Thompson Hine hired Francesca Guerrero, previously with Winston & Strawn, as a partner in the firm's International Trade practice, it said in a news release. “Guerrero brings to the firm extensive experience advising companies on compliance with export controls, sanctions, import regulations, and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act,” the firm said.
A former senior executive of a French power and transportation company was sentenced to 15 months in prison for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Justice Department said March 6. Lawrence Hoskins of Alstom S.A. was sentenced on money-laundering charges after he worked to bribe Indonesian officials in exchange for a $118 million power-services contract. Hoskins and others paid “consultants” hundreds of thousands of dollars to bribe Indonesian officials. The Justice Department charged three former executives -- including two former Alstom employees -- with FCPA violations relating to the same case (see 2002190027).
Three former executives were charged with violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act after they tried to bribe Indonesian government officials to secure contracts, the Justice department said in a Feb. 18 press release. The agency charged Reza Moenaf and Eko Sulianto -- two executives of the Indonesian subsidiary of the French power and transportation company Alstom -- and Junji Kusunoki -- a former executive with Japanese trading company Marubeni Corporation -- with FCPA violations and money laundering. The agency said the charges are part of a “wide-ranging investigation” into corrupt practices by Alstom and Marubeni, which has resulted in guilty pleas from five other people and the two companies.
Airbus agreed to pay more than $3.9 billion in combined penalties for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, the Justice Department said Jan. 31. The bribery charges, levied by U.S., French and United Kingdom authorities, stem from Airbus’s scheme to bribe non-governmental airline executives and government officials, including officials in China, to retain aircraft contracts.
Airbus agreed to pay more than $3.9 billion in combined penalties for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, the Justice Department said. The bribery charges, levied by U.S., French and United Kingdom authorities, stem from Airbus’ scheme to bribe non-governmental airline executives and government officials, including officials in China, to retain aircraft contracts.
An Ecuadorian businessman pleaded guilty Jan. 23 to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act after he was involved in a $4.4 million bribery scheme with Ecuador’s state-owned oil company, the Justice Department said in a press release. Armengol Alfonso Cevallos Diaz worked with others to bribe officials at Empresa Pública de Hidrocarburos del Ecuador (PetroEcuador) through U.S. companies and bank accounts, the agency said. Diaz helped launder the money through Miami-based shell companies, soliciting bribes from an oil services company for PetroEcuador officials, the press release said. Sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2020.
A Venezuelan lawyer and businessman was added to the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s most-wanted list for conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and money laundering-related charges, ICE said in a Jan. 15 press release. Raul Antonio De La Santisima Trinidad Gorrin Belisario paid millions in bribes to two “high-level” Venezuelan officials to conduct foreign currency exchange transactions at “favorable” rates for the Venezuelan government, ICE said. In addition to the bribes, Belisario also paid the officials’ expenses for private jets, yachts, homes, “champion horses,” watches and a “fashion line,” the press release said. Belisario made the payments through shell companies to hide the transactions. He also partnered with others to acquire Banco Peravia, a Dominican Republic-based bank, to launder bribes paid to the officials. Belisario is a Miami resident and a Venezuela citizen. He remains at large.
A part-owner of a Florida energy company was sentenced to two years in prison for conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Justice Department said Jan. 8. Juan Jose Hernandez Comerma tried to corruptly secure contracts from Petroleos de Venezuela,S.A. (see 1910210065), Venezuela’s state-owned and U.S.-sanctioned energy company, the Justice Department said. Hernandez conspired with two other U.S. businessmen to bribe PdVSA “purchasing analysts,” the agency said. The bribes ensured their companies were placed on PdVSA’s “bidding panels,” the Justice Department said, which allowed them to secure “lucrative energy contracts.” Hernandez provided PdVSA officials with “recreational travel and entertainment” based on the percentage of contracts awarded to his company.
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for Dec. 9-13 in case you missed them.
The Justice Department announced three “key changes” for companies that submit voluntary disclosures of export controls and sanctions violations, the agency said in a Dec. 13 press release. The changes emphasize voluntary disclosures and lean toward rewards for companies that cooperate with the Justice Department through non-prosecution agreements and “significant” reductions in penalties, the press release said.