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Imaging Company Offers $1.6 Million to Settle FCPA Investigation
Analogic Corp., a manufacturer of airport security equipment, offered the SEC $1.6 million to settle the agency’s FCPA investigation of the company, according to a company press release. The company previously reported that the DOJ and SEC had “substantially” completed their investigations of potential bribery involving transactions by the company’s Danish subsidiary, BK Medical ApS. The transactions at issue involved distributors paying BK Medical more than was owed, and then BK Medical transferring the excess money to third parties identified by the distributors. At the time of its 2011 disclosure of the potentially problematic transactions, the company stated that it had not ascertained the ultimate beneficiaries or purpose of the transfers. According to the company it had not yet engaged in similar settlement discussions with the DOJ or Danish government.
FIFA Investigation Expands In Scope; Former FIFA VP Extradited to United States
On September 14, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced that the DOJ is expanding its FIFA investigation to pursue additional charges against individuals and companies. AG Lynch made these comments at a press conference in Zurich with Switzerland’s Attorney General, Michael Lauber. The DOJ has been working closely with Swiss officials in its investigation, and has charged 14 FIFA officials with racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Additionally, on September 17, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice approved the extradition of Eugenio Figueredo, a former vice president of the South American Football Confederation and former vice president of FIFA, to the United States. Figueredo was one of seven defendants fighting extradition from Switzerland. In July, Jeffrey Webb, a former vice president of FIFA, agreed to be extradited to the United States, but the remaining five defendants are awaiting decisions on extradition.
Previous BuckleySandler coverage of this investigation can be found here.
Two Additional Former PetroTiger Employees Sentenced Following FCPA Conspiracy Guilty Pleas
On September 10, Gregory Weisman, former general counsel of oil and gas services company PetroTiger, and Knut Hammarskjold, PetroTiger’s co-founder, were each sentenced to two years’ probation stemming from their prior guilty pleas to conspiring to violate the FCPA and commit wire fraud in connection with a bribe paid to an employee of Colombia’s state-run oil company in order to win a $45 million oil-services contract.
Both Mr. Weisman and Hammarskjold were ordered to pay restitution as well as fines of $30,000 and $15,000, respectively. Mr. Weisman’s and Mr. Hammarskjold’s sentencing occurred almost three months after the third PetroTiger co-conspirator, former CEO Joseph Sigelman, received a three-year probation sentence in connection with the same bribes. Mr. Weisman had been the key witness against Mr. Sigelman at Mr. Sigelman’s June 2015 trial, but the trial abruptly ended after Mr. Sigelman entered a plea deal. The DOJ announced the plea after Mr. Weisman informed the court that he gave false testimony regarding the terms of his cooperation agreement. At Mr. Weisman’s sentencing, the District Judge referred to the abrupt turn of events at Mr. Sigelman’s trial as “the elephant in the room” but noted that misstatements by Mr. Weisman were “peripheral” to the charged offenses.
Russian Nuclear Official Pleads Guilty in FCPA-Related Case
On August 31, the DOJ announced that Vadim Mikerin, the former president of TENAM Corporation and a director of the Pan American Department of JSC Techsnabexport (TENEX), pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with arranging over $2 million in bribes for contracts with the Russian state-owned nuclear energy corporation. TENEX, a subsidiary of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation, is based in Moscow and acts as the sole supplier and exporter of Russian Federation uranium and uranium enrichment services to nuclear power companies worldwide. Mr. Mikerin admitted to conspiring to transfer funds from the United States to offshore accounts with the intent to perpetuate a bribery scheme in violation of the FCPA. These bribes were made to influence the award of contracts to transport down-blended uranium to US nuclear utility providers. As part of Mr. Mikerin’s plea agreement, he agreed to forfeit over $2.1 million he received in bribes. Mr. Mikerin is expected to be sentenced in December, and faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
In addition to Mr. Mikerin, two other individuals, Darren Condrey and Boris Rubizhevsky, have pleaded guilty for their respective involvement in the scheme, including conspiracy to violate the FCPA and commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, respectively.
Large Multinational Financial Services Company Settles FCPA Charges Relating to Internships
On August 18, the SEC announced a settlement with a large multinational financial services company over allegations that the company had violated the FCPA by giving internships to family members of government officials working at a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund in hopes of retaining or gaining more business from that fund. The order entered as part of the settlement quoted emails between company employees purportedly demonstrating that the company gave the internships in hopes of keeping and growing the business relationship with the fund. The SEC also alleged that the company gave the internships to the family members without requiring that they pass through the competitive screening process the company typically requires for interns. Finally, the SEC alleged that the company had inadequate controls to prevent the improper hiring of relatives of government officials. The company paid $14.8 million to settle the charges, with $8.3 million in disgorgement, $1.5 million in pre-judgment interest, and a $5 million penalty.
The company previously disclosed in January 2015 that it had received a Wells Notice concerning possible FCPA violations in connection with the internships. The settlement follows earlier press reports of a broad SEC investigation into bank hiring practices in Asia, and appears to be the first settlement resulting from the investigation.
Former SAP Executive Pleads Guilty to Paying "Necessary" Bribes
On August 12, the DOJ and SEC announced joint enforcement actions against software giant SAP International’s former head of Latin American sales, Vicente Garcia. Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the FCPA and will be sentenced on December 16, 2015 in the Northern District of California. The DOJ alleges that SAP paid bribes to Panamanian officials to secure software license sales in late 2009, using sham contracts and fake invoices. Garcia “admitted that he believed paying such bribes was necessary” to secure the contracts.
The SEC simultaneously issued an administrative cease and desist order against Garcia describing a scheme by which Garcia, in violation of SAP’s internal controls, gave discounts to a local business partner to generate excess earnings, which were used to create the slush fund used to pay at least $145,000 in bribes to secure approximately $3.7 million in sales. Garcia and others also arranged to receive kickbacks from the sales. Garcia agreed to pay disgorgement of the kickbacks he received plus prejudgment interest, totaling $92,395.
Orthofix Deferred Prosecution Agreement Extended for Two Months
In a recently-filed status report, the DOJ and medical device manufacturer Orthofix revealed that the company’s Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) will be extended by two months. The DPA was due to expire on July 17, 2015, but the status report states that Orthofix agreed to the extension in June to give DOJ “additional time to (1) evaluate Orthofix’s compliance with the internal controls and compliance undertakings in the DPA and (2) further investigate potentially improper conduct the company disclosed during the term of the DPA.” The report continued that DOJ intended to complete its investigation in August and inform Orthofix “of its proposed course of action shortly thereafter.”
Orthofix entered into the DPA on July 10, 2012 to resolve allegations that a Mexico-based subsidiary paid bribes to employees of Mexico’s government-operated health system (see prior FCPA scorecard coverage).
Earlier this year, another medical device manufacturer, Biomet, announced that its DPA would be extended for one year after it disclosed additional potential FCPA violations to the DOJ and SEC.
Vantage Drilling Self-Reports Potential FCPA Violation
On August 4, Vantage Drilling Company, an international offshore drilling contractor, acknowledged that an overseas agent had entered into plea discussions with Brazilian authorities and provided evidence in the ongoing corruption investigation focused on Petrobras. Vantage acknowledged that the agent had purportedly provided evidence related to a former director of Vantage and Petrobras. The company disclosed that it had opened an internal investigation and self-reported the matter to the DOJ and the SEC.
The Brazilian corruption investigations into Petrobras and its affiliates and counterparties continue to expand with no end in sight, and the expected related U.S. investigations are beginning to be disclosed.
SEC Subpoenas Flowserve Corporation Related to FCPA Investigation
On July 30, Flowserve Corporation, a global supplier of industrial pumps, valves, and seals, disclosed that the SEC had issued a subpoena in connection with an investigation of potential FCPA violations. Flowserve revealed earlier this year that it had terminated an employee of an overseas subsidiary for conduct that violated its Code of Business Conduct and “may have violated” the FCPA. It self-reported the matter to the SEC and the DOJ and has now completed an internal investigation. Flowserve stated that it “currently believe[s] that this matter will not have a material adverse financial impact,” but that there are no assurances that it will not be subjected to penalties and additional costs.
SEC Drops Investigation of NCR Corporation
On July 28, NCR Corporation, a leading global provider of ATM machines, announced that the SEC had decided not to pursue an enforcement action following an investigation of the company’s FCPA compliance. In 2013, the company disclosed that an anonymous whistleblower had alleged various FCPA and other violations in China, the Middle East (including Syrian sanctions issues), and Africa. The company stated that it had investigated internally and determined the allegations to be without merit. The company then disclosed the matter to the SEC and the DOJ, both of whom requested additional information. The company did not provide an update regarding the status of the DOJ’s inquiries.