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Martin Coyle

@coylester10.bsky.social

Correspondent covering bribery, corruption and financial crime at @MLexclusive Email me at coyle@mlex.com. Might be the odd watford tweet.

268 Followers  |  346 Following  |  2 Posts  |  Joined: 06.02.2024  |  1.6083

Latest posts by coylester10.bsky.social on Bluesky

When Europe’s top foreign-bribery prosecutors said they would band together to strengthen enforcement, they played down the notion that they were responding to a US retreat — but the timing means it's hard not to make a link. The UK’s Serious Fraud Office, Switzerland's Office of the Attorney General and France's Parquet National Financier struck a deal in London yesterday that will see them work more closely. The trio of agencies, which alongside the US have been the most aggressive in fighting international corruption, said they would collaborate more on cases and share information and strategy. They made clear that the joint task force could grow, saying “like-minded” agencies in other jurisdictions would be invited. Their declaration was light on detail, and given the already close ties between the agencies and the work done on previous cases, it's unclear how much will change in practice. Thomas Cattee, a partner at Gherson Solicitors and a former SFO lawyer, said the move would create "strong foundations" for increased enforcement efforts internationally. "This is especially pertinent in the aftermath of the US President's recent pause of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement," he said. “The significance … lies in its symbolism and its timing — given recent anti-corruption enforcement developments in the United States — rather than its practical effect,” said Lloyd Firth, a lawyer at Wilmer Hale specializing in white-collar criminal defense.

When Europe’s top foreign-bribery prosecutors said they would band together to strengthen enforcement, they played down the notion that they were responding to a US retreat — but the timing means it's hard not to make a link. The UK’s Serious Fraud Office, Switzerland's Office of the Attorney General and France's Parquet National Financier struck a deal in London yesterday that will see them work more closely. The trio of agencies, which alongside the US have been the most aggressive in fighting international corruption, said they would collaborate more on cases and share information and strategy. They made clear that the joint task force could grow, saying “like-minded” agencies in other jurisdictions would be invited. Their declaration was light on detail, and given the already close ties between the agencies and the work done on previous cases, it's unclear how much will change in practice. Thomas Cattee, a partner at Gherson Solicitors and a former SFO lawyer, said the move would create "strong foundations" for increased enforcement efforts internationally. "This is especially pertinent in the aftermath of the US President's recent pause of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement," he said. “The significance … lies in its symbolism and its timing — given recent anti-corruption enforcement developments in the United States — rather than its practical effect,” said Lloyd Firth, a lawyer at Wilmer Hale specializing in white-collar criminal defense.

When Europe's top foreign-bribery prosecutors said they would band together to strengthen enforcement, they played down the notion that they were responding to a US retreat -- but the timing means it's not hard to make a link.

w/ @coylester10.bsky.social

www.mlex.com/mlex/financi...

21.03.2025 15:39 — 👍 0    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
UK fraud investigators are to team up with Swiss and French counterparts to create an anti-bribery taskforce in the wake of US moves to dampen foreign bribery enforcement. The Serious Fraud Office will collaborate with Switzerland's Office of the Attorney General and France's Parquet National Financier to strengthen their international ties. Aside from the US, these three are the main prosecutors of foreign bribery cases. The agreement, signed in London today, will see the countries share information and strategy on bribery cases and set up a working group to increase co-operation on investigations. The trio left the door open for other agencies to join the group. “We will, by our mutual agreement, invite other like-minded agencies involved in tackling international bribery and corruption to join the taskforce,” a joint statement said today. “The commitment we have made today reaffirms our individual and collective commitment to tackling the pernicious threat of international bribery and corruption, wherever it occurs. We will make use of every power and partnership available to confront this criminality,” SFO head Nick Ephgrave said. The European agencies' move comes just over a month after a decision by US President Donald Trump to pause foreign bribery enforcement and to shift prosecutors’ focus to drug cartel activity instead. Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 10 titled “Pausing Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement to Further American Economic and National Security." The US has previously been at the forefront of international bribery enforcement and is seen as a kind of world police force. It has previously worked with the Swiss, French and UK prosecutors to bring home big-ticket bribery cases, such as those involving Rolls-Royce and Airbus. Last month, however, Trump ordered a six-month halt on new bribery enforcement and directed the US attorney general to review existing cases, throwing a handful of pending trials into limbo.

UK fraud investigators are to team up with Swiss and French counterparts to create an anti-bribery taskforce in the wake of US moves to dampen foreign bribery enforcement. The Serious Fraud Office will collaborate with Switzerland's Office of the Attorney General and France's Parquet National Financier to strengthen their international ties. Aside from the US, these three are the main prosecutors of foreign bribery cases. The agreement, signed in London today, will see the countries share information and strategy on bribery cases and set up a working group to increase co-operation on investigations. The trio left the door open for other agencies to join the group. “We will, by our mutual agreement, invite other like-minded agencies involved in tackling international bribery and corruption to join the taskforce,” a joint statement said today. “The commitment we have made today reaffirms our individual and collective commitment to tackling the pernicious threat of international bribery and corruption, wherever it occurs. We will make use of every power and partnership available to confront this criminality,” SFO head Nick Ephgrave said. The European agencies' move comes just over a month after a decision by US President Donald Trump to pause foreign bribery enforcement and to shift prosecutors’ focus to drug cartel activity instead. Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 10 titled “Pausing Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement to Further American Economic and National Security." The US has previously been at the forefront of international bribery enforcement and is seen as a kind of world police force. It has previously worked with the Swiss, French and UK prosecutors to bring home big-ticket bribery cases, such as those involving Rolls-Royce and Airbus. Last month, however, Trump ordered a six-month halt on new bribery enforcement and directed the US attorney general to review existing cases, throwing a handful of pending trials into limbo.

UK fraud investigators are teaming up with their Swiss and French counterparts to create an anti-bribery task force in the wake of US moves under President Donald Trump to dampen anti-corruption enforcement.

w/ @coylester10.bsky.social

www.mlex.com/mlex/financi...

20.03.2025 15:46 — 👍 0    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

Good explainer of the issues in the Tulip Siddiq saga here by @csc-barrington.bsky.social

07.01.2025 16:50 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Former British MP Faces Parliamentary Ban After Failing to Properly Register Work for Controversial Company Bob Stewart worked with a company alleged to have helped launder money from Azerbaijan, although there’s no suggestion the former MP played any role in the scheme.

Great reporting by @jdowsea.bsky.social - Bob Stewart failed to register significant payments when an MP from a defence firm, and worked with a company at the heart of the UK's first McMafia order. Is a parliamentary ban now he's no longer an MP an adequate sanction?
www.occrp.org/en/news/form...

06.12.2024 16:34 — 👍 36    🔁 17    💬 5    📌 0

As Margot says, corruption-linked sanctions today against Dos Santos and Firtash, are just a start...

21.11.2024 14:53 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

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