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Episode 153 — Mighty Amazon Falls to the OFAC Sword

Amazon joins the exclusive club of high-tech OFAC violators.  Last year, Apple settled with OFAC for sanctions violations.  This year, we can add Amazon to the list of OFAC violators. On July 8, 2020, Amazon settled with OFAC for $134,523 for violations of multiple OFAC sanctions programs.  Amazon’s violations stemmed from deficiencies from its sanctions screening processes.  As a result, Amazon provided goods and services:...

Universal Health Agrees to Pay $122 Million for False Claims Act Violations

DOJ announced a False Claims Act settlement with Universal Health (“UHS”) and related companies for $122 million for billing for medically unnecessary inpatient behavioral health services, failing to provide adequate services and paying kickbacks to beneficiaries. The government’s long-running investigation of UHS has stemmed from at least eighteen (18) whistleblower lawsuits.  DOJ also closed a related criminal investigation of UHS.  It is not known if...

The Mighty Amazon Falls to the OFAC Sanctions Sword

How the Mighty Have Fallen – Old Testament (2 Samuel 1:19) The Harder They Come, the Harder they Fall – Jimmy Cliff (song) Amazon joins the exclusive club of high-tech OFAC violators.  Last year, Apple settled with OFAC for sanctions violations.  This year, we can add Amazon to the list of OFAC violators.  On July 8, 2020, Amazon settled with OFAC for $134,523 for violations...

Steele Announces New “Risk Intelligence Data” Platform

Last week, Steele Compliance Solutions announced the global rollout of its new “Risk Intelligence Data” platform. As a global leader in ethics and compliance data management technologies, Steele makes a patented addition to the compliance technology landscape that is well-positioned to continue raising the bar for data processing and automation of third-party relationships. One downfall of many traditional compliance databases is that they risk being...

While Navigating Middle Ground, Supreme Court Upholds Congressional Subpoena for President Trump’s Financial Records (Part II of II)

In a companion case to Trump v. Vance, which I discussed in Part I, the Supreme Court, in Trump v. Mazars, rejected Trump and DOJ’s challenges to enforcement of congressional subpoenas for Trump’s financial records.  Again, Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the Court, in a 7-2 vote, upheld the subpoenas but ordered the lower court to apply a comprehensive four-part test to the proposed subpoenas....

Episode 152 — Supreme Court Issues Two Important Decisions on Subpoenas for President Trump’s Financial Records

The Supreme Court, in two important decisions issued on the last day of the Term, rejected Trump and DOJ challenges to a New York Criminal Grand Jury subpoena and several Congressional subpoenas for Trump’s financial records. In a decisive ruling, in Trump v. Vance, the Supreme Court rejected by a 7-2 vote, President Trump’s challenges to a New York State grand jury subpoena.  In a separate case, Trump...

In Decisive Ruling, Supreme Court Rejects Trump Administration Challenges to State Criminal Grand Jury Subpoena (Part I of II)

In a decisive ruling, in Trump v. Vance, the Supreme Court rejected President Trump’s challenges to a New York State grand jury subpoena.  In a 7-2 vote, The Supreme Court rejected the Trump Administration challenges.  In a separate case, Trump v. Mazars, which will be analyzed in Part II tomorrow, the Supreme Court rejected challenges by a vote of 7 to 2 to Congress’ subpoena...

Episode 151 — Tom Fox and Michael Volkov Discuss the Revised FCPA Guidance

On July 2, 2020, DOJ and the SEC issued revised FCPA Guidance.  The Revised Guidance continues to be a valuable document, which contains important discussions of relevant cases, DOJ and SEC policies, and enforcement principles relating to the FCPA. In this Episode, Tom Fox and Michael Volkov discuss the Revised FCPA Guidance and highlight important changes and trends.

Webinar: 2020 Mid-Year OFAC Sanctions and Compliance Review

2020 Mid-Year OFAC Sanctions Compliance Review August 4, 2020, 12 Noon EST Sign Up Here Despite the pandemic and disruptions to the global economy, the Office of Foreign Asset Control continues its aggressive enforcement of economic sanctions. OFAC has brought several significant enforcement actions, and the Justice Department joined in one enforcement action for violation of the North Korea sanctions programs. While OFAC has recognized...

DOJ Charges Two Sons of Former Panama President Martinelli with Participation in Odebrecht Bribery Scheme in Panama

DOJ announced the arrest of two individuals, Luis Martinelli Linares and Ricardo Martinelli Linares, who are the sons of the former President of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli) for their role in funneling $28 million in bribes to a former Panamanian government official as part of the Odebrecht bribery case.  Luis and Ricardo were arrested  while attempting to board a private airplane at an airport in Guatemala...