August 25, 2023

3M Company has agreed to pay more than $6.5 million to resolve charges that a wholly-owned subsidiary in China provided bribes to Chinese government officials in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).  The bribes to officials at state-owned healthcare facilities came in the form of guided overseas travel—ostensibly to conferences, educational events, and healthcare facility visits, but in reality to sightseeing, shopping, and other leisure activities.  The subsidiary ultimately paid almost $1 million to fund at least 24 such trips from about 2014 to 2017.  SEC

Tagged in: Bribery and Bid-Rigging, FCPA,