Massachusetts-based biotechnology firm Biogen reached a $900 million agreement in principle to resolve a False Claims Act lawsuit brought by a whistleblower alleging the payment of unlawful kickbacks to physicians.
Kyle Brasseur
Posted inAccounting & Auditing
FRC 2021/22 audit inspections: KPMG praised; BDO and Mazars rebuked
Improvements at KPMG resulted in each of the Big Four returning no audits requiring significant improvement during an inspection cycle for the first time in the last five years, according to the U.K. Financial Reporting Council’s latest quality review results.
Posted inAccounting & Auditing
Grant Thornton UK to pay $1.6M over Sports Direct audit failings
Grant Thornton UK was fined a total of approximately £1.3 million (U.S. $1.6 million) by the Financial Reporting Council for failing to provide reasonable assurance during two separate audits at retailer Sports Direct International.
Posted inEurope
Clearview AI fined third time for GDPR violations
The Hellenic Data Protection Authority in Greece fined controversial facial image aggregator Clearview AI a record €20 million (U.S. $19.9 million) for unlawfully processing the biometric data of Greek citizens.
Posted inEthics & Culture
‘Uber Files’ a reminder of toxic leadership’s lasting stain
Uber’s troubled past is a story we already know, but the extent of the unethical activities alleged to have previously taken place within its walls still manage to make for gripping headlines—and serve as a reminder of the inescapable shadow of toxic leadership.
Posted inAnti-Bribery
Former Herbalife exec fined $550K in FCPA case
Jerry Li, the former managing director of Herbalife’s China subsidiary, was ordered to pay approximately $550,000 to resolve charges brought by the SEC of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by bribing Chinese government officials over the course of a decade.
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
Aerojet Rocketdyne to pay $9M in cybersecurity whistleblower case
Aerojet Rocketdyne has agreed to pay $9 million to resolve allegations raised by a whistleblower that the aerospace and defense manufacturer misled the federal government regarding its compliance with cybersecurity requirements in certain contracts.
Posted inEurope
Facebook fate in EU thrusts transatlantic data flows back in spotlight
Reports of a potential shutdown of Meta services Facebook and Instagram in the European Union that could take place as soon as this summer underscore what’s at stake as the region works with the United States to finalize a new agreement on how to handle transatlantic data flows.
Posted inEthics & Culture
SEC’s Peirce weighs CCO enforcement case against liability framework
What would it look like if the SEC adopted a chief compliance officer liability framework? Commissioner Hester Peirce offered a preview in a statement regarding an enforcement action against the CCO of a formerly registered investment adviser.
Posted inAccounting & Auditing
Financial volatility, supply chain disruptions among PCAOB 2022 inspection focuses
The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board will pay increased attention to how auditors are addressing changing risk landscapes because of the current economic environment during its 2022 inspections.
