In a press release by the Department of Justice today, the Department announced that, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of Japan, it has recovered more than $40.2 million in proceeds from an alleged $1 billion Ponzi scheme by a Japanese citizen, Isamu Kuroiwa, involving investments in Filipino shrimp farms. Kuroiwa operated "World… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Foreign Crimes
Subscribe to Foreign Crimes RSS FeedForeign Corrupt Practices Act Investigation of Aluminum Giant Alcoa for Alleged Bribery, Per WSJ Law Blog
Posted in Foreign CrimesAshby Jones at the Wall Street Journal Law Blog also notes the rise in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement actions by the government. In the latest instance, Jones cites U.S. and British authorities’ investigation of Alcoa, the third largest producer of aluminum in the world, based in Pittsburgh, for alleged bribery in negotiating contracts in… Continue Reading
Daimler AG Agrees to Pay $184 Million to Settle SEC and DOJ Allegations; Alleged Conduct Includes Sales of Vehicles and Parts to Iraq Under U.N. Oil for Food Program
Posted in Foreign CrimesThe Federal government has massively ramped up enforcement against domestic and foreign corporations for violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), essentially an anti-bribery or kickback statute applicable to overseas transactions. The latest target to fall to FCPA allegations, according to an SEC press release, is German automotive giant Daimler AG. The Securities and… Continue Reading
British Multinational Defense Contractor BAE Systems Pleads Guilty to Foreign Corrupt Practices Violations and Other Offenses; Ordered to Pay $400 Million Fine
Posted in Foreign CrimesOn Monday, BAE Systems PLC, a United Kingdom-based, multinational defense contractor, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to charges of allegedly conspiring to defraud the United States by impairing and impeding its lawful functions, allegedly making false statements about its Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance program, and allegedly… Continue Reading
Dozen French Vintners, Wine Traders and Cooperatives Convicted of Passing Off Faux Pinot to Unrefined Americans
Posted in Foreign CrimesAs observed by Law.com, a French court has convicted a dozen French wine traders, vintners and wine cooperatives of passing off local wines as expensive Pinot Noir for importation to the United States. The leader of the scheme, M. Claude Courset of the Ducasse wine trading company received a suspended six month prison sentence and… Continue Reading
British Aviation Firm Pleads Guilty in U.S. Court to Exporting Boeing 747 Aircraft to Iran
Posted in Foreign CrimesBalli Aviation Ltd., a subsidiary of United Kingdom-based Balli Group, PLC, pled guilty on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to charges of illegally exporting Boeing 747 aircraft from the United States to Iran. Balli Aviation had agreed in a plea agreement to pay a $2 million fine and to… Continue Reading
Former Willbros Executives Sentenced for $6 Million Bribe to Nigerian Officials in Violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
Posted in Foreign CrimesThe culture of corruption of some foreign nations may heavily influence to U.S. companies doing business abroad to play along in order to be competitive. Regardless of the competitive disadvantages, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) stands as a serious deterrent to engaging in bribery or kickbacks in business transactions abroad. The force of the FCPA was demonstrated once again on Thursday, when two former executives of… Continue Reading
To the Ends of the Earth: 140 Active Foreign Corrupt Practices Investigations Overseas; Two Dozen Military and Law Enforcement Equipment Execs and Employees Indicted in FCPA Sting Operation
Posted in Foreign Crimescriminal law crimes Foreign Corrupt Practices Act FCPA Las Vegas South Florida firearms military law enforcement indictment indictments bribe bribes bribery investigation investigations overseas
Telecommunications Company UTStarcom Enters into $3 Million Settlements with DOJ and SEC for Alleged Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Violations
Posted in Foreign CrimesAs reported by the Wall Street Journal and DOJ, UTStarcom Inc., a California-based global communications corporation which designs, manufactures and sells network equipment and handsets has agreed to pay $1.5 million in penalties to the government for alleged acts of bribery in the People’s Republic of China in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)…. Continue Reading
Hollywood Film Producer Couple Convicted for Bribing Thai Official
Posted in Foreign CrimesAccording to Law.com, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California found Gerald and Patricia Green guilty of conspiracy, money laundering and violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The Greens were film producers based in Beverly Hills. They were charged and found guilty of conspiring to bribe a government… Continue Reading
Swiss Seek End to Disclosure of UBS Client Names
Posted in Environmental Crimes, False Claims, Foreign Crimes, Money Laundering, Tax FraudSwiss President asks Treasurey Secretary Geithner to drop inquiry into UBS client names
Criminal Prosecutions of U.S. Citizens Abroad: A Brief Overview
Posted in Foreign CrimesIn rare circumstances, United States citizens are the victims, or even the perpetrators, of crimes in foreign nations. It is a basic premise—one that some Americans overlook—that while in a foreign county an American citizen is subject to that country’s laws, which in some cases can carry far harsher penalties that similar violations in… Continue Reading