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Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Announces Expansion of FCPA Pilot Program
On November 29, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein issued remarks announcing that the DOJ’s FCPA Pilot Program will be made permanent and expanded to provide greater incentives for more companies to voluntarily disclose potential FCPA violations. The new program will be formally incorporated into the US Attorney’s Manual. These changes will include greater potential benefits offered to companies that promptly disclose suspected FCPA violations.
Rosenstein identified three components of what will be called the “FCPA Corporate Enforcement Policy.” First, companies who voluntarily disclose, fully cooperate with the DOJ’s investigation, and undertake “timely and appropriate remediation” will be entitled to a presumption that the matter will be resolved through a declination, which “may be overcome only if there are aggravating circumstances related to the nature and seriousness of the offense, or if the offender is a criminal recidivist.” Second, if the company satisfies all other requirements but there are “aggravating circumstances,” the DOJ “will recommend a 50% reduction off the low end of the Sentencing Guidelines fine range,” although “criminal recidivists may not be eligible for such credit.” And third, the policy will provide details on how the DOJ “evaluates an appropriate compliance program, which will vary depending on the size and resources of a business.”
The Pilot Program began in April 2016. It was greeted with some skepticism that the benefits of disclosure would outweigh the potential benefits, as Rosenstein noted in his remarks. Click here to view previous FCPA Scorecard coverage of the Pilot Program.
OFAC Expands North Korean Sanctions
On November 21, the day after President Trump placed North Korea back on the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed additional sanctions in an action to “disrupt North Korea’s illicit funding of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs.” The sanctions were issued against one individual, 13 entities, and 20 vessels pursuant to Executive Order 13810 and Executive Order 13722. The sanctioned entities have commercial ties to North Korea or operate transportation networks in the country, and the sanctioned individuals are “involved in the exportation of workers from North Korea, including exportation to generate revenue for the Government of North Korea.” All property held by the sanctioned individuals and entities within U.S. jurisdiction was frozen, and transactions between the sanctioned individuals and entities and Americans are also “generally prohibited.”
See here for previous InfoBytes coverage on North Korean sanctions.
FinCEN Issues $8 Million Penalty to California Club Card for Willful Violation of Anti-Money Laundering Controls
On November 17, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced that it had assessed an $8 million civil money penalty against a California card club company for “willfully violating” the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) from 2009 to 2017. According to FinCEN, the company failed to establish and maintain an operational anti-money laundering program and failed to detect and timely report many suspicious transactions. FinCEN asserts that during the eight-year period, the company failed to file any Suspicious Activity Reports regarding loan sharking and other criminal activities being conducted through the company that were the subject of a 2011 state and federal law enforcement raid. Additionally, the company allegedly failed to implement sufficient internal controls to monitor risks associated with gaming practices that allowed customers to co-mingle and pool bets with anonymity.
The penalty assessment does not reflect consent by the company, and the company may elect to contest the penalty by not paying within the allotted time period.
OFAC Penalizes Credit Card Issuer for Violations of Cuban Assets Control Regulations
On November 17, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it had reached a $204,277 settlement with a U.S. financial institution for alleged violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR). The settlement involves actions taken by an international credit card company which, at the time of the apparent violations, was a wholly owned subsidiary of an entity that was itself 50 percent owned by the U.S. financial institution. According to the announcement, between 2009 and 2014, credit cards that the company issued to over 100 corporate customers were used to make purchases in Cuba or otherwise involved Cuba. OFAC asserts that the company failed to implement controls to prevent this even though it had policies and procedures in place to review transactions for compliance with CACR.
In determining the settlement amount, OFAC considered that (i) employees within the company had reason to know of the conduct that led to the alleged violations; (ii) none of the entities involved appeared to appreciate the risk that the credit cards might be used in Cuba; (iii) at the time they occurred, the actions resulted in harm to the US sanctions program objectives; (iv) the U.S. financial institution is a large and sophisticated financial entity; and (v) during the investigation, the entities provided “verifiably inaccurate or incomplete, including material omissions.” OFAC also considered the fact that the entities voluntarily self-disclosed the alleged violations and the U.S. financial institution took “swift and appropriate remedial action” upon discovery.
OFAC recently announced updates to CACR, covered by InfoBytes here.
FINRA Provides Additional Guidance on AML Obligations
On November 21, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) published additional guidance regarding member firms’ obligations under FINRA Rule 3310, which requires adoption of an anti-money laundering (AML) program. The guidance provided in Regulatory Notice 17-40 follows the Financial Crime Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN) 2016 adoption of a final rule on customer due diligence requirements for financial institutions (CDD Rule). Under the CDD Rule, member firms must now comply with a “fifth pillar,” which requires them to “identify and verify the identity of the beneficial owners of all legal entity customers” at the time when a new account is opened, subject to certain exclusions and exemptions. Additionally, the “fifth pillar” requires member firms to understand the nature and purpose of customer relationships, conduct ongoing monitoring to report suspicious activities and transactions, and maintain and update customer information “on a risk basis.”
The “fifth pillar” supplements the previously established Bank Secrecy Act AML program requirements, coined the “four pillars,” which require member firms to (i) establish policies and procedures to “achieve compliance”; (ii) conduct independent compliance testing; (iii) designate responsible individuals to implement and monitor AML compliance; and (iv) provide ongoing training.
The CDD Rule became effective on July 11, 2016, and member firms must comply by May 11, 2018. FINRA advises members firms to consult the CDD Rule, along with FinCEN's related FAQs, to ensure AML program compliance.
DOJ Charges Head of Organization Backed by Chinese Energy Conglomerate and Former Foreign Minister of Senegal With Bribing High-Level Officials in Chad and Uganda
On November 20, the DOJ unsealed a criminal complaint charging two people (collectively, the “Defendants”) with participating in a multi-year, multimillion-dollar scheme to bribe high-level officials in Chad and Uganda in exchange for business advantages for a Shanghai-based energy conglomerate (the “Energy Company”). One of the Defendants is the head of a non-governmental organization based in Hong Kong and Virginia that holds “Special Consultative Status” with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The Energy NGO is funded by the Energy Company. The other Defendant is the former Foreign Minister of Senegal and operated an international consulting firm. The DOJ charged the Defendants with (i) conspiring to violate the FCPA, (ii) violating the FCPA, (iii) conspiring to commit international money laundering, and (iv) committing international money laundering. The Defendants have both been arrested and presented before Magistrates.
The DOJ alleges that the Defendants conspired to bribe African government officials on behalf of the Energy Company. Specifically, the DOJ alleges that in an effort to secure oil rights from the Chadian government, the Defendants offered a $2 million bribe to the President of Chad – and in return, the Defendants secured exclusive oil rights without competition. The Defendants allegedly wired almost a million dollars through New York’s banking system in furtherance of their scheme. One of the Defendants also allegedly provided Ugandan officials with gifts and promises to share profits derived from the Energy Company.
Two Former Dutch Oil and Gas Services Company Executives Plead Guilty to FCPA Violations
The DOJ announced last week that two former executives of a Dutch oil and gas services company pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The company's CEO from 2008 to 2011 and a former U.S.-based sales and marketing executive, admitted their involvement in a scheme to bribe government officials in Brazil, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. The government’s allegations relate to payments made and kickbacks provided to foreign officials in exchange for their assistance in securing contracts in those countries.
The former U.S.-based sales and marketing executive is scheduled for sentencing on January 31, 2018, and the company's former CEO is scheduled for sentencing on February 2, 2018.
Click here for FCPA Scorecard’s prior coverage of this matter.
American Multinational Retail Corporation Sets Aside $283 Million for Potential Resolution of FCPA Allegations
On November 16, an American multinational retail corporation disclosed in an SEC filing that it has set aside $283 million for a potential resolution with DOJ and SEC of alleged FCPA violations. The investigation into possible FCPA violations in Mexico was first disclosed in the company’s December 2011 SEC filing and, in subsequent filings, the company stated that the allegations had been expanded to include possible violations in Brazil, China, and India, among others.
In its November 16 filing, the company reiterated that it has been cooperating with the DOJ and SEC in their investigations, and the discussions with these government agencies has progressed such that the company can reasonably estimate a probable loss of $283 million, although it noted that the company cannot assure that its efforts to resolve these matters will ultimately succeed as anticipated.
Click here for FCPA Scorecard’s prior coverage of this matter.
SEC Releases FY 2017 Annual Report on Enforcement Priorities and Results
On November 15, the SEC Division of Enforcement released a report highlighting the division’s priorities for the coming year and summarizing the enforcement actions from FY 2017. Division Co-Directors Stephanie Avakian and Steven Peikin identify and discuss the five core principles that guide their decision making: (i) “Focus on the Main Street Investor”; (ii) “Focus on Individual Accountability”; (iii) “Keep Pace With Technological Change”; (iv) “Impose Sanctions That Most Effectively Further Enforcement Goals”; and (v) “Constantly Assess the Allocation of [the Division’s] Resources.”
The report highlights the two new initiatives announced in 2017 as key priorities: the Cyber Unit and Retail Strategy Task Force (previously covered by InfoBytes). The report also gives an overview of the 754 FY 2017 enforcement actions, including a summary of the various remedies the Division sought.
OFAC Sanctions Ten Additional Venezuelan Officials Connected to Venezuela’s Electoral Process
On November 9, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against ten current or former officials of the government of Venezuela for “undermining electoral processes, media censorship, or corruption in government-administered food programs in Venezuela.” The designation follows October 15, 2017 state elections in Venezuela, which were “marked by numerous irregularities that strongly suggest fraud helped the ruling party unexpectedly win a majority of governorships.” Under the sanctions, issued pursuant to Executive Order 13692 (see previous InfoBytes coverage here), all assets belonging to the identified individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and U.S. persons are prohibited from having any dealings with them.
See additional InfoBytes coverage on previously issued Venezuelan sanctions here and here.