DOJ's Lead FCPA Prosecutor Tells "Frontline" the Economic Crisis Is No Excuse for Lackluster Compliance

May 8, 2009
George J. Terwilliger III, Daniel Levin

During an April 7, 2009 episode of PBS's investigative journal, "Frontline," which focused on international corporate corruption, lead DOJ FCPA prosecutor Mark Mendelsohn made clear that the DOJ does not view the financial crisis as an excuse for any diminution in corporate FCPA compliance efforts:

I think that companies need to be especially vigilant in this economic climate to not cut back [on compliance]. Our law enforcement efforts are not going to be scaled back, and so it would be, I think, a grave mistake for a company to take that path.

DOJ's participation in the television program is indicative of the US government's continued commitment to enforcing the FCPA despite the economic downturn.

The entire episode, entitled "Black Money," is available for free viewing on Frontline's website here. A full transcript of Mr. Mendelsohn's interview—in which he speaks about the history of the FCPA and the OECD's anti-bribery convention, several recent FCPA investigations, and current trends and challenges in US anti-corruption efforts—is available here.

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