International Hedge Fund Managers, International Money Managers, and International Financial Analysts Can Receive Large Financial Rewards For Properly Exposing International Hedge Fund Fraud

International Hedge Fund Managers, International Money Managers, International Hedge Fund Advisers, and International Financial Analysts Are A Select Group of Financial Services Professionals That May Have Original Information of International Financial Fraud and International Investment Fraud From Their Own Independent Analysis That Can Be The Basis Of An International SEC Whistleblower Reward Lawsuit - by International Hedge Fund Fraud Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

International Hedge Fund Managers, International Money Managers, and International Financial Analysts are a select group of international professional services that often have original information from their own independent analysis of securities violations.  Because of the financial and investment expertise, the SEC has decided to offer large financial rewards to hedge fund managers, financial analysts, and other financial services professionals that properly identify and expose financial fraud, investment fraud, and securities fraud.  Under the SEC Whistleblower Reward Program new rules have expanded the definition of original information to encourage hedge fund managers, financial analysts, and money managers to become whistleblowers.  The new law and SEC rules include increased economic incentives and protections that are meant to encourage hedge fund managers, financial analysts, and money managers to blow the whistle on significant fraud schemes.


SEC CHARGES SECURITIES PROFESSIONALS AND TRADERS IN INTERNATIONAL HEDGE FUND PORTFOLIO PUMPING SCHEME

On Feb. 24, 2011, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged two securities professionals, a hedge fund trader, and two firms involved in a scheme that manipulated several U.S. microcap stocks and generated more than $63 million in illicit proceeds through stock sales, commissions and sales credits.

The SEC alleges that Florian Homm of Spain and Todd M. Ficeto of Malibu, Calif., conducted the scheme through their Beverly Hills, Calif.-based broker-dealer Hunter World Markets Inc. (HWM) with the assistance of Homm’s close associate Colin Heatherington, a trader who lives in Canada. They brought microcap companies public through reverse mergers and manipulated upwards the stock prices of these thinly-traded stocks before selling their shares at inflated prices to eight offshore hedge funds controlled by Homm. Their manipulation of the stock prices allowed Homm to materially overstate by at least $440 million the hedge funds’ performance and net asset values (NAVs) in a fraudulent practice known as “portfolio pumping.”

The SEC additionally brought administrative proceedings against HWM’s trader and chief compliance officer, who each agreed to settle the SEC’s charges against them.
“Ficeto and Homm repeatedly abused their positions as securities industry professionals to commit a wide-ranging, cross-border fraudulent scheme,” said Rosalind R. Tyson, Director of the SEC’s Los Angeles Regional Office. “By manipulating U.S. stocks through a U.S. broker-dealer, they defrauded investors in offshore hedge funds and reaped millions of dollars from their illicit activities.”

SEC CHARGES U.S. PERPETRATORS IN $35 MILLION INTERNATIONAL BOILER ROOM SCHEME

Nicholas Louis Geranio, et al.: Lit. Rel. No. 22370 / May 16, 2012- The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that the SEC filed an action today against SEC recidivist Nicholas Louis Geranio, Keith Michael Field, The Good One, Inc. and Kaleidoscope Real Estate, Inc. for their roles in a $35 million scheme to manipulate the market and to profit from the issuance and sale of certain U.S. companies’ (“Issuers’”) stock through offshore boiler rooms. The scheme ran from approximately April 2007 to October 2009.   

According to the SEC’s complaint, the scheme worked as follows:  Geranio organized eight U.S. Issuers, installed management (including Field), and entered into consulting agreements with them through his alter-ego entities The Good One and Kaleidoscope.  Geranio then allegedly set up a common system to raise money through the Issuers’ sale of Regulation S shares to offshore investors by boiler rooms that Geranio recruited.  Field allegedly drafted materially misleading business plans, marketing materials, and website material for the Issuers, which the offshore boiler rooms provided to investors as part of their fraudulent solicitation efforts.   

For more information on this topic, please feel free to go to the following web page: International Hedge Fund Managers, International Money Managers, International Hedge Fund Advisers, and International Financial Analysts Are A Select Group of Financial Services Professionals That May Have Original Information of International Financial Fraud and International Investment Fraud From Their Own Independent Analysis That Can Be The Basis Of An International SEC Whistleblower Reward Lawsuit by International Hedge Fund Fraud Whistleblower Lawyer, International Financial Analyst Whistleblower Lawyer, and International Financial Services Professional Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

International Whistleblowers Are Eligible For Large Rewards For Properly Exposing Oil Company Illegal Bribes

International Whistleblower Reward Laws Encourage International Whistleblowers to Expose Government Corruption, Oil Lease Bribes to Public Officials, Oil Lease Illegal Kickbacks, Oil Lease Contract Bribes to Government Officials, and other Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act - by International Oil Company Employee Whistleblower Lawyer, International Oil Company Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, & Energy Company Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

International Whistleblower Reward Laws offer large potential rewards or bounties to international oil company employee whistleblowers, foreign government official whistleblowers, and other international whistleblowers that blow the whistle on international oil company contract bribes, international accounting fraud, international energy company fraud, and international oil lease bribes. 

International Whistleblowers Are Eligible For Large Rewards For Properly Exposing Oil Company Illegal Bribes To Government Officials and State Oil Company Employees for Oil Leases by International Oil Lease Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, International Oil Company Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, & Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Oil Companies that pay illegal kickbacks and bribes to government officials and former government officials in exchange for drilling contracts, pipeline contracts, oil leases, offshore drilling, mining contracts, and other large building projects can be brought to justice and made to pay large penalties under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  The whistleblowers that bring these corporations to justice may be able to collect large economic rewards under the  Securities Exchange Act (SEC Whistleblower Bounty Actions) and the Commodity Exchange Act (CFTC Whisteblower Bounty Actions).

Saudi Arabia Edges Russia as Biggest Oil Producer, JODI Says - Bloomberg

"Saudi Arabia boosted crude production close to a 31-year high in March, overtaking Russia as the world’s largest oil producer for the first time in six years, according to the Joint Organization Data Initiative.  Saudi crude exports rose 3 percent in March, reaching the highest level in five years as Iran cut shipments, according to government statistics posted today on the initiative’s website."

"Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s largest producer, increased daily output to 9.923 million barrels in March, up 0.7 percent to the second-highest level since at least 1980, according to the initiative. That topped output from Russia, which pumped 9.920 million barrels a day, for the first time since February 2006, according to the data."

"Russia’s energy ministry estimated the country’s output at 10.36 million barrels a day in March. JODI calculated a different barrel-per-day figure for Russia using data in metric tons that the country submitted to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and comparing that with information from four other sources. The figures for Russia include crude and condensate, JODI said."

"Vladimir Putin, who was this year elected to a third term as Russia’s president, called in October 2008 for the country to pump more than 10 million barrels a day for at least the next decade.
Saudi production numbers compiled by JODI are based on data the Saudi government submitted to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries."

"Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude exporter, boosted shipments to 7.704 million barrels a day in March from 7.485 million barrels a day in February, JODI data showed. Exports from Iran, the second-largest producer in OPEC, fell by 4 percent to 2.242 million barrels a day from 2.338 million barrels a day in February, according to the data."

"Importers in Europe, Japan, and India are seeking new suppliers as a European ban on purchases of Iranian crude takes effect on July 1. Saudi Arabia currently produces at elevated levels in a bid to curb prices."

"The Saudi oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, said on March 13 in Adelaide, Australia, that he wants to see the price for Brent crude at around $100 a barrel. Brent oil for July settlement declined 35 cents on May 18 to $107.14 a barrel on the London- based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The European benchmark closed at the lowest level since Dec. 20."

International Whistleblowers in Brazil Are Needed To Expose Corruption And Can Receive Large Financial Rewards For Exposing Bribes Being Paid To Government Officials And Employees of Brazilian Run Companies by Multinational Corporations by Brazil Government Official Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, Brazil Government Procurement Bribe Lawyer, and Brazil Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

 International Whistleblowers in Brazil Are Needed To Expose Corruption And Can Receive Large Financial Rewards For Exposing Bribes Being Paid To Government Officials And Employees of Brazilian Run Companies by Multinational Corporations by Brazil Government Official Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, Brazil Government Procurement Bribe Lawyer, and Brazil Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) prohibits bribes by multinational corporations to foreign officials to obtain lucrative contracts.  These prohibitions include bribes to employees of government owned companies such as Embraer and  Petrobras.  Brazilian bribe whistleblowers that properly report these illegal contract bribes, kickbacks, and other corrupt practices may recover large rewards for exposing corrupt practices committed by multinational corporation.

Brazilian Manufacturing Bribe Whistleblowers, Brazilian Airplane Manufacturer Illegal Kickback Whistleblowers, Embraer Employee Whistleblowers, and other Multinational Company Whistleblowers Are Needed to Protect Brazil From Corruption

"Embraer, the Brazilian airplane manufacturer (fourth largest in the world), announced last week that it is being investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for possible U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations. This is the U.S. government’s first FCPA action against a major Latin American-based multi-national." Boom Times in Brazil, Part 4 (Developments that might signal corruption reform . . . including Embraer) : FCPAméricas 

"The implications are significant. In the past, Latin American executives have watched as major companies were hit by FCPA actions in the region. But the companies were always foreign companies, or their Latin American subsidiaries. Take, for example, IBM in Argentina, Siemens in Venezuela and Argentina, Nature’s Sunshine in Brazil, Alcatel in Costa Rica and Honduras, and Lindsey Manufacturing in Mexico. In each case, Latin American observers could dismiss the action as something against foreigners. Not anymore. Now, one of their own has been hit. Embraer is, through-and-through, a Brazilian corporation. Brazilian executives are on notice." Boom Times in Brazil, Part 4 (Developments that might signal corruption reform . . . including Embraer) : FCPAméricas -

Brazilian Oil Company Bribe Whistleblowers, Brazilian Energy Company Illegal Kickback Whistleblowers, Petrobras Employee Whistleblowers, Energy Company Whistleblowers and Multinational Oil Company Whistleblowers Are Needed to Protect The Brazilian Energy Industry From Corruption by Brazil Oil Company Official Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, Brazil Petrobras Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, and Brazil Corrupt Practices Act Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

The Brazilian energy industry is dominated by the Brazilian multinational energy company, Petrobras.  Petrobras is the forth largest company in the world measured by market capitalization.  It is also Brazil's semi-public oil company that is public and private hybrid.  As Brazil's public oil company, Petrobras has a goal of directing over 50% of its future oil and gas contracts to local Brazilian companies.  This protectionist economic policy is designed to help develop the Brazilian petrochemical industry and to limit the influence of foreign multinational oil companies on the Brazilian economy.  However, avoiding corruption including Santos Basin lease bribes, Petrobras employee bribes, Brazilian government official bribes, Petrobras oil lease bribes, and other potential Petrobras corruption may prove difficult as the historical culture of Brazilian business and Brazilian government includes substantial corruption.

Brazilian Government Official Corruption, Brazilian Public Official Bribes, Brazilian Multinational Corporation Bribes, and Brazil Government Official Illegal Kickbacks Result in Political Action to Adopt Anti-Bribery Laws and Policies Similar to the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, UK Anti-Bribery Act, and other Global Trade Anti-Corruption Policies

With the rapidly expanding Brazilian economy, foreign direct investments into Brazil, and Brazilian companies expanding into other countries have come allegations of government official bribes, government agent kickbacks, fraud, embezzlement, and other forms of corruption. Included in these Brazilian government corruption scandals are several government officials that are being forced to resign, while other government officials in President Dilma Rousseff’s cabinet are under investigation for government corruption.  In the aftermath of these corruption scandals, the Brazilian Congress is in the process of enacting new law that would dramatically strengthen the Brazilian foreign bribery laws.  The foreign anti-bribery law is part of a global trend where governments around the world are cracking down on large corrupt multinational corporations that are offering bribes and kickbacks to government officials in order to obtain large government contracts, avoid health & safety regulations, bypass environmental laws, and exploit populations in foreign countries.

China Joins the International Fight against Corruption

China Joins the International Fight against Corruption

China has recently joined most of the western world in passing anti-corruption legislation. As reported by the FCPA Professor, “the legislature of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the National People’s Congress, passed a slate of 49 amendments to the Criminal Law, one of which is a provision that criminalizes paying bribes to non-PRC government officials and to officials of international public organizations.”

This amendment represents the first instance in which PRC law has prohibited PRC nationals and PRC companies from paying bribes to non-PRC government officials and to officials of international public organizations. The amendment became effective on May 1, 2011.  The New Law simply states that following:

"Whoever, for the purpose of seeking illegitimate commercial benefits, gives money or property to any foreign public official or official of an international public organization, shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph (i.e., the pre-existing Article 164)”

International Whistleblower Reward Laws Encourage Chinese Whistleblowers and International Whistleblowers to Expose Chinese Government Official Bribes, Chinese Public Official Illegal Kickbacks, and other Chinese Government Corruption which are Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by China International Business Whistleblower Lawyer, People's Republic of China International Bribery Scheme Lawyer, and China Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Multinational Corporations that pay illegal kickbacks and bribes to Chinese government officials and former Chinese government officials in exchange for Chinese construction contracts, Chinese public health care pharmaceutical contracts, customs false certifications through Chinese ports, and other international business advantages can be brought to justice and made to pay large penalties under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the China bribery scheme international whistleblower that exposes these foreign corporations are granted protections and may be able to collect large economic rewards under new international whistleblower laws.  For more information on this topic, please feel free to go to the following webpage: International Whistleblower Reward Laws Encourage Chinese Whistleblowers and International Whistleblowers to Expose Chinese Government Official Bribes, Chinese Public Official Illegal Kickbacks, and other Chinese Government Corruption.  

International Business Litigation, International Theft of Trade Secrets, & International Corporate Espionage Whistleblower Lawsuit Information

International Whistleblowers Are Needed to Expose The Theft of Trade Secrets, International Patent Infringement, and International Intellectual Property Rights Infringement by International Patent Infringement Whistleblower Lawyer, International Trade Secret Theft Whistleblower Lawyer, and International Business Litigation Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer 

International theft of trade secrets and international intellectual property right infringement are on the rise as China, Mexico, Russia, and other emerging countries are seeking to improve their technology to move up the manufacturing value chain.  With fierce competition from countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh attempting to undercut China's manufacturing of labor-intensive goods as well as higher end supply chain manufacturing competition from other emerging countries being placed on China, Russia, and Mexico; the pressure to obtain high end trade secrets and intellectual property has led to corporate espionage and theft of valuable trade secrets and intellectual property.

International Pharmaceutical Patent Infringement Lawsuits, International Pharmaceutical Trade Secret Theft Whistleblower Lawsuits, International Corporate Espionage Lawsuits, and International Intellectual Property Theft Whistleblower Lawsuits

International pharmaceutical supply chain fraud lawsuits, international pharmaceutical patent infringement lawsuits, international fake drug lawsuits, and other international pharmaceutical fraud lawsuits can include direct actions between large multinational drug companies, Medicare fraud whistleblower lawsuits, Medicaid fraud whistleblower lawsuits, US Military fraud whistleblower lawsuits, and SEC drug fraud whistleblower lawsuits.  Understanding the potential causes of action and how to research these complicated cases is essential to determining how to move forward on these actions.

International Illegal Business Hacking Lawsuit, International Illegal Business Practices Lawsuit, International Business Litigation Lawsuit, International Theft of Trade Secrets Lawsuit, International Corporate Officer Breach of Fiduciary Duty Lawsuit, International Intentional Interference with Business Contracts Lawsuit, and International Unfair Business Competition Lawsuit Information by Texas International Business Tort Lawyer, International Illegal Business Practices Lawyer, and International Unfair Competition Lawyer

Unfortunately, some businesses face illegal challenges from businesses that commit unfair and illegal actions to steal business, trade secrets, intellectual property, and customers for the purpose of increasing their own profits and putting their competitors out of business.  This illegal competition, unfair competition, or corporate malfeasance can include theft of trade secrets, release of false press releases, use of short term predatory pricing, making demands of exclusive contracts from suppliers, forcing lenders to call in loans, stealing business & customers, hacking computers, infringing on intellectual property, and spreading false information in the business community.

Garth R. Peterson: Lit. Rel. No. 22346 / April 25, 2012

Garth R. Peterson: Lit. Rel. No. 22346 / April 25, 2012

The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a former executive at Morgan Stanley with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) as well as securities laws for investment advisers by secretly acquiring millions of dollars worth of real estate investments for himself and an influential Chinese official who in turn steered business to Morgan Stanley’s funds.

The SEC alleges that Garth R. Peterson, who was a managing director in Morgan Stanley’s real estate investment and fund advisory business, had a personal friendship and secret business relationship with the former Chairman of Yongye Enterprise (Group) Co. – a Chinese state-owned entity with influence over the success of Morgan Stanley’s real estate business in Shanghai. Peterson secretly arranged to have at least $1.8 million paid to himself and the Chinese official that he disguised as finder’s fees that Morgan Stanley’s funds owed to third parties. Peterson also secretly arranged for him, the Chinese official, and an attorney to acquire a valuable Shanghai real estate interest from a Morgan Stanley fund. Peterson was acquiring an interest from the fund but negotiated both sides of the transaction. In exchange for offers and payments from Peterson, the Chinese official helped Peterson and Morgan Stanley obtain business while personally benefitting from some of these same investments. Peterson’s deception, self-dealing, and misappropriation breached the fiduciary duties he owed to Morgan Stanley’s funds as their representative.  

International Whistleblower Reward Laws Encourage Chinese Whistleblowers and International Whistleblowers to Expose Chinese Government Official Bribes, Chinese Public Official Illegal Kickbacks, and other Chinese Government Corruption which are Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by China International Business Whistleblower Lawyer, People's Republic of China International Bribery Scheme Lawyer, and China Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Multinational Corporations that pay illegal kickbacks and bribes to Chinese government officials and former Chinese government officials in exchange for Chinese construction contracts, Chinese public health care pharmaceutical contracts, customs false certifications through Chinese ports, and other international business advantages can be brought to justice and made to pay large penalties under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the China bribery scheme international whistleblower that exposes these foreign corporations are granted protections and may be able to collect large economic rewards under new international whistleblower laws.  For more information on this topic, please feel free to go to the following webpage: International Whistleblower Reward Laws Encourage Chinese Whistleblowers and International Whistleblowers to Expose Chinese Government Official Bribes, Chinese Public Official Illegal Kickbacks, and other Chinese Government Corruption.  

Oil & Gas Eurasia - Reviews and Analysis of World, CIS and Russian Energy Market - Think the “Foreign Corrupt Practices Act” is a U.S. Issue? Think Again!

Oil & Gas Eurasia - Reviews and Analysis of World, CIS and Russian Energy Market - Think the “Foreign Corrupt Practices Act” is a U.S. Issue? Think Again!   "Last February the former chief executive of KBR, Inc. was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a massive, decade-long scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials to win $6 billion in contracts for development of the Bonny Island liquefied natural gas facility.  Albert “Jack” Stanley, 69, had pleaded guilty in September 2008 in a scheme to route $182 million in bribes to Nigerian government officials. And his sentencing sent a chill through executive suites of not just U.S. corporations, but multi-national and non-U.S. foreign corporations as well."

"The case, decided in U.S. Federal Court in Houston, represents the largest and most successful investigation in history under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPА). In pleading guilty to the charges, Stanley agreed to make restitution of $10.8 million, of which $1.55 million remains to be paid. He also faces seven years in prison, though his lawyer has asked that prison time be commuted to house arrest because his cooperation helped secure eight felony guilty pleas, four deferred-prosecution agreements and total fines of $1.7 billion.  But what really caught the attention of the executive suite world-wide was the degree to which persons and companies outside of the United States became caught up in a bribery and kick-back scandal prosecuted under a law generally thought to affect only U.S. companies."

International Whistleblower Reward Laws Encourage International Whistleblowers to Expose Government Corruption, Oil Company Bribes to Public Officials, Illegal Kickbacks from Energy Companies, Illicit Payments to Government Officials, and other Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by International Oil Company Employee Whistleblower Reward Lawyer, International Oil Company Bribe Whistleblower Reward Lawyer, & Energy Company Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

 
New International Whistleblower Reward Laws offer large potential rewards or bounties to international oil company employee whistleblowers, foreign government official whistleblowers, and other international whistleblowers that blow the whistle on international oil company contract bribes, international accounting fraud, international energy company fraud, and international oil lease bribes.  For more information on International Whistleblower Lawsuits, please feel free to go to the following webpage: International Whistleblower Reward Laws Encourage International Whistleblowers to Expose Government Corruption, Oil Company Bribes to Public Officials, Illegal Kickbacks from Energy Companies, Illicit Payments to Government Officials, and other Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.