The Magazine of Corporate Responsibility

Tag Archive for ‘Department of Justice’

Compliance Professionals Ask Justice Department for Data

Corporate compliance officers want the U.S. Department of Justice to provide data “that identifies how often an effective ethics and compliance program yields a direct return in enforcement decisions,” according to three leading professional organizations. They said the information is needed to help educate boards and management on the value of ethics and compliance programs.

Lawsuits Say Pharma Illegally Paid Doctors to Push Their Drugs

Drug companies say the millions of dollars they pay physicians for speaking and consulting justly compensates them for the laudable work of educating their colleagues. But ProPublic reports that a series of lawsuits brought by former employees of those companies allege the money often was used for illegal purposes — financially rewarding doctors for prescribing their brand-name medications.

Study: Financial Fraud Often Results in Bankruptcy

The study found that news of an alleged fraud resulted in an average 16.7 percent abnormal stock price decline in the two days surrounding the announcement. Companies engaged in fraud also often experienced bankruptcy, delisting from a stock exchange, or asset sale, and in nine out of ten cases the SEC named the CEO and/or CFO for alleged involvement, the study found.

Are Federal Agencies Open? Audit Gives Mixed Grades

An audit of agency open government plans released by a consortium of transparency groups found that while some agencies outlined concrete steps for improvement, others lack specifics about how or when the agency will be more open.

Report Cites “New Era” in Global Anti-Corruption Fight

Efforts to combat transnational bribery and corruption could be enhanced by the creation of a top level U.S. government task force with a mandate to develop diplomatic and other incentives for adoption of laws similar to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), especially in developing countries, according to a new report published by The Conference Board.

Avon Suspends Four Executives in China Bribery Investigation

With its disclosure, Avon becomes the latest in a growing list of major Western companies dealing with alleged violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Avon is the world’s largest direct seller of beauty products, marketing in more than 100 countries through 5.4 million independent sales representatives.

Daimler Agrees To Pay $185 Million to Settle Bribery Charges

The maker of Mercedes cars and trucks is the latest company dealing with fallout from violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Transnational bribery and corruption are intensifying ethics and compliance concerns for companies doing business on a global basis as prosecutors pursue a record number of cases and penalties for offenses escalate dramatically.

US Likely to Broaden Anti-Bribery and Corruption Efforts

“The U.S. government – and not just the Justice Department, but the U.S. government more broadly – is going to focus on international corruption in a more comprehensive and even more rigorous way than it has in the past,” said Mark Mendelsohn, the Justice Department’s lead criminal prosecutor for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Pfizer’s “Never Ending Dance” to Regain Its Reputation

What’s it like to have your company plead guilty to a crime and pay a $2.3 billion fine? “To put it bluntly, it’s like being hit in the face by a two-by-four. Even for a big company, it’s a very, very difficult thing to go through,” said Douglas Lankler, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of Pfizer, the world’s largest drug company.

Catching Bad Guys: International Law Enforcement Ups the Ante

New agreements between the U.S., Europe Union and 56 European member states aim to make life more difficult for transnational criminals by making it easier for countries to extradite individuals charged with crimes and to jointly develop and share information.