Combating corruption

The UK Appoints New Anti-Corruption Unit: A Look at the Global Ramifications

Given London’s role in international business and finance, the UK Bribery Act 2010 promised to form a potential strong counterpart to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Now, the UK government is taking steps which could bring expanded enforcement punch in developing countries. The International Corruption Unit (“ICU”) is being established under the umbrella of the UK National Crime Agency, and it is being tasked to investigate the bribery of foreign officials and money laundering by corrupt foreign officials and their associates. This latest development follows the trend of new anti-corruption initiatives and enforcement efforts in multiple jurisdictions around the world, and may help enhance that trend, considering how foreign investigations often coordinate with and piggyback on UK and U.S. efforts.