Running Afoul of the Corrupt Foreign Practices Act
Dan C. Guthrie, Jr. — White Collar Criminal Defense in Texas and Nationwide
Although many sovereign nations have laws against bribing public officials in their countries, The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is a unique American invention.
Passed by Congress in 1977 and substantially amended in 1988, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prohibits U.S. multinational corporations from making payments (a.k.a. bribery) to foreign government officials in an attempt to obtain or maintain business. Companies that get caught making prohibited payments face steep fines and criminal penalties. Allegations of FCPA violations may be scrutinized by federal prosecutors, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and even the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Attorney Dan C. Guthrie, Jr. and his law firm provide effective, independent defense representation to individual and corporate clients throughout the United States who have run afoul of this legislation. To schedule an initial consultation — call the firm's Dallas, Texas, law office at 214.953.1000 or contact them online.
Mitigating the Consequences
The main problem the Act poses for American companies is that there is a significant lack of case law interpreting the FCPA's provisions and very few clear Do's and Don'ts. As an example, some countries do not prohibit the bribing of government officials. In a situation like that, American companies are at a competitive disadvantage unless they want to risk the consequences of an FCPA prosecution.
A former federal prosecutor himself, Dan Guthrie is familiar with the resources available to government attorneys and with the investigative tactics and legal strategies they employ with corporate defendants. He has built a national reputation for his success in preventing grand jury indictments and is equally effective at working behind the scenes to mitigate damages on behalf of his clients.
International Crimes Information Center
Independent and Experienced,
Focused Solely on White Collar Criminal Defense — Call 214.953.1000
Schedule a free initial phone consultation or a face-to-face meeting with defense lawyer Dan Guthrie; call or contact the firm online today.
