Veroordelingen in Rochdale-zaak

Afgelopen donderdag heeft de Rechtbank Amsterdam uitspraak gedaan in de Rochdale-zaak. Voormalig directeur Möllenkamp van de Amsterdamse woningcorporatie Rochdale is daarbij veroordeeld tot tweeënhalf jaar onvoorwaardelijke gevangenisstraf. Hij heeft zich onder meer schuldig gemaakt aan het ontvangen van steekpenningen, witwassen en meineed. Het Openbaar Ministerie had drie jaar geëist.

• Rechtbank Amsterdam 10 december 2015, ECLI:NL:RBAMS:2015:8799

De levenspartner van Möllenkamp, Alberdina V., krijgt een taakstraf van 240 uur opgelegd. Zij heeft volgens de rechtbank een valse factuur van €188.336,50 aan Multi Vastgoed van vastgoedondernemer Hans van Veggel verstuurd. Multi betaalde die factuur met een spoedopdracht, daags voor de projectontwikkelaar het incourante Bruggebouw aan Rochdale wist te slijten.

Het OM had tegen haar drie maanden geëist.

• Rechtbank Amsterdam 10 december 2015, ECLI:NL:RBAMS:2015:8791

De omkopers van de voormalig woningcorporatiedirecteur zijn veroordeeld tot aanzienlijk mildere straffen dan het Openbaar Ministerie tegen hen had geëist.

Sloopondernemer Henk Oudt krijgt voor zijn aandeel in de omkoping een onvoorwaardelijke gevangenisstraf van twee maanden en een taakstraf van 240 uur.

• Rechtbank Amsterdam 10 december 2015, ECLI:NL:RBAMS:2015:8796

Vastgoedondernemer Arie van Erkel (‘Arie Ferrari’) krijgt voor zijn aandeel in de omkoping een onvoorwaardelijke gevangenisstraf van één maand en een taakstraf van 240 uur.

• Rechtbank Amsterdam 10 december 2015, ECLI:NL:RBAMS:2015:8790

Lees meer via fd.nl:

• Lage celstraffen voor omkopers van Möllenkamp
• Celstraffen voor Möllenkamp en medeverdachten om Rochdale-fraude
• Failliete Möllenkamp eist dat zijn curator wordt ontslagen
• 'Vuilnisman' en sloper van Rochdale verontschuldigen zich, een beetje
• Advocaat van Möllenkamp bepleit vrijspraak
• OM: bankroet van vastgoedman 'Arie Ferrari' is eigen schuld
• Verdachte sloopondernemer Oudt schikt met Rochdale en fiscus
• Vastgoedman: 'Ik ben slachtoffer van Möllenkamp'
• Verdediging Möllenkamp hekelt 'politiek proces'
• Sage rond de Maserati-man landt eindelijk voor de rechter

Fighting corruption one of OECD's highest priorities

International Anti-Corruption Day Statement by Drago Kos, Chair of the OECD Working Group on Bribery

International Anti-Corruption Day provides us all with a unique opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made over the past year in the global fight against corruption, but also to think about the work that remains to be done in the years ahead. Fighting corruption is one of the OECD's highest priorities, and today we are proud to join anti-corruption activists around the world in raising awareness of the severe impact of corruption on creating a stronger, cleaner and fairer world economy.

Corruption permeates—and facilitates—some of the most important global threats of our time, such as terrorism, climate change and the refugee crisis. It is therefore vital that we come together with a collective response to eradicate corruption. Multiple events at the OECD Conference Centre this week have seen a wide range of stakeholders teaming up to share knowledge and collaborate on this issue. Anti-corruption law enforcement practitioners from around the globe are meeting for the first time to share good practices, exchange modern and effective methods of investigation and build solid networks for future collaboration. Today, the OECD Working Group on Bribery will meet with private sector stakeholders from the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC) for a roundtable to discuss strengthening joint public and private sector initiatives to combat corruption.

These events are helping to prepare the ground for the next major push to keep the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention at the forefront of the global fight against bribery. Sixteen years after the Convention first came into force, the OECD Working Group on Bribery will officially launch the fourth round of monitoring at a ministerial meeting on 16 March 2016.

• International Anti-Corruption Day Statement by Drago Kos, Chair of the OECD Working Group on Bribery

Tax systems: a channel for corruption – or a way to fight it?

Fighting tax evasion, corruption and opaque money flows should be seen as advancing the same end point: more equitable and better governed countries. When a tax system works right, it can create an effective framework against corruption. Lees verder:

• Working paper: Tax systems: a channel for corruption – or a way to fight it?, Transparency International

'Cybercrime trends 2016: Grenzen tussen ‘gewone’ misdaad en cybercrime vervagen'

De grenzen tussen cybercrime en ‘gewone’ misdaad worden steeds vager en zullen op den duur volledig verdwijnen. Dat zegt Ralf Benzmüller, hoofd van het G DATA SecurityLab. Onderzoekers in zijn lab zien nu al veel ‘analoge’ misdaad in de illegale, ondergrondse marktplaatsen. Bovendien worden steeds vaker digitale middelen ingezet voor misdaden als fysieke inbraken. Tegelijkertijd kan cybercrime en datadiefstal met de toenemende populariteit van smart-devices, zoals bijvoorbeeld fitnessarmbandjes en pinpassen met chips voor contactloos betalen, gewoon op straat plaatsvinden. ‘Daarmee wordt het steeds lastiger om bij bepaalde misdaad aan te geven of het gaat om traditionele diefstal of om cybercrime,’ aldus Benzmüller. Lees verder:

• Cybercrime trends 2016: Grenzen tussen ‘gewone’ misdaad en cybercrime vervagen, Dutch IT-Channel

U.K.'s first Deferred Prosecution Agreement (with Standard Bank)

On Monday, November 30, 2015, the Right Honourable Sir Brian Leveson (the President of the Queen's Bench Division) approved the resolution of the first U.K. Bribery Act section 7 proceedings by way of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement, a procedure never before used in the U.K. The counterparty to the DPA, Standard Bank Plc (now  known as ICBC Standard Bank Plc), was the subject of an indictment alleging failure to prevent bribery contrary to section 7 of the Bribery Act 2010. This indictment, pursuant to DPA proceedings, was immediately suspended. This was also the first use of section 7 of the Bribery Act 2010 by any prosecutor. 

As a result of the DPA, Standard Bank will pay financial orders of US$25.2 million and will be required to pay the Government of Tanzania a further US$7 million in compensation. The bank has also agreed to pay the SFO's reasonable costs of £330,000 in relation to the investigation and subsequent resolution of the DPA.

In addition to the financial penalty that has been imposed, Standard Bank has agreed to continue to cooperate fully with the SFO and to be subject to an independent review of its existing anti-bribery and corruption controls, policies and procedures regarding compliance with the Bribery Act 2010 and other applicable anti-corruption laws. It is required to implement recommendations of the independent reviewer (Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP).

Commenting on the DPA, Director of the SFO David Green CB QC said:

"This landmark DPA will serve as a template for future agreements. The judgment from Lord Justice Leveson provides very helpful guidance to those advising corporates. It also endorses the SFO's contention that the DPA in this case was in the interests of justice and its terms fair, reasonable and proportionate. I applaud Standard Bank for their frankness with the SFO and their prompt and early engagement with us."

The suspended charge related to a US$6 million payment by a former sister company of Standard Bank, Stanbic Bank Tanzania, in March 2013 to a local partner in Tanzania, Enterprise Growth Market Advisors (EGMA). The SFO alleges that the payment was intended to induce members of the Government of Tanzania, to show favour to Stanbic Tanzania and Standard Bank's proposal for a US$600 million private placement to be carried out on behalf of the Government of Tanzania. The placement generated transaction fees of US$8.4 million, shared by Stanbic Tanzania and Standard Bank.

On 18 April 2013, Standard Bank's solicitors Jones Day reported the matter to the Serious and Organised Crime Agency and on 24 April to the SFO. It also instructed Jones Day to begin an investigation and to disclose its findings to the SFO. The resulting report was sent to the SFO on 21 July 2014.

The SFO reviewed the material obtained and conducted its own interviews. Subsequently, the Director of the SFO considered that the public interest would likely be met by a DPA with Standard Bank and negotiations were commenced accordingly.

The SFO has worked with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) throughout this process. A penalty of $4.2m has been agreed between Standard Bank and the SEC in respect of separate related conduct.

1. Please see the Deferred Prosecution Agreement, the Statement of Facts, the preliminary judgment and full judgment regarding the agreement.
2. The charge against Standard Bank has been suspended for three years, after which, subject to the bank's compliance with the terms of the DPA, the SFO will discontinue the proceedings.
3. Standard Bank's US$25.2 million total financial penalty, which is payable to HM Treasury, consists of a US$16.8 million financial penalty and a US$8.4 million disgorgement of profits. The compensation due to the Government of Tanzania consists of US$6 million, plus interest of US$1,046,196.58.
4. Standard Bank is required to pay the compensation, disgorgement of profits, financial penalty and costs within seven days of today's judgment.
5. The money due to the Government of Tanzania will be returned in line with advice being received from the Department for International Development.
6. A DPA is not a private plea "deal" or "bargain" between the prosecutor and the defendant company. It is a way in which a company accounts for its alleged criminality to a criminal court, and can have no effect until a judge confirms in open court that the DPA is in the interests of justice and that its terms are fair, reasonable and proportionate. Further information on the history of DPAs and how they are intended to be used can be foundhere.

Bron: SFO