Corporate Criminal Liability in the COVID-19 Era
June 01, 2020
Compliance Programs Offer Companies an Opportunity to Mitigate Risk
This article outlines the principles of corporate criminal liability, including the factors prosecutors consider when making charging decisions, and the potentially available sanctions in light of applicable U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and offers strategies for minimizing risk, including lessons from recent criminal enforcement actions.
CARES Act Puts Inspectors General Back in the Spotlight
June 01, 2020
IGs have been part of the federal landscape for more than 40 years, so why all the fuss now? The answer is that they are a key element of the government's built-in mechanisms for protecting the nation's public treasury, and a relief package of this scope strongly indicates that the IGs and the new oversight bodies will spend many years scrutinizing funds spent under it.
Prosecuting PPP Fraud May Be Harder Than It Seems
June 01, 2020
This article discusses what tools the government has for pursuing seemingly undeserving PPP borrowers, the obstacles to bringing such cases, and the factors that may influence the government's decision in pursuing criminal or civil cases.
Defending FCA Actions Related to Pandemic Programs
May 22, 2020
There will likely be some fraud in connection with the pandemic-related programs that should be pursued by the DOJ and the Inspectors General, who have said they will keep close eyes on these programs. They will have no shortage of targets, given the many recipients of government funds, and the breadth of the requisite certifications.
New FCPA Decision Limits DOJ's International Reach
May 01, 2020
In recent years, we have seen the DOJ expand its international focus, as it looks to punish foreign nationals, often for conduct that occurred almost entirely outside of the territorial borders of the United States. DOJ's eagerness, however, has not been matched by judicial enthusiasm concerning the extraterritorial application of U.S. law.
Federal Crackdown on Hoarding and Gouging During COVID-19 Crisis
May 01, 2020
Storage and Hauling Companies Take Note
Imagine that it's Spring 2020 and you run a warehousing company and you discover that your warehouse contains containers of goods that could help combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus — masks, medical gowns, gloves or other personal protective equipment (PPE). Or imagine you own a trucking company and learn that your drivers are delivering pallets of hand sanitizer and disinfectants to a residential address. What, if any, liability might you have if it turns out a customer is hoarding PPE?
Conducting Internal Investigations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 01, 2020
In times of crisis, criminal activity — particularly crimes involving theft and fraud — tend to spike. There is no reason to believe that the Covid-19 pandemic and the unrest in the financial markets will be any different. An important difference for company counsel, however, will be in how the malfeasance, negligence or wrongdoing can be investigated.
Force Majeure and the Doctrine of Impossibility
April 01, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic is resulting in landlords and tenants closely reviewing a clause in their lease that was long considered unimportant boilerplate. Yes, we are referring to the "force majeure" provision.
