Anti-Bribery


Board table

Premium

DOJ official: Compliance must have ‘prominent seat’ at M&A decision table

2023-09-21T20:38:00+01:00By

The Department of Justice is gearing up to provide more guidance on voluntary self-disclosures in the mergers and acquisitions space and the role compliance should play.

Business meeting

Premium

Survey: Tech gaps, third parties pose biggest ABAC threats

2023-09-20T14:07:00+01:00By

A recent survey conducted by Compliance Week and Morgan Lewis determined areas of insufficient resource support to combat bribery and corruption, along with trends in third-party due diligence.

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Resource

Survey Report: Tech gaps, third parties pose biggest ABAC threats

2023-09-19T20:46:00+01:00Provided by Morgan Lewis

Compliance professionals asked to assess their anti-bribery and corruption efforts indicated resource support deficiencies in areas including staffing and technology, according to a survey conducted by Compliance Week and Morgan Lewis.

DOJ building

News Brief

Dermatology manager to pay $8.9M in self-reported false claims case

2023-09-14T16:09:00+01:00By

Oliver Street Dermatology Management, doing business as U.S. Dermatology Partners, agreed to pay nearly $8.9 million to settle allegations by the Department of Justice regarding apparent violations of the False Claims Act.

DOJ

News Brief

FCPA opinion shines light on reasonable expenses for foreign officials

2023-09-01T18:37:00+01:00By

A Foreign Corrupt Practices Act review published by the Department of Justice offers further clarity around when the agency would determine expenses paid on behalf of a foreign official to be deemed “reasonable and bona fide.”

3M_Web

News Brief

SEC orders 3M to pay $6.6M over FCPA violations in China

2023-08-25T17:10:00+01:00By

The Securities and Exchange Commission ordered 3M to pay nearly $6.6 million for alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act regarding hidden travel perks its foreign subsidiary made to government officials in China.

Pfizer

News Brief

Lawsuit: Pfizer fired, retaliated against whistleblower who raised FCPA concerns

2023-08-25T12:53:00+01:00By

An ex-Pfizer compliance officer is suing his former employer claiming wrongful termination and whistleblower retaliation after discovering the company allegedly paid $168 million to potentially influential government officials in China.

Primates

News Brief

​Inotiv discloses FCPA probe into primate importation practices

2023-08-16T16:22:00+01:00By

Inotiv disclosed the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by the pharmaceutical testing company regarding its importation of nonhuman primates from Asia.

oct3

Webcast

Oct 3 | Global compliance trends: Discussing anti-bribery and corruption survey findings

2023-08-11T18:03:00+01:00Provided by Morgan Lewis

This webcast will break down the key findings of an anti-bribery and corruption survey report and offer additional insights into what global compliance professionals had to say about their ongoing and emerging concerns.

Colombia

News Brief

​Grupo Aval to pay $81M in landmark FCPA case

2023-08-11T14:52:00+01:00By

Colombian conglomerate Grupo Aval agreed to pay nearly $81 million as part of settlements addressing alleged bribes paid by its bank subsidiary Corficolombiana to win a highway construction contract.

Legal services

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ABA resolution latest effort to separate lawyers from clients’ crimes

2023-08-11T13:30:00+01:00By

Under increasing pressure from federal lawmakers and regulators, the American Bar Association agreed to strengthen the obligations lawyers must meet when weighing whether to stop representing clients who might be using their services to commit financial crimes.

Albemarle

News Brief

Albemarle reserves $219M for FCPA settlements

2023-08-04T13:42:00+01:00By

Chemical company Albemarle Corp. disclosed it is set to pay $218.5 million as part of proposed settlements reached with the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission regarding apparent violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Investigations

Article

Financial crime investigations: Leveling up

2023-08-01T15:54:00+01:00By James Thomas, International Compliance Association

The drive toward upskilling in the field of investigations is not exclusive to the law enforcement and intelligence communities. Investigations knowledge and expertise among those working within industry will also become an increasingly valued commodity.

SFO

News Brief

SFO admits staffing challenges in annual report

2023-07-20T15:01:00+01:00By

Recruitment and retention are among the biggest issues facing the U.K. Serious Fraud Office as the agency gets set for a new director to take the reins.

DOJ

News Brief

​NextGen Healthcare to pay $31M in false claims case

2023-07-17T11:14:00+01:00By

Electronic health record technology vendor NextGen Healthcare agreed to pay $31 million as part of a settlement announced by the Department of Justice for allegedly misrepresenting the capabilities of its software.

TPRM Kalman

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TI director: U.S. must reckon with role as corruption facilitator

2023-07-12T12:36:00+01:00By

The United States is one of few leaders in the anti-corruption enforcement space but still must reckon with its role as a top facilitator of financial crime, according to the executive director at the U.S. office of Transparency International.

London dark

Premium

What should be priorities for incoming SFO director?

2023-07-10T18:25:00+01:00By

High staff turnover, low morale, and unattractive rates of pay are among the areas legal experts pointed to when discussing the potential agenda of Nick Ephgrave upon taking over as head of the U.K. Serious Fraud Office.

DOJ wall

News Brief

S.C.-based St. Francis to pay $36.5M in false claims settlement

2023-06-16T16:17:00+01:00By

South Carolina-based healthcare system St. Francis agreed to pay $36.5 million as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice addressing alleged violations of the False Claims Act, Stark Law, and Anti-Kickback Statute.

DOJ building

News Brief

Tenet-affiliated health systems to pay $30M in DOJ kickback case

2023-06-02T19:18:00+01:00By

Tenet Healthcare, Vanguard Health Systems, and the Detroit Medical Center agreed to pay $29.7 million as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice addressing allegations they provided kickbacks to doctors who made referrals to their health organizations.

Gartner

News Brief

Gartner to pay $2.5M to settle alleged FCPA violations in South Africa

2023-05-30T17:30:00+01:00By

Gartner agreed to pay nearly $2.5 million as part of a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission addressing alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in South Africa.

DOJ

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Supreme Court once again strikes blow to DOJ’s fraud theories

2023-05-30T13:00:00+01:00By

A pair of unanimous Supreme Court decisions handed down earlier this month are the latest in a string of cases in which it has expressed concerns about government overreach regarding anti-corruption enforcement and wire fraud statutes.

DOJ building

News Brief

Precision Lens, owner ordered to pay $487M in false claims judgment

2023-05-18T18:57:00+01:00By

A judge affirmed more than $487 million in penalties and damages against Precision Lens and its owner after a jury found they filed tens of thousands of false claims to Medicare and violated the Anti-Kickback Statute.

ESG vector

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ESG reporting an opportunity to showcase compliance quality

2023-05-12T14:43:00+01:00By Hassan Chaudry, CW guest columnist

Hassan Chaudry, director of compliance at Canada-based asset management firm Starlight Investments, shares his take on how companies can derive value from their compliance efforts regarding environmental, social, and governance and anti-bribery and corruption.

Philips

News Brief

Philips to pay $62M to settle alleged FCPA violations in China

2023-05-12T14:19:00+01:00By

Dutch conglomerate Royal Philips will pay more than $62 million to settle allegations it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act when its subsidiaries engaged in improper conduct to win contracts in China.

Stryker_web

News Brief

Stryker facing new scrutiny over possible FCPA violations

2023-05-03T21:13:00+01:00By

Stryker disclosed it is investigating whether certain of its business activities might have violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The company previously settled Securities and Exchange Commission charges of violating the FCPA twice in the last decade.

Oilfield

News Brief

Frank’s International to pay $8M in FCPA case

2023-04-26T19:46:00+01:00By

Dutch oilfield services provider Frank’s International agreed to pay nearly $8 million as part of a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly paying bribes to influence oil drilling contracts in Angola.

Ericsson

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Ericsson’s sordid affair with DOJ raises questions on DPAs, transparency

2023-04-19T13:16:00+01:00By

A critical examination of Ericsson’s 2019 deferred prosecution agreement and the Department of Justice’s determination the company breached the agreement raises questions regarding the overall lack of accountability in the corruption scheme.

Adobe sign

News Brief

Adobe to pay $3M over government kickback allegations

2023-04-14T17:39:00+01:00By

Adobe agreed to pay $3 million to settle allegations it paid kickbacks in an attempt to win more software purchase orders from the federal government.

DOJ wall

News Brief

Genotox Laboratories to pay $5.9M in DOJ kickback settlement

2023-04-05T19:49:00+01:00By

Genotox Laboratories agreed to pay at least $5.9 million to settle charges it violated the False Claims Act by paying volume-based commissions to third-party marketers and submitting claims to federal healthcare programs for unnecessary drug tests.

DOJ

News Brief

DOJ: Covenant Healthcare paid $69M in 2021 false claims settlement

2023-03-30T17:58:00+01:00By

Michigan-based Covenant Healthcare System paid $69 million to settle whistleblower allegations it engaged in illegal referral and kickback schemes.

CW2022 Kenneth Polite 2

News Brief

Polite: Look to ABB case for ‘extraordinary cooperation’ example

2023-03-23T20:20:00+00:00By

Compliance officers seeking clarity on what the Department of Justice means by “extraordinary” cooperation or “immediate” self-disclosure should look to the agency’s case history, said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite Jr. during a speech.

Bribery

Premium

​TRACE enforcement report highlights anti-bribery trends from 2022

2023-03-16T15:11:00+00:00By

The United States broke from a three-year downturn in bribery-related enforcement actions, while Brazil continued its emergence in the space, according to the results of the latest annual Global Enforcement Report by nonprofit TRACE.

Coal mining

News Brief

DOJ declines to prosecute Corsa Coal in FCPA case

2023-03-13T13:40:00+00:00By

Corsa Coal Corp. was notified by the Department of Justice it won’t face prosecution for alleged bribes employees paid to Egypt’s Al Nasr Company for Coke and Chemicals to secure coal supply contracts.

DOJ building

News Brief

Ex-Goldman banker sentenced to 10 years for 1MDB fraud role

2023-03-10T20:40:00+00:00By

Former Goldman Sachs Managing Director Roger Ng was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the 1MDB fraud scandal.

flutter_Web

News Brief

Flutter Entertainment to pay $4M for legacy FCPA violations

2023-03-07T20:02:00+00:00By

Ireland-based gaming and sports betting company Flutter Entertainment will pay a $4 million fine to resolve SEC charges payments made to Russian consultants by a company it acquired violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

rio_tinto_web

News Brief

SEC orders Rio Tinto to pay $15M over FCPA violations

2023-03-07T19:21:00+00:00By

U.K.-based mining and minerals company Rio Tinto will pay a $15 million fine to settle charges of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act when it entered into a scheme with a consultant in 2011 to bribe government officials in Guinea.

Ericsson

News Brief

Ericsson to pay $207M for breaches of 2019 DPA over FCPA violations

2023-03-03T19:53:00+00:00By

Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson agreed to pay nearly $207 million following two breaches of its 2019 deferred prosecution agreement with U.S. authorities.

Ericsson

News Brief

Ericsson searching for CCO successor amid extended compliance monitorship

2023-03-01T16:50:00+00:00By

Ericsson announced the departure of Chief Compliance Officer Laurie Waddy as the Swedish telecommunications company braces for another year under an independent compliance monitorship.

Stanley Black & Decker

News Brief

Stanley Black & Decker discloses potential FCPA violations

2023-02-28T14:52:00+00:00By

Stanley Black & Decker voluntarily disclosed to the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission its international division might have violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

DOJ wall

News Brief

DOJ publishes voluntary self-disclosure policy for corporations

2023-02-23T17:46:00+00:00By

The Department of Justice codified a new policy regarding the voluntary self-disclosure of corporate misconduct, following recent announcements on the updates by agency officials.

European Commission

News Brief

EU handbook touts diverse practices for combating corruption

2023-02-22T14:59:00+00:00By

The European Commission published a collection of best practices from each European Union member state that companies and compliance officers might find useful to combat corruption.

DOJ building

News Brief

DOJ official defends use of DPAs amid criticisms

2023-02-17T18:58:00+00:00By

Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lisa Miller spoke to the value of deferred prosecution agreements to resolve corporate misconduct amid renewed criticism directed toward the Department of Justice’s 2021 agreement with Boeing.

Steel

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SFO’s Balli Steel win latest to leverage international cooperation

2023-02-09T15:36:00+00:00By

The Serious Fraud Office secured the convictions of two executives at failed British steel trading business Balli Steel on six counts of fraud. Legal experts examine whether “record-breaking” international cooperation in the case served as a crutch for the U.K. regulator.

Spinning globe

Premium

TI 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index shows ‘scant progress’

2023-02-03T17:10:00+00:00By

Around the world, countries attempting to address their corruption issues are not making much progress, while countries failing to address corruption are worsening the problem, according to Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index.

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Webcast

CPE Webcast: Best practices for ABAC compliance in 2023

2023-01-26T14:00:00+00:00Provided by

In today’s hyper-connected and media-driven world, corruption can be a serious challenge for organizations to manage.

Johnson & Johnson

News Brief

J&J unit to pay $9.75M to settle kickback suit

2023-01-24T18:47:00+00:00By

A Johnson & Johnson medical device subsidiary admitted to providing thousands of dollars in equipment as kickbacks to an orthopedic surgeon as part of a $9.75 million settlement reached with the Department of Justice.

CW2022 Kenneth Polite 2

News Brief

DOJ urges voluntary self-disclosure in corporate enforcement policy updates

2023-01-18T17:17:00+00:00By

The Department of Justice unveiled new incentives to encourage companies to voluntarily report violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including steep discounts in monetary fines against businesses that self-disclose misconduct.

Bribe

Premium

U.S. bribery risk landscape in 2023: TRACE Matrix, Corruption Risk Forecast

2023-01-05T17:50:00+00:00By

Analyzing the results of two recent reports offers an understanding of the U.S. landscape around anti-bribery efforts entering 2023 and where elevated risks might lie.

Brasseur_opinion

Opinion

Ten things I’d like to see happen in 2023 (2022 in review)

2023-01-03T14:00:00+00:00By

Expect big developments for the compliance profession in 2022 to continue to take center stage in the year ahead, including CCO certifications, climate-related disclosures, and more.

Safran

Article

DOJ declines to prosecute Safran over alleged FCPA violations

2022-12-27T16:20:00+00:00By

The U.S. Department of Justice informed French aircraft equipment manufacturer Safran that the company would not face prosecution regarding alleged bribes paid by employees at two subsidiaries to a China-based consultant.