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. bribes) to foreign government officials in an attempt to obtain or maintain business.

Companies caught making prohibited payments face steep fines and criminal penalties. Fraudulent contracts and other violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act are a high priority for the Department of Justice. Suspected FCPA violations may be scrutinized by federal prosecutors, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Attorney Dan C. Guthrie, Jr. and his law firm provide effective, independent defense representation to individual and corporate clients throughout the United States who are under investigation or facing criminal charges for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. To schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced lawyer — call the firm's Dallas, Texas, law office at (214) 953-1000 or contact the firm online to schedule an appointment.

Mitigating the Consequences of an FCPA Investigation

The main problem the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act poses for American companies doing business abroad is that there can be areas where there are no clear Do's and Don'ts. As an example, some countries do not prosecute payments to government officials. In such countries, unless American companies decide to "pay to play," they are at a competitive disadvantage.

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 reduce charges and sanctions.

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 white collar and international criminal defense lawyer Dan Guthrie. Call or contact the firm online today.