This Week in FCPA-Episode 57, the Father’s Day Edition
Several US regulatory agencies have proposed or enacted new rules in 2023 aimed at making the investment process more transparent. Many of those changes, including amendments to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 by the US...more
With concerns about global economic stability, many sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) are evaluating current market conditions to determine the most effective investment strategies. Diversification is a common theme for many fund...more
In order to provide an overview for busy in-house counsel and compliance professionals, we summarize below some of the most important international anti-corruption developments from the past month, with links to primary...more
FINRA Amendments to Rules 5130 and 5131 - The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) recently effected changes to its rules regarding the purchase, sale, allocation, and distribution of initial equity...more
La Ley de Prácticas Corruptas en el Extranjero (“Foreign Corrupt Practices Act – FCPA”) prohíbe el pago de sobornos a funcionarios extranjeros para ayudar a obtener o retener negocios. Exige que las empresas cuyos valores se...more
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) prohibits payment of bribes to foreign officials to assist with obtaining or retaining business. It requires companies whose securities are listed in the US to maintain books and...more
Update: FINRA announced this week that its recently approved amendments to Rule 5130 (New Issue Rule) and 5131 (Anti-Spinning Rule) will be effective January 1, 2020. See, FINRA Regulatory Notice 19-37, published December 19,...more
The Securities and Exchange Commission approved amendments to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority New Issue Rule (Rule 5130) and Anti-Spinning Rule (Rule 5131) (collectively, Rules) on November 5, 2019...more
The Och-Ziff settlement has now set the stage for the Justice Department and the SEC to focus its enforcement eye on the private equity and hedge fund industry. The Och-Ziff action was initiated in response to the SEC’s...more
In one of the largest FCPA settlements in history, hedge fund Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC (“Och-Ziff”) recently resolved a long-running government inquiry by agreeing to $413 million in financial penalties and a...more
The Justice Department and the Securities Exchange Commission delivered a powerful FCPA enforcement message to private equity and hedge funds. Och-Ziff settled with the DOJ and SEC for total penalties of $412 million....more
It has been known for some time that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have been investigating investment banks over their dealings with the Libyan sovereign wealth fund, known as...more
Since 2010, the Justice Department and the SEC have been “investigating” a number of private equity and hedge funds for FCPA violations. The launch of the inquiries was a big deal with lots of fanfare and focus on private...more
A CD or not a CD, That is the Question… That the Auditors Should Have Answered - A headline-grabbing SEC enforcement action last week against BDO USA and several of its national partners may lead audit firms to insist on...more
The SEC is having a good year in the FCPA enforcement arena. As a former prosecutor, my eyes would sometimes glaze over when discussing civil enforcement actions. The SEC, however, has turned its FCPA enforcement program into...more
In yesterday’s post I reviewed the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement action involving the Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY Mellon) around its hiring of sons and...more
The SEC has been investigating sovereign wealth funds and issues relating to the hiring of friends and family of foreign officials for some time. Now it has filed a settled action centered on both of those issues which...more
Yesterday the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced a resolution with Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY Mellon) for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). This was the first enforcement...more
FCPA enforcement efforts are not so hard to follow and predict – the government likes to provide advance warnings as an effective means of deterrence. Justice Department and SEC officials will often tell the public their...more