U.K. sets out strategy to combat bribery and corruption
The U.K. is introducing tougher safeguards and compliance checks in its latest drive to cut down on financial crime and stem the flow of dirty money that continues to be laundered by British businesses, facilitated by accountants and lawyers.
Top Ethics and Compliance Triumphs of 2025
This year’s compliance triumphs were all born out of compliance fails. In some cases, it was a regulator finding fault and demanding change. In others, acquiring companies noticed something a little fishy in their new acquisition. What formed a compliance triumph in every case wasn’t the mistake; it was the ...
Bribery exposure doesn’t start with policy failure. It starts with training.
Anti-bribery and corruption failures in financial institutions rarely stem from bad policies.
Tariff evasion enforcement: The new FCPA
Companies that import goods into the United States will face heightened enforcement scrutiny for attempted acts of customs fraud, including tariff evasion, under the Trump administration. Thus, chief compliance officers and in-house counsel face a new kind of pressure to ensure they are mitigating risk in this area.
SFO sharpens framework for judging compliance programs in bribery and fraud cases
The U.K. Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has updated its guidance about how it evaluates corporate compliance programs when considering whether to prosecute or offer leniency to companies that have breached bribery and corruption laws.
The FCPA’s origin story: Why “Bribery Beyond Borders” is essential reading
I have often thought the facts of many Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement actions would make the basis for a great series of crime-thriller books. But it turns out the origins of the FCPA itself are as dynamic, fast-paced and exciting as any such work of fiction.
DOJ secures $118 million penalty in FCPA violation case tied to Guatemalan telecom firm
The parent company of a telecom subsidiary in Guatemala agreed to pay $118.2 million to settle allegations of improper payments made to government officials, but the U.S. Department of Justice chose not to impose a compliance monitor to administer the firm’s compliance with the Foriegn Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
Part One: A case-by-case analysis of FCPA investigation closures
Foreign corruption enforcement relating to national security matters has been a common theme under the Trump administration. A second common theme continues to be the discrete way in which the DOJ has ended several FCPA investigations.
Texas gas company found that its merger acquisition paid a cartel-connected entity
A Texas-based gas company has disclosed that a Mexican affiliate made payments to local government officials that may have benefited a cartel designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. government. Entanglement with cartels is an increasing risk for companies doing business in Mexico.
Emerging Compliance Risks 2025: Laurie Waddy on Leadership, Anticorruption, and AI
Former Head of Compliance/Chief Compliance Officer Laurie Waddy believes compliance professionals are well-positioned to support artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in their organizations. Drawing on 25 years’ experience in legal and compliance roles across multiple industries, Waddy shares insights into top compliance trends confronting the profession, including the emerging compliance risks ...
DOJ declines to prosecute Liberty Mutual in $4.7M FCPA bribery case
Liberty Mutual agreed to give up $4.7 million in profit – the amount it earned from a bribery scheme uncovered by the government – as part of a settlement related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice.
DOJ targets $14.6B in health care fraud with focus on transnational crime
Emerging enforcement priorities of the U.S. Department of Justice’s health care fraud division align with the Trump administration’s emphasis on prosecuting transnational criminal organizations and ending opioid trafficking.
Bribery risk elevated, experts say, as DOJ narrows FCPA enforcement
When the U.S. Department of Justice announced a six-month enforcement pause of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in February, many speculated that the risks posed by bribery had been lowered. So when the DOJ said last week that it would resume launching FCPA investigations, it may just seem like ...
After a six-month enforcement pause, DOJ will again pursue FCPA investigations
The Department of Justice has ended its six-month FCPA enforcement pause, closed half its legacy bribery cases, and will now pursue foreign bribery probes aligned with President Donald Trump’s priorities.
Communication and relationships is increasingly critical for compliance teams
Compliance is increasingly in the spotlight as companies are tackling everything from artificial intelligence and other new technologies to risk management and mitigation. But it’s soft skills of communication and relationship building that are becoming the most critical tools for success.
Technology advancements are making export controls more important than ever
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a war with unusual implications: The U.S. has stepped up sanctions and export controls. But companies are increasingly learning that the most seemingly innocuous products can find themselves in “dual use,” as a product for daily life and a product for war. A gyroscope ...
ESG goes beyond politics: Vendor management, forced labor, sustainability
ESG is no longer in vogue. But its issues still are.
UK regulator’s efforts to coax self-reporting fraud could fall flat, experts warn
To both clean up corporate behaviour and rack up its own enforcement record, the UK’s anti-bribery agency has seemingly largely guaranteed companies a pass from prosecution if they spill the beans on their misconduct. There’s only one problem: experts believe businesses may still stand a better outcome if they front ...
In continuing re-evaluation of FCPA cases, DOJ ends Albemarle FCPA reporting
The Department of Justice has ended another FCPA-related compliance action more than a year early. This scaling back of regulatory enforcement by the federal government has been a growing trend since the start of the Trump administration.
Under intense pressure, former DOJ Polite says it’s compliance’s time to shine
Like never before in modern American history, ethics and compliance are under attack.
Glencore compliance monitorships ended early by DOJ
The U.S. Department of Justice ended two compliance monitorships on Glencore International more than a year early, monitorships imposed in 2022 after the company was convicted of paying bribes and manipulating commodities markets.
As DOJ pivots away from white-collar enforcement, is FCPA still relevant?
While executives and boards will never conclude that bribery is a legitimate way of doing business, understandably many have questions about how to direct their FCPA compliance program efforts and resources, write Iris Bennett and Claire Rajan, partners at law firm Steptoe.
Trump has called for a six-month ban on FCPA enforcement. How should compliance respond?
With a six-month ban on enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, compliance should retreat from fear-based messaging and instead focus on why ethical practices make good business sense, experts say.
Financial crime in the shadows of the dark web
The dark web has been depicted as a long-standing hub for crimes, where illegal activities such as drug dealing, financial fraud, weapon sales, murder for hire, stolen credit cards, and ransomware gags are easily accessible to the public.
Bondi-led DOJ sharply pivots away from prosecution of corporate FCPA violations
The U.S. Department of Justice under new Attorney General Pam Bondi will de-emphasize white collar misconduct linked to bribes and foreign corruption, instead prioritizing corruption cases linked to human smuggling and the trafficking of narcotics and firearms.