Compliance into the Weeds

Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly (the coolest guy in compliance) and I take a deep dive into the recent announced Polycom Inc. FCPA enforcement action. We both blogged on it and we bring two difference perspectives to this matter. I take a deep dive into the nuts and bolts lessons learned for the compliance practitioner. Matt takes a step back and considers the larger picture of corporate culture, corrupt CEOs and how these can lead to the destruction of the company.   Some of the highlights include: Ø There were two forces at work which amplified the negative actions and effects.Ø How the CEO’s corrupt nature permeated the entire organization. Ø Oversight means more than simply asking questions and accepting the proffered answers. Ø Data analytics are critical for a best practices compliance program going forward.  For additional reading see Matt’s blog post “Many Lessons in Polycom FCPA Case” in Radical Compliance.  See also Tom’s blog “Following the Money Through Distributors” in the FCPA Compliance and Ethics Blog.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly (the coolest guy in compliance) and I take a deep dive into the recent report in the New York Timesabout the settlement of CBS with the actor Eliza Dushku over allegations of retaliation for reporting sexual harassment by CBS series star in the TV drama Bull, Michael Weatherly. The entire episode exposed the culture at CBS and the failure in the structure of the company’s compliance program.  After reporting unwanted and/or inappropriate behavior, Dushku’s character was literally written out of the series. She went to mediation over the retaliation for her internal reporting. In a formal mediation process, CBS’s attempted to assassinate her character but the evidence presented backfired on CBS as it proved the harassment. Worse yet the character assassination attempts were made by a CBS lawyer who is also the company’s Chief Compliance Officer.  Some of the highlights include: Ø There were two forces at work which amplified the negative actions and effects.Ø The interest of CBS legal was to attack the accuser and settle the lawsuit. Ø The interest of a CCO should have been was to prevent, detect and remediate the issue so that it would create a speak up culture. Ø When you subordinate an ethical culture to a legal position, it works to destroy employee trust and morale.  For additional reading see Matt’s blog post “CBS Compliance, Culture Under Fire” in Radical Compliance.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly (the coolest guy in compliance) and I take a deep dive into two recent announcements by SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and PCAOB Chairman Will Duhnke that their agencies will turn a more critical eye towards Chinese companies and their lack of transparency in the audit process and in financial reporting. We introduce two characters, Conspiracy Tom and Conspiracy Matt to evaluate whether these announcements, made the same week as the arrest of the Chinese CFO of Huawei in Canada,   are a part of the larger trade war the Trump Administration is waging against China (Conspiracy Tom) or just coincidence (Matt).  For additional reading see Matt’s blog post “US Regulators Warn on China” in Radical Compliance.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly and I take a deep dive Michael Cohen’s guilty plea and DAG Rod Rosenstein’s ‘substantially responsible” amending of the Yates Memo. Since Cohen said in the plea agreement that he only lied to Congress to support what he believed Trump wanted; not at Trump’s direction. It gives us the opportunity to explore a gray area about accountability for senior execs complicit in misconduct or to use Rosenstein's language have 'substantial involvement' but not substantially responsible for it. It provides several new lessons learned for the compliance professional (and some old ones as well). Some of the highlights from this podcast are:What does ‘substantially involved in or responsible for the misconduct’ actually mean?What does ‘substantially involved in or responsible for the misconduct’ actually mean?If the voting public, and employees; don’t see justice served, for legal distinctions they may neither appreciate nor care about, that’s going to blunt their interest in talk about ethical conduct; will it will corrode the trust they have in organizations?What if the senior executives are complicit in the misconduct by fostering a poor control environment; and yet they personally were not substantially involved in the misconduct?Will this drive up the importance of strong governance? For example, where were the auditors, inspecting the control environment? Or would this lead to shareholder lawsuits against the board?How would the Justice Department apply the Rosenstein policy to those circumstances?What were the key lessons learned for the compliance practitioner? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly and I Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly and I take a deep dive into the recently announced reorganization of the Michigan State University compliance function, rolling it into the newly created Office of Audit, Risk, and Compliance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly and I take a deep dive into the recent Vantage Drilling FCPA enforcement action. It is a highly unusual enforcement action with some very different facts from the standard FCPA case. It provides some new lessons learned for the compliance professional (and some old ones as well).Some of the highlights from this podcast are:What were the unusual facts of this matter?What is the role of a Board member who is also a supplier to a company?What were the key lessons learned for the compliance practitioner?For more see Matt’s blog post SEC Dings Vantage  $5M on FCPA Issues and see Tom’s blog post, The Vantage Drilling FCPA Enforcement Action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly and I take a deep dive into the Benczkowski  Memo and what it means for not only the monitor selection process but for compliance officers who may be in front of the Justice Department in a FCPA investigation.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly and I take a deep dive into the continuing saga of Elon Musk, the SEC settlement, corporate governance at Tesla and his ongoing twitter feed.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly and I take a very deep dive into the increased prevalence of non-GAAP financial reporting.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast which takes a deep dive into a compliance related topic, literally going into the weeds to more fully explore a subject. In this episode, Matt Kelly and I take a very deep dive into the process surrounding the allegations made against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh by Christina Ford. We consider these allegations from the compliance perspective  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices