Monitors

Most FCPA enforcement actions against companies are resolved through a non-prosecution or deferred prosecution agreement (NPA's / DPA's).

Many NPA's / DPA's require the company to engage a compliance monitor for a set time period (generally 2-4 years).

Although monitors are not the "rage" they used to be a few years ago, recent FCPA enforcement actions against Control Components, Inc., KBR/Halliburton, and Siemens have included some form of a compliance monitor.

In a recent speech to an FCPA audience, Assistant AG Breuer (see here) indicated that:

"In appropriate cases, [DOJ] will also continue to insist on a corporate monitor, mindful that monitors can be costly and disruptive to a business, and are not necessary in every case. That said, corporate monitors continue to play a crucial role and responsibility in ensuring the proper implementation of effective compliance measures and in deterring and detecting future violations."

Those interested in corporate monitors (whether in the FCPA context or otherwise) will want to review a recent report on monitors from the Government Accountability Office. (see here).

Among other interesting numbers are the following:

Since 1993 through September 2009, DOJ has entered into 152 NPA's or DPA's.

Of the 152 agreements, 48 required the appointment of a compliance monitor.

What does it take to become a monitor? A DOJ background certainly doesn't hurt. GAO found that of the 48 NPA's or DPA's that required the appointment of a monitor, 42 different individuals were selected. Of those 42, 23 (approximately 55%) were former DOJ officials, something many find controversial in that a prior DOJ position could affect the monitor's independence and impartiality.

Although the GAO report does not specifically discuss (or identify) the monitors in FCPA enforcement actions, a May 2008 DOJ letter to the House Judiciary Committee (see here) does list corporate entities along with the monitor appointed. To my knowledge, the following were FCPA enforcement actions: Aibel Group/Vetco Ltd., Baker Hughes, Ingersoll Rand, InVision Technologies, Micrus, Monsanto, Paradigm, Schnitzer Steel, Statoil, and York.

To see what one of those "FCPA monitors" has to say (here) is the excerpt from the Corporate Crime Reporter interview.