Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Corporate Criminal Liability

BY Stanley A. Twardy, Jr.
February 23, 2009

In January, the Second Circuit affirmed the conviction of Ionia Management S.A. (Ionia) for criminal acts of its non-management employees. United States v. Ionia Mgmt. S.A., Nos. 07-5801-cr & 08-1387-cr, 2009 U.S. APP. LEXIS 902, 2009 WL 116966 (2d Cir. Jan. 20, 2009) (per curiam). While the affirmance of a conviction is commonplace, what set this appeal apart is that the Association of Corporate Counsel, the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, and other prestigious amici supported Ionia's argument that the Second Circuit should revisit its long-standing rule that a company can be held criminally liable for acts of even low-level employees. Although the court refused to alter the standard for vicarious criminal liability, the Ionia appeal raises an important policy issue that warrants consideration by Congress and the courts.

Ionia operates and manages shipping vessels, including the oil-tanker M/T Kriton, which transported oil to the United States. Ships such as the Kriton produce a quantity of oil-contaminated bilge waste, which they are required to store for proper disposal or process with pollution prevention and control devices. To ensure that ships entering U.S. ports comply with international protocols regulating the shipping industry, the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), 33 U.S.C. ” 1901, et seq., makes it a crime to knowingly violate the international protocols and requires that every ship maintain an Oil Record Book recording treatment and disposal of the oily mixtures generated on board.

The indictment charged Ionia and an engine room crew member with conspiring to maintain an inaccurate Oil Record Book, falsify the Oil Record Book to mislead the U.S. Coast Guard, and obstruct justice. It alleged that Ionia's agents and employees illegally dumped oil-contaminated waste and then doctored its Oil Record Book to conceal the dumping. The company was charged with the substantive offenses supported by allegations that it had been “acting by and through its agents and employees, acting in the scope of their employment and for the benefit of their employer.”

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Yachts, Jets, Horses & Hooch: Specialized Commercial Leasing Models Image

Defining commercial real estate asset class is essentially a property explaining how it identifies — not necessarily what its original intention was or what others think it ought to be. This article discusses, from a general issue-spot and contextual analysis perspective, how lawyers ought to think about specialized leasing formats and the regulatory backdrops that may inform what the documentation needs to contain for compliance purposes.

Hyperlinked Documents: The Latest e-Discovery Challenge Image

As courts and discovery experts debate whether hyperlinked content should be treated the same as traditional attachments, legal practitioners are grappling with the technical and legal complexities of collecting, analyzing and reviewing these documents in real-world cases.

Identifying Your Practice's Differentiator Image

How to Convey Your Merits In a Way That Earns Trust, Clients and Distinctions Just as no two individuals have the exact same face, no two lawyers practice in their respective fields or serve clients in the exact same way. Think of this as a "Unique Value Proposition." Internal consideration about what you uniquely bring to your clients, colleagues, firm and industry can provide untold benefits for your law practice.

Risks and Ad Fraud Protection In Digital Advertising Image

The ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, coupled with the industry-wide adoption of programmatic advertising, poses a significant threat to the effectiveness and integrity of digital advertising campaigns. This article explores various risks to digital advertising from pixel stuffing and ad stacking to domain spoofing and bots. It will also explore what should be done to ensure ad fraud protection and improve effectiveness.

Turning Business Development Plans Into Reality Image

This article offers practical insights and best practices to navigate the path from roadmap to rainmaking, ensuring your business development efforts are not just sporadic bursts of activity, but an integrated part of your daily success.