violations of the FCPA and conspiracy to violate the FCPA.
Israeli real estate conglomerate to pay $500,000 to resolve SEC allegations of FCPA violations
On March 9, an Israeli-based real estate conglomerate (the company) agreed with the SEC, pursuant to an administrative order, to pay $500,000 to resolve alleged violations of FCPA books and records and internal controls provisions. According to the order, the SEC found that from 2007 through 2012, the company and its Netherlands-based subsidiary paid millions of dollars to third party consultants and agents for purported services related to a Romanian real estate project and the sale of a real estate asset portfolio in the United States. The SEC found that these payments were made with no indication that any services were actually provided.
The company did not admit or deny the SEC’s findings, but agreed to resolve this matter with a civil money penalty. In accepting the company’s offer for resolution, the SEC took into consideration the company’s self-reporting in 2016 to authorities in Romania and in the U.S., as well as its full cooperation with the investigation, including the hiring of outside counsel to conduct an internal investigation, the findings of which were shared with the SEC. The SEC also considered the extensive remedial measures the company has put into place as a result of those findings and the Commission’s suggestions.
Several companies report developments in FCPA investigations
In the second half of February, at least three unrelated companies have publicly disclosed the existence and/or status of various FCPA investigations in forms filed with the SEC:
- Data analytics company: On February 23, a data analytics company disclosed that the DOJ and SEC have both declined to pursue FCPA enforcement actions in connection with a subsidiary’s “questionable expenditures for travel, gifts and other expenses” in Turkey. As the Dayton, Ohio-based company previously disclosed on August 4, 2017, the company initiated an internal investigation after discovering the questionable expenditures, self-reported the issues to the DOJ and SEC, cooperated with the agencies, and undertook certain remedial actions.
- Dialysis provider: On February 27, a dialysis provider disclosed that the DOJ and SEC are investigating potential FCPA violations related to “certain conduct in the company’s products business in a number of countries,” and that it has reserved €200 million for a potential settlement with the agencies. After receiving “certain communications alleging conduct in countries outside the U.S. that might violate the FCPA or other anti-bribery laws” in 2012, the Bad Homburg, Germany-based company conducted an internal investigation, self-reported the issues to the DOJ and SEC, cooperated with the agencies, and undertook certain remedial actions.
- Energy company: On February 28, an energy company disclosed that the DOJ and SEC have both declined to pursue FCPA enforcement actions in connection with “self-reported [accounting] errors and possible irregularities” at an Italian subsidiary conducting business in the Middle East. In April 2016, the Houston-based company previously disclosed that it was restating its 2015 financial statements and conducting an internal investigation related to the accounting issues. Although “the SEC’s investigation related to the circumstances giving rise to the restatement is continuing,” the FCPA piece of the investigation has concluded.
- Data analytics company: On February 23, a data analytics company disclosed that the DOJ and SEC have both declined to pursue FCPA enforcement actions in connection with a subsidiary’s “questionable expenditures for travel, gifts and other expenses” in Turkey. As the Dayton, Ohio-based company previously disclosed on August 4, 2017, the company initiated an internal investigation after discovering the questionable expenditures, self-reported the issues to the DOJ and SEC, cooperated with the agencies, and undertook certain remedial actions.
French pharmaceutical company announces DOJ declination in FCPA investigation
As previously covered, a French pharmaceutical company announced in October 2014 that it was investigating whether certain payments made by company employees to healthcare professionals in the Middle East and Africa violated the FCPA. The company launched an investigation to review payments made from 2007 to 2012 as a result of anonymous whistleblower allegations, and self-reported the allegations to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). On March 7, 2018, the company announced in its Form 20-F SEC filing that the DOJ notified the company in February 2018 that it was closing the inquiry into the self-reported whistleblower allegations. The company is continuing to cooperate with the SEC’s review of the allegations.
DOJ unseals charges against former Venezuelan government officials for money laundering and FCPA violations in state-owned energy company scheme
On February 12, the DOJ unsealed charges against five former Venezuelan government officials for their involvement in a money laundering scheme at Venezuela’s state-owned energy company. The five defendants are each charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Two defendants are also charged with conspiracy to violate the FCPA.
Four of the defendants were arrested in Spain in October 2017 on arrest warrants based on an indictment filed in the Southern District of Texas last August. One has been extradited from Spain, while the others are pending extradition.
The indictment alleges that the five defendants possessed significant influence within the company, which permitted them to solicit vendors for “bribes and kickbacks in exchange for providing assistance to those vendors in connection with their [company] business.” The company vendors included residents of the U.S. and vendors who owned U.S.-based businesses. According to the indictment, two company vendors transferred more than $27 million to accounts in Switzerland that were connected to two of the defendants. The two company vendors previously pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Texas to FCPA charges related to the bribery of company officials.
The charges are part of an ongoing investigation by the DOJ and ICE-HSI into bribery at the company, which has resulted in charges against fifteen individuals, ten of whom have pleaded guilty.
DOJ concludes FCPA investigation into network consulting company
A California-based network consulting company announced in a February 9 8K filing that the DOJ has concluded its investigation into possible FCPA violations without taking action against the company. The company disclosed the FCPA investigation by the DOJ and the SEC in August 2013, but has not publicly disclosed any further details about the possible FCPA violations. The recent filing stated that the DOJ’s letter acknowledged the company’s “cooperation in the investigation.” The filing also noted that the FCPA investigation by the SEC is still pending.
British pharmaceutical company responds to inquiries from SFO, DOJ, and SEC regarding its use of third-party advisors in China
In a securities filing on Wednesday, Feb. 7, a U.K.-based pharmaceutical company announced that it is responding to requests for information from the DOJ and SEC regarding third-party advisors that the company engaged in China. These requests came about after the company, pursuant to its continuing obligation to report to the SEC on its efforts to improve compliance following its September 2016 settlement of allegations that it violated the FCPA, informed the SEC and DOJ that the SFO had sought additional information in the course of its own investigation, which began in May 2014. The company was also investigated by Chinese authorities and, in September 2014, the company’s Chinese subsidiary was reportedly found guilty of bribery resulting in the company’s payment of a $491.5 million fine.
Allegations by short seller lead to corruption investigation of California-based electronics manufacturer
In a securities filing on February 1, a California-based electronic systems manufacturer revealed that the DOJ and SEC have launched investigations into its FCPA compliance and regarding trading by company employees in the company's securities. These investigations were spurred by a report issued in December 2016 by a short seller, which accused the company of paying bribes to win a major contract in Albania. The company has denied that allegation, and stated in its Form 8-K filing that it is cooperating with the government’s investigations.
Criminal charges unsealed against former American hedge fund firm executive
The DOJ recently unsealed criminal charges against former hedge fund executive. This indictment follows a civil suit filed in January 2017 against him and others by the SEC regarding FCPA violations. In 2016, the DOJ and SEC also pursued a joint FCPA enforcement action against his former employer, alleging various bribes, self-dealing, and other malfeasance relating to the procurement of mineral, oil, and other natural resource contracts in African counties.
While the SEC’s initial January 2017 civil matter against him alleged FCPA violations, the recently announced criminal indictment does not directly charge him with violating the FCPA. He is alleged to have obstructed the DOJ and SEC’s investigations of his former company and made false statements, but also to have committed investment advisor fraud.
Judge denies bail to former Hong Kong official, who pleads not guilty to alleged African bribery
A former Hong Kong official, reportedly entered a not guilty plea and was denied bail in federal district court in New York related to a number of FCPA, conspiracy, and money laundering counts. He was charged in late 2017, along with his co-defendant, the former Foreign Minister of Senegal, with offering $2 million in bribes to the President of Chad. The former official is also alleged to have paid a half-million dollar bribe to the foreign affairs minister of Uganda. The DOJ alleges that he sought to direct bribe money through an NGO that he ran, which is funded by a Chinese-based oil and gas company.
The prosecution of the former official is noteworthy because the DOJ is seeking to prosecute a non-U.S. citizen for alleged bribery between Chinese and African interests.