Archive

January 31, 2020

Airbus SE has agreed to pay more than $3.9 billion to resolve charges by U.S., U.K., and French authorities of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).  From at least 2008 until 2015, the French aircraft manufacturer allegedly paid bribes to officials in China, Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan, in exchange for improper business advantages and other favorable treatment.  Additionally, Airbus also failed to provide accurate information to the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) about commissions it paid in connection with the sale or export of arms.  DOJ; USAO DC

December 16, 2019

A Goldman Sachs executive charged with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been permanently banned from the securities industry and ordered to pay disgorgement of $43.7 million.  In order to secure lucrative business for Goldman Sachs, managing director Tim Leissner had allegedly directed a third party intermediary to bribe government officials in Malaysia and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.  SEC

December 6, 2019

Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (“Ericsson”) has agreed to pay more than $1 billion to resolve DOJ and SEC allegations that its subsidiaries engaged in a large-scale bribery scheme, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).  The alleged misconduct occurred over a span of 16 years ending in 2016 and involved approximately $45 million in bribes paid to a consulting party in Indonesia, $31.5 million paid to third parties in China, $4.8 million paid to a consulting company in Vietnam, $2.1 million paid to government officials in Djibouti, and $450,000 paid to a consulting company in Kuwait.  To settle charges, Ericsson has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement and will pay a criminal penalty of over $520 million, as well as disgorgement and prejudgment interest of $540 million.  DOJ; USAO SDNY; SEC

November 22, 2019

The former president of Transport Logistics International, Mark Lambert, was found guilty of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for his role in a bribery scheme designed to secure a contract for TLI from JSC Techsnabexport (TENEX), a subsidiary of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation.  According to the evidence at trial, Lambert worked for years to direct payments to TENEX official Vadim Mikerin, using offshore accounts and creating fake invoices.  Lambert faces five years in prison.  TLI previously agreed to pay a $2 million penalty; Mikerin previously pleaded guilty on related charges.  USAO MD

November 22, 2019

South Korea-based Samsung Heavy Industries Company Ltd. will pay $75 million in a global settlement of allegations that it engaged in an unlawful scheme to bribe government officials in Brazil.  Half of the total settlement, $37.74 million, will be paid to resolve a U.S. criminal action that the company violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; the other half will be paid either to Brazilian authorities on or before November 25, 2020, or to the U.S.  Samsung was alleged to have paid millions to a Brazil-based intermediary, knowing and intending that those funds would be used to bribe officials at the Brazilian state-owned Petrobras in order to obtain a shipbuilding contract for Samsung.  DOJ; USAO ED VA

October 2, 2019

Brokerage firm Lek Securities Corp. and its CEO Sam Lek will pay almost $2 million to resolve allegations that they facilitated the manipulative trading scheme of Ukraine-based customer Avalon FA, Ltd.  Lek provided Avalon with the means to engage in "layering" and other cross-market manipulation.  Layering involves placing and canceling orders to signal inaccurate prices.  Avalon also engaged in other practices to buy and sell stocks to artificially impact options prices.  Lek Securities will pay a $1 million penalty plus $526,000 in disgorgement and interest; Sam Lek will pay a $420,000 penalty.  Defendants have admitted the facts alleged and Lek Securities has agreed to retain an independent compliance monitor.  SEC

September 27, 2019

Canadian Westport Fuel Systems, Inc., and its former CEO Nancy Gougarty will pay $4.1 million to resolve charges that they violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in making payment to Chinese government officials.  The clean fuel technology company was found by the SEC to have transferred shares in a Westport Chinese joint venture to a Chinese private equity firm in which a government official held a financial interest, misrepresented the identity of the parties involved, and circumvented internal accounting controls.  SEC

September 26, 2019

Wisconsin-based Quad/Graphics Inc., a digital and print marketing provider, has agreed to pay $10 million to settle charges of bribing government officials in Peru and China in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).  The alleged misconduct by Quad/Graphics’ Peruvian subsidiary, Quad/Graphics Peru S.A., occurred from at least 2011 to 2016 and involved paid or promised bribes to government officials in order to win contracts, avoid penalties, and influence the Peruvian tax authority.  From 2010 to 2015, Quad/Graphics’ Chinese subsidiary, Quad/Tech Shanghai Trading Company, Ltd., allegedly paid or promised bribes to government employees using sham sales agents.  As part of the settlement, Quad/Graphic will pay nearly $7 million in disgorgement, $1 million in prejudgment interest, and a $2 million civil penalty, as well as self-report on its compliance program for one year.  SEC

September 23, 2019

TechnipFMC plc. was ordered by the SEC to pay $5 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the FCPA by making payments to a third party consultant who used some of the money to bribe Iraqi government officials to win business with state-owned oil companies.  The company, which previously paid $296 million to settle FCPA charges by the DOJ, was also charged with violating the FCPA’s books and records and internal accounting controls provisions.  The SEC settlement included a three-year deferred prosecution agreeement.  SEC

August 29, 2019

Technology company Juniper Networks, Inc., will pay $11.7 million to resolve alleged FCPA violations in its Russian and Chinese subsidiaries.  The company allegedly provided entertainment to customers including government officials, recording the expenses in off-book accounts or misrepresenting the nature of the meetings.  The SEC order also found that Juniper violated internal accounting controls and recordkeeping provisions.  SEC