DOJ Issues Further Guidance, Warnings on Ephemeral Messaging Apps
At the March 2023 American Bar Association National Institute on White Collar Crime, senior Department of Justice officials offered their most expansive guidance yet about the dangers of using ephemeral messaging for company communications. Officials noted that when conducting an investigation, DOJ prosecutors will consider a company’s use of ephemeral and […]
When the Whistle Blows, Listen Carefully – and Consider Self-Disclosure
On February 22, 2023, the US Department of Justice announced a new voluntary self-disclosure policy for corporate criminal enforcement in US attorney’s offices nationwide. The policy offers concrete and meaningful incentives – including significant discounts on fines and not guilty plea resolutions – for corporations that meet the criteria for […]
US Government ‘Strike Force’ to Block Foreign Adversaries From Obtaining Disruptive Technologies
Key takeaway The federal government sent another big signal that it’s stepping up efforts to keep cutting-edge, dual-use and military technologies out of the hands of adversarial foreign governments when it announced the launch of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force (DIS-TECH) on February 16, 2023. The strike force, led by […]
Considering Texting About Work? Beware.
As the rise in remote work has led to an increased reliance on mobile devices to stay connected – with cellphones at our fingertips virtually 24/7 – the use of third-party messaging applications to communicate about work has become commonplace. From WhatsApp to Telegram, corporate executives, financial services professionals and […]
Corporate Criminal Liability in the UK – What’s Next?
On 10 June 2022, the UK Law Commission published the results of its review into the laws that govern corporate criminal liability in the UK and its proposals to reform them. There has been a long-held concern amongst enforcement authorities, and legal commentators, that current UK law makes it exceptionally difficult […]
Bloomberg LP v. ZXC: Privacy Triumphs
The UK Supreme Court has handed down its highly anticipated judgment in the matter of Bloomberg LP v. ZXC [2022] UKSC 5. As we explained in our 16 February 2022 Cooley blog, the case highlighted the tension between the privacy interests of individuals under investigation who have not been charged with a crime and […]
DOJ’s Pandemic Fraud Enforcement Efforts Accelerating
On March 10, 2022, the Department of Justice announced the appointment of Associate Deputy Attorney General Kevin Chambers to serve as the DOJ’s first Director for COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement. This announcement comes two years after Congress passed the $2.2 trillion economic relief bill known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and […]
Is DOJ Looking to Bring Criminal Charges Under Sherman Act’s Section 2? ‘Yes, Absolutely’
On March 2, 2022, Richard Powers, the deputy assistant attorney general of the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice, said that the division is prepared – for the first time in decades – to bring criminal charges under Section 2 of the Sherman Act, which prohibits monopolists or […]
UK Supreme Court Considers Privacy Rights of Executives Under Investigation
Two recent cases in the UK courts highlight the tension between an individual’s right to privacy during a criminal investigation and the freedom of the press to report on the investigation as a matter of public interest. Historically, the UK courts and authorities have largely protected the identities of individuals […]
DOJ Previews Enforcement Policies Aimed at Clinical Trial Fraud
On December 9, 2021, one of the nation’s top healthcare prosecutors made clear that clinical trial fraud will be a major enforcement priority of President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice.