white collar – White-Collar Criminal Law

January 16, 2019 by Christopher H. Casey

2018 Data Show No Slowdown in Corporate Prosecutions at DOJ

With the change of presidential administrations in January 2017, it was expected that the priorities of the U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) would shift away from white-collar crime enforcement and towards immigration, violent crime, and narcotics enforcement. But recent data actually show a significant uptick in both prosecutions and convictions of individuals by the DOJ Criminal Division’s Fraud Section in 2018 over the previous two years. Moreover, the amount of money the DOJ recovered from companies through Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs) or Non-Prosecution Agreements (NPAs) skyrocketed in 2018 .

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October 29, 2013September 9, 2014 by Duane Morris

Duane Morris Partner Eric Breslin to Speak at the American Conference Institute’s 3rd National Forum

Duane Morris partner Eric R. Breslin will speak at the American Conference Institute’s 3rd National Forum on Securities: Litigation and Enforcement. The conference will be held on February 27, 2014 at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel.

ACI’s 3rd National Advanced Forum on Securities Litigation and Enforcement, is the only event in the industry where experienced in-house counsel, leading litigators, renowned jurists, and regulatory and enforcement officials from federal and state agencies will assemble in our nation’s capital to provide the highest level insights on the most current developments in the field.

Click here for more information.

July 8, 2013September 17, 2014 by Mauro M. Wolfe

Serious Fraud Office Issues Draft Code of Practice on Deferred Prosecution Agreements

On 27th June 2013, the UK announced more details of new rules that would introduce Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs) into the UK for corporate offences. DPAs have been the weapon of choice for US regulators when prosecuting bribery and corruption cases, and the hope is that DPAs will bring greater predictability for those wishing to settle a case with prosecutors on both sides of the Atlantic.

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June 12, 2013September 9, 2014 by Mauro M. Wolfe

Another One Bites the Dust: SEC’s Insider Trading Investigation Strategy Nabs Another Foreign Trader in Nearly Real Time

On June 6, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced [http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2013/2013-102.htm] that it secured an emergency order freezing over $3 million in profits of a trader based in Bangkok, Thailand. The trader is suspected of trading on insider information about the multi-billion dollar acquisition by China-based Shuanghui International Holdings of Smithfield Foods. The speed of the SEC’s investigation is extraordinary and appears to establish its template for future global insider trading investigations, as we predicted back in April.

While the SEC has taken the fast lead on this case, as most experienced defense lawyers will know, the DOJ is surely lurking closely near. We should expect to see criminal action in this case.

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June 3, 2013September 8, 2014 by Mauro M. Wolfe

The Rise of Multinational FCPA Criminal Prosecutions: First Ever Coordinated French and U.S. Action

On May 29, 2013, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) joined with French enforcement authorities to announce charges against French-based oil and gas company Total S.A. The SEC entered into a cease-and-desist order against Total, wherein Total agreed to pay disgorgement and prejudgment interest of $153 million. The DOJ filed a criminal information against Total, but promised to dismiss the case if Total behaved for the next three years. This is known as a deferred prosecution agreement. The price tag for the settlement was an additional $245.2 million. According to the DOJ, “French enforcement authorities announced earlier today that they had requested that Total, Total’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and two additional individuals be referred to the Criminal Court for violations of French law, including France’s foreign bribery law.” The alleged conduct in this case is egregious, requiring little comment or insight. U.S. authorities stated:

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May 24, 2013September 8, 2014 by Mauro M. Wolfe

Historic U.S., China Agreement on Auditor Access Announced: Is This a Crack in the Wall Separating The Cross-Border Enforcement Cooperation Impasse?

On May 15, 2013, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged CEO Dejun Zou and board chair Amy Qiu, husband-and-wife executives at China-based RINO International Corporation, alleging that they engaged in a scheme to overstate the company’s revenues and divert $3.5 million in proceeds from a securities offering for their personal use. This would be a routine case – except it involves a China-based company, a jurisdiction that the SEC has found difficult to regulate. For some time now, the SEC has been hamstrung in gaining access to information from China. Today’s historic announcement by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) may be the first major step in alleviating such difficulties.

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May 14, 2013September 8, 2014 by Mauro M. Wolfe

Unprecedented FCPA Wake-Up Call for U.S. Broker Dealers and Foreign Banks: Has the Perfect FCPA Storm Finally Arrived for U.S. Financial Markets?

On May 7, 2013, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York unsealed extraordinary criminal charges against two registered representatives of a U.S. broker-dealer and a high-level Venezuelan government official for engaging in a “Massive International Bribery Scheme.” What makes this fraud scheme remarkable is that it involves the activities of a U.S. broker-dealer, its client, a foreign-owned and controlled bank, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and several suspicious transactions that potentially should have raised concerns—a perfect storm. This case may be the catalyst that jump-starts a government FCPA sweep of Wall Street that has been predicted since 2011, but not realized.

Click here to view the full alert.

April 8, 2013September 8, 2014 by Mauro M. Wolfe

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) Indictments Related to LATAM Are Unsealed

On April 5, 2013, the Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed charges against four former executives of BizJet International Sales and Support, Inc., the U.S.-based subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik, AG, a company that provides aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services for alleged bribery payments in Latin America. This news comes less than 30 days since our last blog entry, that quoted the warning by Department of Justice, FCPA Assistant Chief James Koukios, who said that the DOJ has “a lot of cases in the hopper” pertaining to Latin America.What can we learn from the latest case unsealed by the DOJ?

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April 4, 2013September 8, 2014 by Mauro M. Wolfe

Foreign Traders Beware: Trading in US Markets Will Expose You to US Insider Trading Laws

On March 29, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced the settlement of what appeared to be a routine insider trading case involving two traders. For foreign traders, the case is a wake-up call that the SEC is watching and will take action against violators, wherever they are in the world. Moreover, the case reveals the SEC’s patience in finding the insider traders and their courage in taking action. Indeed, the case may also serve as an investigatory template for the SEC’s global policing of U.S. securities laws in connection with insider trading violations by foreign traders.

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May 17, 2012September 8, 2014 by Mauro M. Wolfe

Go on the Offense with the FCPA

Most companies fear the FCPA and the harm it will do to their companies. In a recent article published for the Asian-Mena Counsel, I offer a modest proposal – go on the offense with the FCPA and reap millions in potential increased enterprise value.

Here is the secret: if your company sees a potential exit strategy in the near future and you operate in certain regions of the world, you could command, and US suitors would be willing to pay, a premium for your company, into the millions, provided that you have meaningful a FCPA compliance regime. Make a strategic move to make your company FCPA compliant and reap the rewards.

For a more detailed review, please see:
http://www.duanemorris.com/articles/static/wolfe_gehring_asiamena_0512.pdf