Blog
Rayner my parade! The importance of specialist advice.
Jemma Brimblecombe
17 September 2015
The Yates memo: will it make a difference to prosecutions in the UK?
The US Department of Justice (“DoJ”) has issued a memorandum to Federal Prosecutors on Individual Accountability for Corporate Wrongdoing (“the Yates memo”). It is widely regarded as the DoJ’s response to criticism that they tend to prosecute companies rather than individuals in contrast to the criticism often levelled at their English counterparts at the SFO.
1 September 2015
Anti-Money Laundering: under review
The Government’s latest step in its Cutting Red Tape review programme focuses on the regime to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. Louise Hodges looks at the review and how preparations for the Fourth Money Laundering Directive are to be set in train.
20 August 2015
Transparency International shine light on lack of progress in international anti-bribery action
Transparency International (‘TI’) reported today on progress made under the OECD Convention on Combating Foreign Bribery with the key message being that many countries are not doing enough. Almost half of the 41 OECD anti-bribery convention countries have failed to investigate or prosecute any foreign bribery cases during the last four years, in violation of their obligation to combat cross-border bribery. Setting a bleak picture TI concluded that "the fundamental goal of creating a corruption-free level playing field for global trade is still far from being achieved.”
30 July 2015
First DPA now eagerly awaited
Speculation is mounting that Sarclad, a private technology company based in Rotherham, could be the first company to enter into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). This follows confirmation by the SFO in May that it had issued its first letters inviting a number of companies to enter into DPA negotiations. The Sarclad case is also thought to be one of the first involving allegations of bribery under the Bribery Act 2010, which came into force in 2011.
23 July 2015
Scorecard for the Serious Fraud Office
As summer holidays are upon us it is not just school children receiving their school report – both the Serious Fraud Office and the Financial Conduct Authority have issued their own annual reports presented to Parliament. Both reports combine a strategic overview with detailed budget statements and a headline view of key successes for 2014-15.