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SEC’s FCPA Charges Against Former Och-Ziff Executives Cohen And Baros Dismissed

By on July 13, 2018 in Kokesh, Michael Cohen, Och-Ziff Capital, Och-Ziff Capital Management, Statute of Limitations, Vanja Baros
Judicial Decision

This previous post highlighted the SEC’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (and related) enforcement action against Michael Cohen and Vanja Baros (former Och-Ziff executives) based on the same core conduct as the DOJ and SEC’s September 2016 enforcement action against Och-Ziff.

The post noted that the meaty 80 page complaint against Cohen and Baros was a clear signal that a negotiated settlement was unable to be reached and that the defendants would put the SEC to its burden of proof. It was further noted that the SEC is rarely put to its burden of proof in FCPA enforcement actions (corporate or individual) and indeed has never prevailed in FCPA history when put to its ultimate burden of proof. Prior posts here and here summarized the issues in the motion to dismiss briefing.

Yesterday, in yet another blow to the SEC when put to its burden of proof in an FCPA enforcement action, Judge Nicholas Garaufis (E.D.N.Y.) dismissed the SEC’s complaint finding the SEC’s claims time-barred.

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Relevant To The Motions To Dismiss Filed In SEC v. Cohen & Baros

By on August 24, 2017 in FCPA Trials, Foreign Nationals, Jurisdiction, Kokesh, Michael Cohen, Statute of Limitations, Vanja Baros
relevant

Yesterday’s post went in-depth into the recent motions to dismiss filed in SEC v. Cohen & Baros (a rare instance in which the SEC is being put to its burden of proof in a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action).

As highlighted in the post, the disputed legal issues largely center around statute of limitations and (as relevant to Baros a foreign national defendant) general personal jurisdiction issues as well as specific FCPA jurisdictional issues.

There are several previously decided cases cited in the parties’ briefs that are relevant to the issues in dispute and to get you up to speed on these issues, this post highlights those cases (all previously covered by FCPA Professor).

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Motions To Dismiss Fully Briefed In SEC v. Cohen & Baros

By on August 23, 2017 in FCPA Trials, Foreign Nationals, Jurisdiction, Knowledge, Kokesh, Michael Cohen, Och-Ziff Capital, Och-Ziff Capital Management, Statute of Limitations, Vanja Baros
Judicial Decision

As highlighted in this prior post, in January 2017 the SEC filed a civil complaint against former Och-Ziff executives Michael Cohen and Vanja Baros alleging the same core conduct as the DOJ and SEC’s September 2016 enforcement action against Och-Ziff.

The prior post noted that the defendants would be mounting a defense and further noted that the SEC is rarely put to its burden of proof in FCPA enforcement actions (corporate or individual). Indeed, the SEC has never prevailed in FCPA history when put to its ultimate burden of proof.

Late last week, the briefing on the motions to dismiss appeared (all at once) on the court’s docket and this post summarizes the disputed issues which largely center on statute of limitations issues and (as relevant to Baros, a foreign national defendant) general jurisdiction issues as well as FCPA specific jurisdiction issues).

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Former Och-Ziff Executives To Mount A Defense Against SEC’s FCPA (And Related) Claims

By on January 27, 2017 in 2017 Enforcement Actions, Individual Enforcement Action, Michael Cohen, Och-Ziff Capital, Och-Ziff Capital Management, SEC Enforcement Action, Vanja Baros
fightback

I am not suggesting that the following is a very meaningful statistic, but it is a fact: there has been more FCPA enforcement in the first week of the Trump administration than the first week of the Obama administration.

But then again “assigning” to the Trump administration yesterday’s SEC enforcement action against Michael Cohen and Vanja Baros (former Och-Ziff executives) based on the same core conduct as the DOJ and SEC’s September 2016 enforcement action against Och-Ziff is foolish just as it is foolish to “assign” FCPA enforcement in the first months (indeed the first year) of the Obama administration to the Obama Administration.

Yesterday’s enforcement action is not surprising as it was fairly obvious (as detailed in this prior post) that the main actors in the Och-Ziff matter were Cohen and Baros (even though not specifically named in the September 2016 resolution documents).

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In Depth Into The Och-Ziff FCPA Enforcement Action

By on October 2, 2016 in 2016 Enforcement Actions, Anything of Value, Chad, Charitable Contributions, Congo, Cooperation, Dan Gertler, Daniel Och, DOJ Enforcement Action, Due Diligence, Financial Services Industry, Foreign Official, Internal Controls, Joel Frank, Libya, Michael Cohen, Monitor, Niger, Och-Ziff Capital, Och-Ziff Capital Management, Resource Extraction Industry, SEC Enforcement Action, Third Parties, Travel and Entertainment, Vanja Baros
och ziff

Last week, the DOJ and SEC announced (here and here) a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action against Och-Ziff Capital Management Group (and a related entity) for improper business practices in various African countries. The aggregate settlement amount was $412 million (a $213 million DOJ criminal penalty and a $199 million SEC resolution consisting of disgorgement and prejudgment interest), the 4th largest FCPA settlement amount of all-time.

As highlighted in this previous post, the SEC also found Daniel Och (CEO) and Joel Frank (CFO) culpable for certain of the improper conduct. As indicated in the post, this represents what is believed to be the first time in FCPA history that the SEC also found the current CEO and CFO of the issuer company liable, to some extent, for company FCPA violations. Moreover, the $2.2 million Och agreed to pay, without admitting or denying the SEC’s findings, is the largest settlement amount in FCPA history by an individual in an SEC action.

Whether the Och-Ziff enforcement action is the “first time a hedge fund has been held to account for violating the FCPA” (as the DOJ stated in its release) is a debatable point. (See here for the 2007 FCPA enforcement action on the DOJ’s FCPA website against hedge fund Omega Advisors).

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