Bureau of Industry and Security
- On August 31, BIS announced a Settlement Agreement with Narender Sharma and his company Hydel Engineering Products (Hydel/Sharma), both of Rumpur Bushahr, India. Hydel/Sharma was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Export Items from the U.S. to an Iranian Government Entity without Authorization. The purpose of the conspiracy was to sell and export U.S.-origin waterway barrier debris systems and related components to Iran via third countries. The company was assessed a penalty of $100,000 and agreed to a five-year denial of export privileges, suspended for a five-year probationary period.
- On September 25, BIS announced a Settlement Agreement with Millitech, Inc., of Northampton, Massachusetts to settle 18 alleged violations of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Millitech is alleged to have engaged in prohibited conduct when it exported multiplier chains, controlled under Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 3A001.b.4, to China and Russia without a license. The company was assessed a civil penalty of $230,000.
Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission
- Telia Company AB, a Stockholm-based international telecommunications company, entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in connection with a criminal information filed on September 21 in the Southern District of New York charging the company with conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Its Uzbek subsidiary, Coscom LLC, pled guilty to the same charge. Telia agreed to pay a total criminal penalty of $274,603,972 to the U.S., including a $500,000 criminal fine and $40 million forfeiture on behalf of Coscom. Separate settlements were made with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Prosecution Service of the Netherlands in related proceedings. The total amount of criminal and regulatory penalties paid to U.S., Dutch, and Swedish authorities will be $965,773,949.
- In its press release, the DOJ stated, “According to the companies’ admissions, Telia and Coscom, through various managers and employees within Telia, Coscom and affiliated entities, paid approximately $331 million in bribes to an Uzbek government official, who was a close relative of a high-ranking government official and had influence over the Uzbek governmental body that regulated the telecom industry. The companies structured and concealed the bribes through various payments including to a shell company that certain Telia and Coscom management knew was beneficially owned by the foreign official. The bribes were paid on multiple occasions between approximately 2007 and 2010, so that Telia could enter the Uzbek market and Coscom could gain valuable telecom assets and continue operating in Uzbekistan. Certain Telia and Coscom management also contemplated structuring an additional bribe payment in late 2012, after Swedish media began reporting about Telia’s corrupt payments in Uzbekistan, Swedish authorities began a criminal investigation and Telia opened an internal investigation.”
Directorate of Defense Trade Controls
- On September 11, DDTC announced Bright Lights USA, Inc. settled 11 allegations that it violated the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) with unauthorized exports of defense articles, including the export of technical data to a proscribed destination. Bright Lights voluntarily disclosed the alleged violations and agreed to pay a civil penalty of $400,000. DDTC did not seek disbarment because the company cooperated with the Department’s review, expressed regret, and took steps to improve its compliance program.
- Among other things, between 2010 and 2012, the company exported ITAR-controlled technical data under Categories II, IV, and VII without authorization. Four of these were to China. The company also misclassified items under the Export Administration Regulations and exported them without a license to non-prohibited destinations.
Office of Foreign Assets Control
- On September 26, OFAC announced Richemont North America, Inc., doing business as Cartier, agreed to pay $334,800 to settle its potential civil liability for four alleged violations of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Sanctions Regulations (FNKSR). Between 2010 and 2011, Cartier exported four shipments of jewelry to an entity on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List).
For more information, contact: Jeff Snyder, Edward Goetz