Mayling C. Blanco, Carlos F. Ortiz, Shawn M. Wright, Ariel S. Glasner
The single most frequently asked question by our international clients over the past several months is whether there will be changes in white collar prosecution priorities under the new administration, specifically with respect to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”). The FCPA, which criminalizes the payment of bribes to foreign officials around the world, has been subject to enforcement trends and scrutiny during its 40-year history. Prior to 2005, there were few notable prosecutions. However, over the past 12 years, the law has garnered much attention given the unparalleled increase in the number of prosecutions and the headline-grabbing monetary amounts of the settlements. This trend has straddled administrations from both sides of the aisle.
Of course, it is nearly impossible to answer the question posed directly with any degree of certainty. Venturing to do so would require reading tea leaves. However, there are certain indicia and reasoning that can guide our understanding of the direction that the new administration may be heading in.
Any company doing business abroad is subject to the long reach of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”). Small or privately-held companies, just like large or public companies, are subject to the criminal specter of the FCPA. The operative inquiry is whether the company is operating and/or transacting any type of business abroad with the government, government owned entities, or involving foreign officials—either directly, through joint ventures, or indirectly, through agents. A foreign official also includes employees of entities owned by the government. 
Global financial services firms should be aware that the DOJ and SEC are committed to identifying and investigating bribery and corruption regardless of the form it takes. With increased resources to help identify the most sophisticated bribery schemes, financial service firms must ensure that their robust anti-corruption programs take into consideration local customs and risks as well as the broad nature of “anything of value” and its interpretation by regulators.