A Guide to Disclosing Corruption Investigations in SEC Filings (Part Two of Four)

Public companies that discover evidence of potential anti-corruption violations are faced with a series of difficult decisions.  One of the most critical decisions is whether and when the company should disclose the potential violation and investigation in its public SEC filings.  Public companies are required to disclose material information, but determining when an FCPA investigation becomes material is more of an art than a science.  Further complicating matters, making such a disclosure to the SEC can carry serious consequences, including civil lawsuits, stock price instability, reputational damage, waning employee morale and productivity, loss of current government contracts and debarment from future contracts.  The Anti-Corruption Report is publishing a series of articles addressing the crucial issues public companies face when anti-corruption allegations surface.  In addition to analysis and insight from practitioners, this series will include a compendium of actual FCPA-related disclosures from recent SEC filings compiled with help from Intelligize’s database and search tools.  These real-world examples of relevant disclosures can serve as precedents for counsel tasked with drafting or reviewing SEC filings relating to an FCPA issue.  This article, the second in the series, details the risks inherent in disclosure and non-disclosure; addresses ways to diminish those risks, including handling media coverage; and discusses best practices when disclosing foreign investigations to the SEC.  The first article in the series discussed factors that companies should consider when determining whether a public disclosure is appropriate; what experts a company should retain to help it make appropriate disclosure decisions; and the risks and benefits of disclosing at different stages of the anti-corruption investigation.  The third installment will provide insight on the most beneficial language to use in disclosures and analyze Walmart’s disclosures during different periods of its recent investigation.  Finally, in the last installment in the series, the Anti-Corruption Report will publish the referenced compendium of SEC disclosures, categorized by their attributes.

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