GlaxoSmithKline Coughs Up $20 Million In SEC FCPA Enforcement Action Based On China Conduct
In this 2016 preview post, I noted that the end of September was likely to be an active period for FCPA enforcement.
Why? Because the SEC’s fiscal year ends on September 30th that’s why.
In the third SEC FCPA enforcement action of the week, the SEC announced this enforcement action in which GlaxoSmithKline plc (a U.K. company with shares traded on the NYSE) will cough up $20 million to resolve an administrative cease and desist order based on employees and agents of its China-based subsidiary and China-based joint venture providing various things of value to healthcare professionals in China.
DOJ Releases Two So-Called “Declination” Letters, Yet “Pursuant To” The Letters, HMT LLC And NCH Corp. Agree To Disgorge $2.7 Million And $335,000
Just when you think you’ve seen it all in connection with Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement, along comes yesterday’s development.
In an e-mail to media, the DOJ stated that it sent letters to “counsel for HMT LLC and NCH Corporation outlining the department’s decision to close its inquiry into potential FCPA violations.”
But, and this is a big but, “pursuant to” the letters, HMT agreed to disgorge $2,719,412 “which represents the profit to HMT from the illegally obtained sales in Venezuela and China” and NCH Corp. agreed to disgorge $335,342 “which represents the profit to NCH from the illegally obtained sales in China.”
SEC Brings FCPA Enforcement Action Against Former Executive Of Harris Corp’s Dissolved Chinese Subsidiary
As highlighted in this prior post, in April 2011 Harris Corporation completed an acquisition of Carefx and in the process acquired its subsidiaries including Carefx China. In connection with its integration activities and the subsequent audit of the financials of the Carefx China operations, Harris Corp. became aware that certain entertainment, travel and other expenses in connection with the Carefx China operations may have been incurred or recorded improperly. In response, Harris Corp. voluntarily disclosed to the DOJ and SEC.
As highlighted in this prior post, a few months ago Harris Corp. disclosed that “during the second quarter of fiscal 2016, the DOJ advised us that they have determined not to take any action against us related to this matter.” The same disclosure stated that the company is “continuing to cooperate with the SEC regarding its investigation.”
In the meantime, earlier this week the SEC announced this administrative action finding that Jun Ping Zhang (pictured – a U.S. citizen and former Chairman and CEO of CareFx China who was terminated in mid-2012) violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Zhang is currently Senior Vice President, Product Innovation and Chief Technology Officer at MedeAnalytics. (See also here).
AstraZeneca Coughs Up $5.5 Million To Resolve FCPA Action
Say an English company has Chinese and Russian subsidiaries which, approximately 6-10 years ago, provided various things of value to physicians in those countries.
The end result?
Why of course $5.5 million to the U.S. Treasury because the English company has American Depositary Shares registered with the SEC.
The above description is not make-believe, but a summary of a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action released yesterday by the SEC against AstraZeneca Plc (a United Kingdom biopharmaceutical company).
DOJ Criminally Charges Gabonese National Connected To Och-Ziff With FCPA Conspiracy In Connection With African Mining Projects
Och-Ziff, a publicly-traded hedge fund that has been under Foreign Corrupt Practices Act scrutiny since 2011 for its business dealings in Africa, recently disclosed that it is in discussions with the DOJ and SEC regarding resolution of the matter. As noted in this recent post, Och-Ziff has reserved over $400 million in anticipation of the resolution. (For the latest on this expected resolution see here).
In the meantime, a criminal complaint was recently unsealed charging Samuel Mebiame, a Gabonese national connected to Och-Ziff, with conspiracy to violate the FCPA’s anti-bribery provisions.