U.S. Announces Record-Breaking $3.9 Billion Anti-Corruption Settlement in Investigation of Airbus
February 12, 2020
On January 31, 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a non-prosecution agreement in a criminal investigation of French corporation Airbus SE (Airbus) for a scheme to use third-party business partners to bribe government officials, as well as non-governmental airline executives, around the world. The investigation, conducted in cooperation with British and French law enforcement, revealed violations in the U.S. of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), Arms Export Control Act (AECA), and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The $3.9 billion settlement announced was the largest ever in a corporate foreign bribery investigation.
According to DOJ, “beginning in at least 2008 and continuing until at least 2015, Airbus engaged in and facilitated a scheme to offer and pay bribes to decision makers and other influencers, including to foreign officials, in order to obtain improper business advantages and to win business from both privately owned enterprises and entities that were state-owned and state-controlled.” Additionally, between December 2011 and December 2016, Airbus failed to provide “accurate information related to commissions paid by Airbus to third-party brokers who were hired to solicit, promote or otherwise secure the sale of defense articles and defense services to foreign armed forces,” resulting in technology export control violations.
If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr (esahr@eckertseamans.com or 202-659-6622); Drew Derco (dderco@eckertseamans.com or 202-659-6665).
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