Tagged: FCPA

9 Nov, 2017

MyCompliance Office Webinar: Taking a Fresh Look at Gifts, Entertainment, & Hospitality Programs

Gifts, meals, entertainment, travel, and hospitality expenses (GMETH) are high-risk for bribery but have not received the same attention lately as third party risk management. The advancing capabilities of software solutions in this area make now the time to take a fresh look at how to leverage technology to strengthen your program. Join me and MyComplianceOffice for a free webinar to review: Best Practices to...

General

17 May, 2017

Effective Compliance and the Importance of Accounts Payable Function

As the compliance function has matured, Chief Compliance Officers have built important relationships with related functions that are critical to the compliance function. Over the last few years, we have seen the Justice Department and the SEC focus on company invoice to payment functions as a key area of concern when assessing the effectiveness of a compliance program. Last week, I had the honor of...

General

12 Mar, 2017

FCPA Pilot Program Motors On

No one was really surprised when Kenneth Blanco, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, US Department of Justice, announced last week that DOJ was planning to continue the FCPA Pilot Program past April 5, 2017, the scheduled expiration date. Blanco stated in a speech given at the annual White Collar Crime Conference: Before I conclude, I would be remiss if I did not...

General

31 Jan, 2017

C-Suite Misconduct Results in Sociedad Quimica Y Minera FCPA Resolution with DOJ and SEC

In an unusual FCPA enforcement action, the Justice Department and the SEC resolved FCPA violations against Sociedad Quimica y Minera, a Chilean chemical and mining company, for a total of $30.5 million, for paying approximately $15 million in bribes to Chilean officials. SQM agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with DOJ and to assignment of a two-year independent compliance monitor. The odd aspect of...

General

16 Jan, 2017

Mondelez FCPA Enforcement Action — An Abuse of Prosecutorial Discretion?

The first FCPA enforcement action for 2017 landed with very little fanfare. The SEC reached a settlement with Mondelez International for $13 million. The facts surround the hiring of an agent in India and the failure of Mondelez to monitor and conduct basic due diligence on the third-party agent. Kraft Foods acquired Cadbury, a UK candy and beverage company. Kraft Foods renamed itself Mondelez after...

General

1 Jan, 2017

Tom Fox and Mike Volkov Podcast on the Odebrecht and Teva FCPA Settlements

It is always a pleasure to participate in FCPA and compliance discussions with Tom Fox. Tom and I recorded a podcast on the Odebrecht and Teva Pharmaceuticals FCPA enforcement actions. A copy of the recording is available here. Happy New Year!!!!

General

12 Nov, 2016

A New Administration: A New FCPA Enforcement Regime?

Now that the dust has settled on this turbulent campaign season, everyone is in the prediction game, especially when it comes to FCPA enforcement. It is easy to make predictions of significant change. It is easy to take campaign rhetoric and assume that such rhetoric will result in quick and immediate change. As a veteran of transfers of power (being an old D.C. lawyer), I...

General

9 Nov, 2016

Due Diligence Basics – Beneficial Ownership

I hate to be the harbinger of bad news; that is against my nature; I am naturally an optimistic person. As I always say, there are solutions to every problem. Many companies have responded to third party risks and built effective risk management programs. It is perhaps one of the most significant changes in the compliance landscape – third parties create significant risks and companies...

General

18 Oct, 2016

DOJ and SEC Raising the Stakes on Third Party Risk Management

If you review the last ten years of FCPA enforcement, the unmistakable pattern is rising expectations with regard to corporate compliance programs, particularly with regard to third party due diligence and risk management. Over the course of numerous enforcement actions, DOJ and the SEC have reached the point now where they are questioning not just the conduct of due diligence but the quality of due...

General

5 Sep, 2016

Lessons Learned from AstraZeneca’s $5.5 Million SEC FCPA Settlement

Last week, the SEC added another pharmaceutical company to its list of FCPA violators when AstraZeneca agreed to a $5.5 million settlement with the SEC. AZ is now the 25th drug or medical device company to pay an FCPA penalty for violating the FCPA. AZ’s violations were not limited to China as a number of recent FCPA enforcement actions against drug/medical device companies, but included...