Credit Suisse to pay $77M to settle corruption charges

Credit Suisse agreed to pay $77 million in criminal and civil penalties to settle charges that it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in order to win business in Asia.

The Hong Kong-based subsidiary of the Swiss bank hired unqualified friends and family of Chinese officials to net at least $46 million in profits over a six-year scheme ending in 2013, the Justice Department said Thursday.

Credit Suisse agreed to a non-prosecution agreement with the Justice Department and to pay a $47 million criminal penalty.

In one instance, Credit Suisse accelerated the hiring of the daughter of a high ranking official at a state-owned enterprise to win a contract with the company, according to the Justice Department.

A banker cautioned “not too many interviews” when reviewing the applicant, noting that she was “a princess [who was] not used to too many rounds of interview [sic],” according to emails the Justice Department reviewed.

The applicant’s lackluster application required the handiwork of Credit Suisse employees to be presentable, with employees needing “to be a bit ‘creative’ in filling” in details, according to the Justice Department.

The “princess” received several promotions during her five years at Credit Suisse and earned more than $1 million in compensation despite failing to attend a mandatory boot camp, bringing her mother to training events, and leaving work early, the Justice Department said.

“Trading employment opportunities for less-than-qualified individuals in exchange for lucrative business deals is an example of nepotism at its finest,” Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement Thursday.

A separate $30 million civil penalty payable to the Securities and Exchange Commission was also announced Thursday.

“Credit Suisse’s practice of engaging in these hiring practices violated the law, and it is now being held to account for having done so,” Charles Cain, chief of the SEC Enforcement Division’s FCPA Unit, said in a statement Thursday.

Credit Suisse said Thursday that it has implemented several compliance enhancements to its operations and that the settlement “represents no material impact” to the bank.

“No criminal charges were brought, and there is no allegation that any clients, investors or counterparties were harmed by the conduct involved in the settlements,” a bank spokeswoman said.