U.S. steps up foreign bribe enforcement

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- U.S. authorities have stepped up enforcement of laws banning American bribes to foreign interests to obtain contracts for overseas business, the FBI said.

Law enforcement officials have reached multimillion-dollar settlements with corporations and arrested some executives in connection with the crackdown, The Washington Post reported in Monday's edition.

The second-largest defense contractor in the world, BAE Systems, Friday agreed to pay $400 million as part of a settlement in a long-running case involving alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which forbids paying bribes to government officials to win contracts. The company was accused of misleading officials at the Defense and State departments regarding its efforts to comply with terms of the law, the Post said.

The FBI recently disclosed a 2 1/2-year sting operation in connection with FCPA enforcement, leading to the arrest of more than 20 people who work in the defense and law enforcement equipment sector. Kevin Perkins, FBI assistant director for criminal investigations, told the Post FCPA investigations "are one of the FBI's highest priorities in the criminal program."

"Work done in this arena helps ensure stability in business dealings internationally, placing all players on a level playing field," he said.

Justice Department records indicate U.S. prosecutors have more than doubled the pursuit of criminal cases in connection with FCPA violations during the past three years, the newspaper said.