The 1990s saw the explosion of the internet, transforming the global economy and social development in ways we could have never imagined. But will AI truly have the same impact? While its potential is undeniable, the road ahead is full of risks, challenges, and ethical concerns. Will AI drive efficiency and innovation, or will it create new vulnerabilities that companies must scramble to control? In...

Can the DOJ’s commitment to holding individuals and corporations accountable under the FCPA survive the changing political climate in 2025? Will the push for innovation in corporate compliance programs be enough to maintain momentum, especially with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence? In this episode of Corruption, Crime and Compliance, Michael Volkov dives deep into the FCPA enforcement landscape of 2024, outlining key cases, changes in...

How will your company withstand the heat of aggressive sanctions enforcement? Are you ready for the DOJ’s new priorities and OFAC’s expanding reach in 2025? In this episode of Corruption, Crime, and Compliance, Michael Volkov dives into the major sanctions enforcement trends from 2024 and the road ahead under the new Trump administration. From record-breaking DOJ prosecutions to OFAC’s innovative enforcement approaches, Michael explains how sanctions...

How did a high-stakes bribery scheme involving insider deals, Airbus planes, and secret payments bring down a global aviation giant? In this episode, Michael Volkov dives deep into the AAR Corporation FCPA case—a cautionary tale of bribery, insider deals, and compliance failures in high-risk sectors. The DOJ and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) closed 2024 with a major coordinated settlement with AAR Corporation, a...

What went wrong when McKinsey paid bribes to secure consulting contracts with South Africa’s state-owned enterprises? In this episode, Michael Volkov dives into the December 2024 DOJ settlement with McKinsey & Company, which paid $122 million after being found guilty of paying bribes to officials at Transnet and Eskom to secure valuable consulting contracts. The case involved significant violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act...

What happens when a Chief Executive Officer becomes the architect of a global bribery scheme? In this episode of Corruption, Crime, and Compliance, Michael Volkov delivers an in-depth analysis of the BIT Mining FCPA case — a landmark matter that underscores the severe consequences of C-suite misconduct. With CEO Zhengmin Pan at the center of the conspiracy, BIT Mining’s efforts to infiltrate Japan’s emerging casino...

Telefónica Venezolana C.A. (“Telefónica Venezolana”), the Venezuela-based subsidiary of Telefónica S.A. (Telefónica), the Spanish telecommunications company entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (“DPA”) and agreed to pay over $85.2 million to resolve DOJ FCPA charges stemming from bribery payments to Venezuelan government officials to secure preferential access to U.S. dollars in a currency auction. Telefónica Venezolana entered into a three-year DPA and the filing of a...

LRN consistently provides high-quality reports and important insights on ethics and compliance trends.  Each year, LRN’s Program Effectiveness Report is anticipated as an important source of cutting-edge ethics and compliance initiatives. LRN’s Code of Conduct Report includes a number of important benchmarks for companies to use as a measure of their compliance programs.  In its most recent report, LRN cites a number of important findings...