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Without Individual FCPA Defendants, There Would Be No FCPA Case Law

By on July 24, 2023 in FCPA Jurisprudence
caselaw

Lest there be any confusion, I start this post with the basics.

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is a criminal (as well as civil) statute.  Those that violate the FCPA ought to be charged.  Those who are found guilty of FCPA violations are not worthy of commendation.

Nevertheless, those who put the DOJ or SEC to its burden of proof by contesting FCPA charges perform – in a way – a public service that ought to be recognized by forcing the FCPA enforcement agencies to defend its theories in court.

By recognized, I simply mean that it needs to be recognized that without FCPA individual defendants there would be no FCPA case law in the FCPA’s approximate 45 years.

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Judge Denies Bankman-Fried’s Motion To Dismiss FCPA Charge Holding That “The Indictment Sufficiently Pleads The Business Nexus Element”

By on July 7, 2023 in FCPA Jurisprudence, Obtain or Retain Business, Samuel Bankman-Fried
bankman-Fried

In December 2022, the Department of Justice announced criminal charges against Samuel Bankman-Fried arising from an “alleged wide-ranging scheme by [him] to misappropriate billions of dollars of customer funds deposited with FTX, the international cryptocurrency exchange [he] founded …, and mislead investors and lenders to FTX and to Alameda Research, the cryptocurrency hedge fund [he] also founded.”

Specifically, Bankman-Friend was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to defraud the Federal Election Commission and commit campaign finance violations.

As highlighted in this prior post, in March 2023 the DOJ filed a superseding indictment adding a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act conspiracy charge to the criminal charges Bankman-Fried is facing.

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Bankman-Fried Seeks Dismissal Of FCPA Charge

By on May 10, 2023 in Corrupt Intent, Extradition, FCPA Jurisprudence, Obtain or Retain Business, Samuel Bankman-Fried
bankman-Fried

In December 2022, the Department of Justice announced criminal charges against Samuel Bankman-Fried arising from an “alleged wide-ranging scheme by [him] to misappropriate billions of dollars of customer funds deposited with FTX, the international cryptocurrency exchange [he] founded …, and mislead investors and lenders to FTX and to Alameda Research, the cryptocurrency hedge fund [he] also founded.”

Specifically, Bankman-Friend was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to defraud the Federal Election Commission and commit campaign finance violations.

As highlighted in this prior post, in March 2023 the DOJ filed a superseding indictment adding a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act conspiracy charge to the criminal charges Bankman-Fried is facing.

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Fifth Circuit’s Nullification Of Dismissal In Rafoi And Murta Reaffirms The Importance Of Preparing For FCPA Trials

By on February 22, 2023 in Agent, Daisy Rafoi-Bleuler, FCPA Jurisprudence, FCPA Trial, FCPA Trials, Foreign Nationals, Guest Posts, Jurisdiction, Lawrence Hoskins, Paulo Casqueiro-Murta
Trialprep

A guest post from Andrew Feldman (The Feldman Firm PLLC which represents foreign nationals in FCPA cases and investigations with a focus on South America and Spain and recently represented Venezuelan nationals in an FCPA trial and is lead counsel in FCPA cases involving South American nationals including in Peru and Ecuador.).

Venezuela continues to be an attractive target for federal prosecutors investigating bribery and corruption. And, most, if not all, defendants in Venezuela FCPA cases have plead guilty opting against a trial. Months ago though, in a series of surprising opinions (here and here), a federal judge dismissed all counts in an indictment in a complex Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or “FCPA” and money laundering case involving Venezuela and Petroleos De Venezuela, SA (or PDVDSA).  The defendants who benefitted from those dismissals were a Swiss national, Daisy Teresa Rafoi Bleuler, and a Swiss/Portuguese national, Paulo Jorge Da Costa Casquiero Murta.

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Fifth Circuit Reinstates FCPA And Related Charges Against Rafoi-Bleuler And Murta Holding That – At This Stage Of The Proceedings – The Indictment Was Good Enough And Also Holds That The Term “Agent” Is Not Unconstitutionally Vague

By on February 9, 2023 in Agent, Daisy Rafoi-Bleuler, FCPA Jurisprudence, Foreign Nationals, Jurisdiction, Paulo Casqueiro-Murta, Statute of Limitations
Judicial Decision

As highlighted in this prior post, in 2019 Daisy Rafoi-Bleuler (a citizen of Switzerland and partner in a Swiss Wealth Management firm) and Paulo Caqueiro Murta (a citizen of Portugal and Switzerland and employee in a Swiss Management firm) were criminally charged with Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and related offenses for allegedly directing bribes to various individuals at PDVSA (Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company).

As highlighted in this post, in late October 2020 Rafoi-Bleuler filed a motion to dismiss the criminal charges. In summary fashion, the motion argued: “The indictment of Ms. Rafoi-Bleuler, a citizen and resident of Switzerland, continues the worrisome trend by the Department of Justice to stretch the reach of the United States’ criminal statutes beyond Congress’ intent in an attempt to police the world. Despite having violated no laws in Switzerland and having no contact with the United States …, Ms. Rafoi-Bleuler finds herself hailed into a U.S. court in contravention of clear statutory language, legal precedent, and international norms. Courts have increasingly, and correctly, rejected such attempts by the government and this Court should continue as well …”.

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