I am always wary of simplistic policy proposals – often the simple idea to apply one policy to another subject matter, just does not work. Instead, policy debate will turn to the simple idea and how it can easily be applied in other circumstances. Not to get too cute, but the inquiry requires deciding on which idiom to apply: Is this a situation where: “If...
The Justice Department and the SEC are tired of investigating companies with “paper” compliance programs. It is easy to spot a “paper” compliance program – as the saying goes, you can smell it a mile away. The key distinguishing feature of an effective compliance program and a “paper” program can be distilled down to the question of whether the program is “operational.” Hui Chen, the...
Webinar: 2016 Year in Review: AML and Sanctions Enforcement Tuesday, January 19, 2016, 12 Noon EST Sign Up Here The Justice Department and the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control had another strong year in AML and Sanctions enforcement. With ever-changing sanctions programs, and vigilant AML enforcement, businesses now face significant risks of civil and criminal enforcement. Sanctions enforcement has stretched beyond financial institutions...
In all honesty, if I were betting on my predictions, I would be broke. If I were setting the line on the Super Bowl, I am sure I would go bankrupt in paying off bets. With such confidence, you may want to just click to the new blog post on my colleague Tom Fox’s excellent blog (here) or Matt Ellis’ excellent blog (here), or many...
The Justice Department’s hiring of Hui Chen as the new Compliance Counsel is an important development in DOJ’s prosecution of corporate defendants. It is not clear yet what impact Ms. Chen will have. At a recent event at NYU (video here), Andrew Weissmann, the head of the Fraud Section, and Ms. Chen spoke about the new compliance position. The video provides important information. Ms. Chen...
I am pleased to announce that Tom Fox, Principal, Advanced Compliance Solutions, and I are conducting a joint webinar on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 at 2 pm EST, on the Justice Department’s shifting FCPA prosecution strategy and compliance program requirements. Please sign up HERE. The Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement program is expected to undergo a significant change in policy focus. Building on the recent adoption...
The Justice Department’s reexamination of corporate incentives to disclose violations appears to be in reaction to the steady escalation of cooperation requirements. In response to these extra burdens, DOJ could be concerned that FCPA voluntary disclosures will dwindle. For years, voluntary disclosures have fueled DOJ’s FCPA enforcement program. In the context of a voluntary disclosure program, I have consistently written that DOJ has failed to...
Recent press reports suggest that the Justice Department is reconsidering its FCPA criminal prosecution policies, particularly with respect to corporate defendants. As reported, DOJ is considering defining and increasing corporate benefits from voluntary disclosures and cooperation. This re-evaluation appears to have been triggered by changes in the Criminal Division leadership. DOJ’s recent Yates memorandum imposed new and significant obligations on companies seeking credit for cooperation...
The Justice Department’s recent Yates memorandum on individual accountability is a significant event. Sure, you can always find members of the FCPA Paparazzi who will discount the memo, or relegate it to a mere “political” statement. That view is unfortunate and ignores the real implications of the Yates memo. Such a viewpoint also shows how little members of the FCPA Paparazzi understand the true inner...
Say what you will – the SEC is making its mark this year in FCPA enforcement. So far, the SEC has brought nine separate enforcement actions, the latest with Bristol-Myers Squibb. I am sure we will see more before the end of the year. The SEC’s success reflects the investment they made in a new enforcement structure, the creation of the FCPA Section, and the...
