The Magazine of Corporate Responsibility

Tag Archive for ‘Foreign Corrupt Practices Act’

Facing Bribery Inquiry, News Corp. Lawyers Up With Former Federal Prosecutors

The embattled media conglomerate News Corporation and its independent directors have not only hired top criminal defense lawyers, they’ve also hired former Justice Department prosecutors well-versed in U.S. bribery law. The new hires are a sign that the company is taking the Justice Department’s preliminary investigation rather seriously.

U.S. Chamber Lobbies to Weaken Anti-Corruption Law

Even as anger over governmental corruption has exploded into protests across the Middle East, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been working to weaken the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a law that bans companies from bribing foreign officials.

New UK Bribery Law Could Have International Impact

The UK’s Bribery Act 2010, set to take effect in April, goes much further than the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which has been used aggressively by American prosecutors against multinational companies in bribery cases worldwide. Among other provisions, the new law creates a “failure to prevent bribery” offense which applies whether or not any conduct in the bribery scheme took place in the UK.

Obama Highlights Anti-Corruption Measure for Mining and Energy

A new measure designed to combat corruption in resource-rich countries by requiring mining and energy companies to disclose payments to foreign governments was highlighted this week by U.S. President Barack Obama in a speech at the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York. The requirement is a provision of the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill signed into law by Mr. Obama in July.

GE to Pay $23.4 Million to Settle SEC Oil-for-Food Charges

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged that from 2000 to 2003 two GE subsidiaries — along with two other subsidiaries of public companies that have since been acquired by GE — participated in a $3.6 million kickback scheme with Iraqi government agencies to win contracts to supply medical equipment and water purification equipment.

Italian Firm and Unit to Pay $365 Million to Settle Bribe Charges

The settlement is the latest related to a four-company joint venture that was awarded $6 billion in contracts to build liquid natural gas facilities on Bonny Island, Nigeria. U.S. officials said a total of $1.28 billion in penalties has been obtained to date in connection with the Bonny Island bribery scheme.

French Firm to Pay $338 Million to Settle Bribery Charges

French engineering firm Technip S.A. agreed to pay a total of $338 million to settle criminal and civil charges brought by U.S. enforcement agencies for its participation in a scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials to obtain more than $6 billion in contracts to build liquefied natural gas facilities on Bonny Island, Nigeria.

OECD Report Finds Countries Fail to Punish Foreign Bribery

Only about one-third of the 38 countries that have agreed to prosecute foreign bribery cases under the Organization for Economic Development’s Anti-Bribery Convention have sanctioned individuals or companies since the Convention was adopted 10 years ago, according to a report issued by the OECD.

Holder Says More Individuals to Face Bribery Charges

Attorney General Eric Holder said the prosecution of individuals “is accelerating” amidst continuing evidence of transnational bribery. “Let me be clear, prosecuting individuals is a cornerstone of our enforcement strategy because, as long as it (bribery) remains a tactic, paying large monetary penalties cannot be viewed by the business community as merely ‘the cost of doing business,’ ” he said.

Development Banks and Investors Press Anti-Corruption Efforts

The development banks agreed that companies debarred for corruption by any one of them may be sanctioned for the same misconduct by other participating banks. Separately, an investor coalition representing firms with $1.7 trillion in assets under management has asked 21 major companies to improve disclosure of bribery and corruption risks and avoidance measures.