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On April 5, 2016, the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division launched a one-year pilot program under which companies can receive tangible credit for self-reporting violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The rewards for self-reporting, cooperation and remediation can include avoidance of a corporate monitor, a substantial fine reduction, or declination of prosecution entirely.

In a memorandum released yesterday, Fraud Section Chief Andrew Weissmann highlighted recent enhanced enforcement efforts, including the 50% increase in FCPA Unit prosecutors, the establishment of three FBI International Corruption Unit squads devoted to FCPA investigations, and the further strengthening of cooperation with international law enforcement bodies.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell said that incentivizing companies to self-report FCPA misconduct and cooperate by offering tangible benefits will also enhance the Fraud Section’s ability to prosecute culpable individuals. In this respect, the pilot program is a logical next step following the September 9, 2015, Individual Accountability memorandum issued by the Deputy Attorney General (“Yates Memorandum”).

In addition, AAG Caldwell stressed that the pilot program was part of DOJ’s ongoing effort to bring more transparency to the Department’s process of resolving FCPA cases, stating that transparency informs companies what conduct will result in what penalties and what sort of credit they can receive for self-disclosure and cooperation with an investigation. This, in turn, enables companies to make more rational decisions when they learn of foreign corrupt activity by their agents and employees.Continue Reading And Now the Carrots: DOJ Announces FCPA Self-Reporting Pilot Program

At 1:00 pm (Eastern) on January 17, 2013, Crowell & Moring attorneys Alan Gourley, Stephen Byers, Janet Levine and Kelly Currie will conduct a webinar on behalf of L2 Federal Resources entitled "The DOJ/SEC Resource Guide on the FCPA: Considerations for Government Contractors." The FCPA guidance provides a description of the key enforcement agencies’ view