As reported by Reuters, last week, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia declared a mistrial in the trial of four arms salesmen for alleged bribes under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The defendants, Andrew Bigelow, Pankesh Patel, Lee Tolleson and John Wier, were accused of attempting to bribe two individuals who… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: corrupt
Supreme Court’s Skilling Decision Affects Retrial of Abramoff Associate; Georgia Attorney Gets 5 Years for $4.3 Million Fraud Against Clients; Dutch Company Enters $240 Million Settlement of Foreign Bribery Allegations in Texas
Posted in FraudOn June 24, the United States Supreme Court rendered its decision in the case of former Enron executive Jeffrey Skilling. The majority in U.S. v. Skilling, No. 08-2349, in an opinion authored by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg (which may be read in its 114 page entirety here), held that the "honest services" mail fraud statute,… Continue Reading
Smith & Wesson Investigated for Foreign Corrupt Practices Violations; Ponzi Schemer Scott Rothstein’s Partner Invokes Fifth in Deposition
Posted in MiscellaneousAshby Jones of the Wall Street Journal Law Blog writes today that Firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The company disclosed the investigation and potential future criminal indictments of the company and its officers and employees to investors in filings… Continue Reading
Foreign 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
Pfizer Hit With 140 Million RICO Verdict Over Alleged Promotion of Off-Label Uses for Epilepsy Drug Neurontin
Posted in Racketeering/Organized CrimeAs reported in the National Law Journal, a federal jury in Massachusetts last week returned a $47 million verdict against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer for allegedly promoting Neurontin, an epilepsy drug manufactured by Pfizer, for off-label uses in alleged violation of the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Since the RICO statute provides for… 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
Georgia Court of Appeals Reverses Trial Court’s Dismissal of RICO Indictment Against Pastor, Bank Officer
Posted in indictment, MiscellaneousAs reported by the Macon Telegraph, on Friday the Georgia Court of Appeals reversed a ruling of the Superior Court of Bibb County, Georgia, dismissing Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) charges against Jimmy Collins, the former pastor of God’s Worship Center (GWC), near Macon, Georgia, and Steven Pittman, a former employee of BB&T Bank…. 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
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
Representative William Jefferson Convicted on 11 of 16 Counts
Posted in False Claims, High Profile Cases, Money LaunderingWe did not weigh in yesterday, but the biggest federal criminal defense news was clearly the conviction of U.S. Representative William Jefferson of Louisiana in his criminal trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, as reported by the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The jury of eight women and four men returned a verdict… Continue Reading
Jury Begins Deliberating Rep. William Jefferson’s Fate Following Over 2 & 1/2 Hours of Jury Instructions
Posted in False Claims, Fraud, High Profile Cases, Money LaunderingAs reported by the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Judge T.S. Ellis, III, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia read instructions to the jury yesterday which lasted over 2 & 1/2 hours, and the jury retired for its deliberations in the case against former U.S. Representative William Jefferson. The jury deliberated for… Continue Reading
Trial Ends in Case of Former Representative William Jefferson; Jury Deliberations to Begin Today
Posted in False Claims, Fraud, High Profile Cases, Money LaunderingThe trial of former Representative William Jefferson, which has gone on for six weeks in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, will come to an end today. As reported by Ashby Jones at the Wall Street Journal Law Blog and UPI, both sides gave their closing arguments yesterday. Judge T.S. Ellis… Continue Reading
FBI Operation “Bid Rig” Nabs 44 Suspects in New Jersey Public Corruption, Illegal Organ Transplant and Designer Merchandise Schemes
Posted in False Claims, Fraud, High Profile Cases, Money LaunderingThe 44 public officials and other persons arrested in the massive sweep on Thursday by the FBI, the result of efforts by the convicted son of a rabbi, include: Daniel Van Pelt, State Assemblyman; Peter Cammarano III, Mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey; Dennis Elwell, Mayor of Secaucus, New Jersey; Anthony Suarez, Mayor of Ridgefield,… Continue Reading