Guilty Plea
This recent post checked in on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action against Abraham Cigarroa Cervantes (pictured – a Mexican citizen described as a former finance director of the Latin America division of Stericycle).
In terms of background, in mid-2022, Stericycle (an Illinois based medical waste disposal company) resolved a net $59 million parallel DOJ and SEC Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action (see here and here for prior posts).
In the words of the DOJ: “From in or about and between at least 2011 and 2016, Stericycle, through certain of its employees and agents, knowingly and willfully conspired and agreed with others to corruptly offer and pay approximately $10.5 million in bribes to, and for the benefit of, foreign officials in Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina in order to obtain and retain business and other advantages for and on behalf of Stericycle. Stericycle earned approximately $21.5 million in profits from the corrupt scheme and through its corruptly obtained and retained government contracts.”
Next Up … Trafigura
First it was Sargeant Marine in 2020 (see here for the prior post).
Then it was Vitol in 2020 (see here for the prior post).
Then it was Glencore in 2022 (see here for the prior post).
Then it was Freepoint Commodities in 2023 (see here for the prior post).
Then it was Gunvor in 2024 (see here for the prior post).
Next up in the list of commodities trading (or related) companies to resolve an FCPA enforcement action is Trafigura (a company which has been under FCPA and related scrutiny for years). After accounting for various credits for related foreign law enforcement actions, the net FCPA settlement amount is approximately $100.2 million (a criminal fine amount of $53.66 million and a forfeiture amount of $46.51 million).
DOJ Charges Former Stericycle Executive
In mid-2022, Stericycle (an Illinois based medical waste disposal company) resolved a net $59 million parallel DOJ and SEC Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action (see here and here for prior posts).
In the words of the DOJ: “From in or about and between at least 2011 and 2016, Stericycle, through certain of its employees and agents, knowingly and willfully conspired and agreed with others to corruptly offer and pay approximately $10.5 million in bribes to, and for the benefit of, foreign officials in Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina in order to obtain and retain business and other advantages for and on behalf of Stericycle. Stericycle earned approximately $21.5 million in profits from the corrupt scheme and through its corruptly obtained and retained government contracts.”
Last week, the DOJ filed criminal charges against Mauricio Gomez Baez based on the same core conduct. As alleged in the information, Gomez Baez (a Mexican citizen and resident of Miami) worked for Stericycle as the Senior Vice President of Stericycle’s Latin American (LATAM) division whose business responsibilities included oversight and management of Stericycle LATAM and certain of Stericycle subsidiaries, including acquisitions, operations, finance, and sales.
Freepoint Commodities Resolves FCPA Enforcement Action
In February 2023, the DOJ announced that Glenn Oztemel (previously employed by Freepoint Commodities LLC) and Eduardo Innecco (an agent for the company) were charged with FCPA and related offenses for an alleged Brazil bribery scheme. (See here for the prior post).
In summary fashion, the indictment alleged:
“Between in or about 2010 and continuing until in or about 2018, Glenn Oztemel and Eduardo Innecco, together and with others, agreed to pay, and did pay, bribes to foreign officials at Brazil’s state-owned and state-controlled oil and gas company, Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petro bras (“Petrobras”), on behalf of Trading Company #1 and Trading Company #2. In exchange for the bribes, foreign officials at Petrobras, including Rodrigo Berkowitz (“Berkowitz”), who has been charged separately, provided Oztemel, Innecco and others with confidential information related to Petrobras’s business. The inside information and other improper assistance Berkowitz provided to Oztemel, Innecco and others gave Trading Company #1 and Trading Company #2 improper business advantages in trades with Petrobras.
Bribes As “Breakfast” And “Breakfast Servings”
Earlier this week the DOJ announced that “Glenn Oztemel (who worked as a senior oil and gas trader at two Connecticut-based trading companies (Trading Company #1 and Trading Company #2) and Eduardo Innecco (a dual Brazilian and Italian citizen who worked as an oil and gas broker and agent for Trading Company #1 and Trading Company #2 in Brazil) were charged with FCPA and related offenses for an alleged Brazil bribery scheme.
As highlighted here, Oztemel was previously employed by Freepoint Commodities LLC.
In summary fashion, the indictment alleges: