by David B. Anders, John F. Savarese, and Aline R. Flodr
Left to proper: David B. Anders, John F. Savarese, and Aline R. Flodr (pictures courtesy of authors)
On June 9, 2025, Deputy Legal professional Common Todd Blanche introduced the awaited new pointers for prosecutors investigating and implementing the Overseas Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”). These enforcement pointers have been issued in response to President Trump’s Govt Order titled “Pausing Overseas Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement to Additional American Financial and Nationwide Safety,” which directed DOJ to “pause” sure FCPA investigations whereas reassessing enforcement priorities and to difficulty new FCPA enforcement pointers inside 180 days. The acknowledged intention of the brand new coverage is to scale back undue burdens on American firms working overseas and to deal with actions that undermine U.S. nationwide pursuits. The memorandum asserting the rules directs prosecutors to think about the next non-exhaustive components and confirms that these new pointers shall govern all present and future FCPA investigations and enforcement actions:
Complete Elimination of Cartels and Transnational Felony Organizations. In step with Legal professional Common Pam Bondi’s memorandum asserting a shift in DOJ’s FCPA enforcement strategy, the rules direct prosecutors to think about whether or not their investigation or enforcement motion advances the Administration’s purpose of pursuing the “complete elimination of Cartels and transnational felony organizations (TCOs).” Specifically, the rules instruct prosecutors to evaluate whether or not the alleged misconduct “(1) is related to the felony operations of a Cartel or TCO; (2) makes use of cash launderers or shell firms that engaged in cash laundering for Cartels or TCOs; or (3) is linked to staff of state-owned entities or different overseas officers who’ve acquired bribes from Cartels or TCOs.”
Safeguarding Honest Alternatives for U.S. Firms. The rules additionally direct prosecutors to advance the financial pursuits of U.S. companies overseas by specializing in alleged misconduct that deprives U.S. entities of the flexibility to compete or causes an financial damage to a U.S. particular person or entity. Briefly, prosecutors’ focus can be on overseas actors and corrupt rivals who search to “skew markets and drawback law-abiding U.S. firms.”
Advancing U.S. Nationwide Safety. Underneath the brand new pointers, FCPA enforcement assets may also be devoted to the “most pressing threats to U.S. nationwide safety,” focusing particularly on corruption of overseas officers concerned in protection, intelligence, or vital infrastructure sectors.
Prioritizing Investigations of Severe Misconduct. To greatest advance the priorities recognized above, the rules additional instruct prosecutors not to deal with alleged misconduct involving “routine enterprise practices” or de minimis or low-dollar issues. As a substitute, prosecutors are to deal with severe misconduct tied to explicit people, “corresponding to substantial bribe funds, confirmed and complex efforts to hide bribe funds, fraudulent conduct in furtherance of the bribery scheme, and efforts to hinder justice.” The brand new pointers additionally instruct prosecutors to think about whether or not overseas law-enforcement authorities are “prepared and in a position” to pursue the misconduct.
Time will inform whether or not these new insurance policies change the course of DOJ prosecutions, however it’s cheap to anticipate that DOJ’s new FCPA pointers and enforcement methods will trigger prosecutors to focus much less on U.S. firms and as an alternative on overseas cartels, TCOs, and people. It is very important keep in mind, nevertheless, that these modifications mirror a change in enforcement priorities, not a wholesale retreat from FCPA enforcement. Firms ought to train warning when contemplating how you can react to those modifications and will search steerage earlier than enjoyable their FCPA compliance infrastructure as FCPA investigations usually contain conduct spanning a few years (and administrations). Firms that react aggressively to those modifications at this time may nicely invite extra, pointless threat of enforcement motion below a modified set of priorities through the present administration or some future administration.
David B. Anders is a Companion, John F. Savarese is Of Counsel, and Aline R. Flodr is Counsel at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. This publish first appeared as a agency shopper alert.
The views, opinions and positions expressed inside all posts are these of the creator(s) alone and don’t characterize these of the Program on Company Compliance and Enforcement (PCCE) or of the New York College Faculty of Legislation. PCCE makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness and validity or any statements made on this web site and won’t be liable any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content material belongs to the creator(s) and any legal responsibility close to infringement of mental property rights stays with the creator(s).
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by David B. Anders, John F. Savarese, and Aline R. Flodr
Left to proper: David B. Anders, John F. Savarese, and Aline R. Flodr (pictures courtesy of authors)
On June 9, 2025, Deputy Legal professional Common Todd Blanche introduced the awaited new pointers for prosecutors investigating and implementing the Overseas Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”). These enforcement pointers have been issued in response to President Trump’s Govt Order titled “Pausing Overseas Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement to Additional American Financial and Nationwide Safety,” which directed DOJ to “pause” sure FCPA investigations whereas reassessing enforcement priorities and to difficulty new FCPA enforcement pointers inside 180 days. The acknowledged intention of the brand new coverage is to scale back undue burdens on American firms working overseas and to deal with actions that undermine U.S. nationwide pursuits. The memorandum asserting the rules directs prosecutors to think about the next non-exhaustive components and confirms that these new pointers shall govern all present and future FCPA investigations and enforcement actions:
Complete Elimination of Cartels and Transnational Felony Organizations. In step with Legal professional Common Pam Bondi’s memorandum asserting a shift in DOJ’s FCPA enforcement strategy, the rules direct prosecutors to think about whether or not their investigation or enforcement motion advances the Administration’s purpose of pursuing the “complete elimination of Cartels and transnational felony organizations (TCOs).” Specifically, the rules instruct prosecutors to evaluate whether or not the alleged misconduct “(1) is related to the felony operations of a Cartel or TCO; (2) makes use of cash launderers or shell firms that engaged in cash laundering for Cartels or TCOs; or (3) is linked to staff of state-owned entities or different overseas officers who’ve acquired bribes from Cartels or TCOs.”
Safeguarding Honest Alternatives for U.S. Firms. The rules additionally direct prosecutors to advance the financial pursuits of U.S. companies overseas by specializing in alleged misconduct that deprives U.S. entities of the flexibility to compete or causes an financial damage to a U.S. particular person or entity. Briefly, prosecutors’ focus can be on overseas actors and corrupt rivals who search to “skew markets and drawback law-abiding U.S. firms.”
Advancing U.S. Nationwide Safety. Underneath the brand new pointers, FCPA enforcement assets may also be devoted to the “most pressing threats to U.S. nationwide safety,” focusing particularly on corruption of overseas officers concerned in protection, intelligence, or vital infrastructure sectors.
Prioritizing Investigations of Severe Misconduct. To greatest advance the priorities recognized above, the rules additional instruct prosecutors not to deal with alleged misconduct involving “routine enterprise practices” or de minimis or low-dollar issues. As a substitute, prosecutors are to deal with severe misconduct tied to explicit people, “corresponding to substantial bribe funds, confirmed and complex efforts to hide bribe funds, fraudulent conduct in furtherance of the bribery scheme, and efforts to hinder justice.” The brand new pointers additionally instruct prosecutors to think about whether or not overseas law-enforcement authorities are “prepared and in a position” to pursue the misconduct.
Time will inform whether or not these new insurance policies change the course of DOJ prosecutions, however it’s cheap to anticipate that DOJ’s new FCPA pointers and enforcement methods will trigger prosecutors to focus much less on U.S. firms and as an alternative on overseas cartels, TCOs, and people. It is very important keep in mind, nevertheless, that these modifications mirror a change in enforcement priorities, not a wholesale retreat from FCPA enforcement. Firms ought to train warning when contemplating how you can react to those modifications and will search steerage earlier than enjoyable their FCPA compliance infrastructure as FCPA investigations usually contain conduct spanning a few years (and administrations). Firms that react aggressively to those modifications at this time may nicely invite extra, pointless threat of enforcement motion below a modified set of priorities through the present administration or some future administration.
David B. Anders is a Companion, John F. Savarese is Of Counsel, and Aline R. Flodr is Counsel at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. This publish first appeared as a agency shopper alert.
The views, opinions and positions expressed inside all posts are these of the creator(s) alone and don’t characterize these of the Program on Company Compliance and Enforcement (PCCE) or of the New York College Faculty of Legislation. PCCE makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness and validity or any statements made on this web site and won’t be liable any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content material belongs to the creator(s) and any legal responsibility close to infringement of mental property rights stays with the creator(s).
