As global anti-corruption crackdown gains force, ACFCS Conference teaches essentials of compliance

MIAMI - April 5, 2013 - PRLog -- As companies large and small become more and more globalized, routinely conducting business across international borders, they face the increasing threat of violating laws that prohibit overseas bribery and corruption. For corporations worldwide, the most serious corruption enforcement risks come from the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA.     Once rarely enforced, the FCPA has emerged as a powerful, versatile anti-corruption weapon. The US law forbids bribing or corrupting government officials in other countries, and it is used against US and non-US corporations alike. Over the past eight years, the FCPA has become well-recognized in the financial crime field, due to the law’s robust enforcement by the US Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission, and the enormous costs of FCPA violations. Penalties for violating the law are severe – the largest FCPA penalty, against German corporation Siemens, topped $800 million – and the costs stemming from internal investigations and reputational damage can be even greater.     With US agencies continuing to scrutinize corporations worldwide for FCPA violations, other nations are also enacting and enforcing their own anti-corruption legislation. As a result, anti-corruption compliance programs to prevent bribery and FCPA violations are now more important than ever before for any corporation, financial institution or other company that operates overseas. To help companies protect themselves from corruption risks, the ACFCS 2013 International Financial Crime Conference & Exhibition, May 16 – 18 in Hollywood, FL, will feature panels with leading authorities teaching the essentials of FCPA and global anti-corruption compliance and enforcement.      Panels offer key training on anti-corruption compliance    “The rising tide of anti-corruption enforcement is one of the most significant developments in the financial crime arena in the past decade,” says Charles Intriago, president of the Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists (ACFCS) and a pioneer in the field of money laundering controls.     “FCPA enforcement actions carry huge price tags, and the US is no longer the only country targeting corrupt payments from corporations. The ACFCS 2013 Conference will help any business or organization build a top-notch compliance program and understand the new global landscape of anti-corruption enforcement.”     Conference brings top experts, global insights    The ACFCS 2013 Conference will bring four leading experts to the panel “The Growing Reach of the FCPA and Global Anti-Corruption Enforcement – How to Comply Effectively and What's Coming” on the afternoon of Thursday, May 16.     Attendees will gain insight into how and why US agencies make their FCPA enforcement decisions from Paul Pelletier, former head of the Justice Department’s FCPA unit and renowned authority on financial crime. Matteson Ellis, special counsel with the law firm Miller & Chevalier, will teach attendees the essentials of an effective anti-corruption compliance program, while Dan Boylan, the head of Bank of America’s AML audit program, will provide a unique perspective on FCPA compliance at financial institutions.      “FCPA and anti-corruption compliance is an indispensible part of doing business in an international economy,” says Brian Kindle, ACFCS editorial director. “The top anti-corruption authorities assembled at the 2013 Conference will provide attendees with the necessary training to ward off corruption in a cost-effective way.”    Panels provide training on full spectrum of financial crime    Beyond the panels that address anti-corruption directly, the full Conference program will feature instruction and expert advice on the issue and its wide-ranging implications. The ACFCS 2013 Conference is the only financial crime event to take a “convergent” approach, guiding attendees on the connections between FCPA and AML compliance, anti-tax evasion efforts and many more fields.    Full details about the conference, its program, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and related events can be found here. To register, please click here.    Companies and firms that wish to sponsor or exhibit at the conference should contact Lanny Morris, Senior Vice President at 305-490-2933 or by e-mail at lmorris@ACFCS.org. For a current list of sponsors and exhibitors, please click here.       (Members of the media may obtain complimentary press credentials to cover the conference by contacting Brian Kindle at 786-517-2720 or bkindle@ACFCS.org.)