In 2012 Pfizer resolved a $60 million Foreign Corrupt Practices Act action concerning conduct in Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Serbia. (See here).
As stated by the SEC:
“This action arises from violations of the books and records and internal controls provisions of the [FCPA by Pfizer] relating to improper payments made to foreign officials in numerous countries by the employees and agents of Pfizer’s subsidiaries in order to assist Pfizer in obtaining or retaining business. At various times from at least 2001 through 2007, employees and agents of subsidiaries of Pfizer, conducting business in Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Serbia, engaged in transactions for the purpose of improperly influencing foreign officials, including doctors and other healthcare professionals employed by foreign governments. These improper payments were variously made to influence regulatory and formulary approvals, purchase decisions, prescription decisions, and to clear customs. Employees in each of the involved subsidiaries attempted to conceal the true nature of the transactions by improperly recording the transactions on the books and records of the respective subsidiaries. Examples included falsely recording the payments as legitimate expenses for promotional activities, marketing, training, travel and entertainment, clinical trials, freight, conferences and advertising. These improper payments were made without the knowledge or approval of officers or employees of Pfizer, but the inaccurate books and records of Pfizer’s subsidiaries were consolidated in the financial reports of Pfizer, and Pfizer failed to devise and maintain an appropriate system of internal accounting controls.”
As a condition of settlement, Pfizer was permanently enjoined from committing future FCPA violations.
In resolving the matter, the SEC stated:
“Pfizer has taken extensive remedial actions including: undertaking a comprehensive worldwide review of its compliance program; implementing enhanced anti-corruption compliance policies and procedures on a worldwide basis; developing global systems to support employee compliance with the enhanced procedures; adding FCPA-specific reviews to its internal audits; performing innovative and proactive anti-corruption compliance reviews in approximately 10 markets annually; and conducting comprehensive anti-corruption training throughout the organization.”
Beginning in 2019, Pfizer disclosed new FCPA scrutiny.
Pfizer disclosed additional FCPA scrutiny in 2020.
Most recently, Pfizer disclosed additional FCPA scrutiny this week.
The company’s most recent quarterly filing lists the following instances of FCPA scrutiny.
- “In June 2019, we received an informal request from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) Unit seeking documents relating to our operations in Russia. In September 2019, we received a similar request from the SEC’s FCPA Unit. We have produced records pursuant to these requests.”
- “In June 2020, we received an informal request from the U.S. Department of Justice’s FCPA Unit seeking documents relating to our operations in China. In August 2020, we received a similar request from the SEC’s FCPA Unit. We have produced records pursuant to these requests.”
- “In March 2023, we received an informal request from the U.S. Department of Justice’s FCPA Unit seeking documents relating to our operations in Mexico. We are producing records pursuant to this request.”
