Bribery and Corruption

Following a thorough investigation of the available evidence, the SFO has closed its investigation into the activities of KBR, Inc.’s United Kingdom subsidiaries, their officers, employees and agents. The evidence in this case did not meet the evidential test as defined in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

SFO closes investigation into KBR Inc.’s UK subsidiaries - Serious Fraud Office

Two former directors of Northern Ireland-based FP McCann have been banned from running businesses because of their role in an illegal construction cartel.

Company bans for price fixing McCanns (theconstructionindex.co.uk)

In March 2020, the CMA launched a programme of work to identify, monitor and respond to competition and consumer problems arising from coronavirus and the measures taken to contain it. Since then, regular updates and information have been published on the CMA coronavirus (COVID-19) response pages on GOV.UK.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/update-on-work-of-the-cma-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-15-march-2021/protecting-consumers-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-update-on-the-work-of-the-cma

Paul Bond has today been sentenced to three and half years’ imprisonment for conspiring with others to bribe Iraqi public officials to secure lucrative oil contracts in post-occupation Iraq.

https://www.sfo.gov.uk/2021/03/01/fourth-oil-executive-sentenced-for-paying-bribes-to-win-a-multi-million-pound-contract-in-post-occupation-iraq/

The SFO has today secured the conviction against a former Single Buoy Moorings Inc. (SBM) executive who conspired to bribe public officials in order to secure lucrative oil contracts in the years following the overthrow of Saddam Hussain in 2003.

https://www.sfo.gov.uk/2021/02/24/fourth-executive-convicted-of-bribery-in-post-occupation-iraq/

A keenly anticipated report on how the UK's competition and consumer law regimes should be updated and modernised following the UK's exit from the EU and as it recovers from the pandemic has been published.

Deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) continue to mark the key developments in anti-corruption case law, with two in the past 12 months and eight in total

There are over 40 million people in modern slavery worldwide. Modern slavery exists in every industry, in every country in the world. The financial services industry has a major role to play in combating this violent and abusive business. And yet our polling found that over one third (36%) of financial industry employees thought that their organization had no influence at all in combating Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT). It is no longer acceptable to look the other way. Ignorance is not a line of defense. If companies look hard enough, they will find it in their supply chains, but will they be prepared to respond? Saying you are concerned about MSHT through your MS statement is one thing, but taking responsible action is altogether harder but much more important.

One of the UK’s top officials in monitoring economic crime has today warned about the “disturbing” prevalence of Russian money laundering in London, claiming up to half of all money laundered from the country is done through the UK.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a programme of work on analysing algorithms with the release of a study focused on the potential harms caused by algorithmic systems to consumers.

https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/news/cma-study-highlights-risks-competition-posed-algorithms