FBI Interviewed J.P. Morgan Ex-Official on Bribery Probe

Federal Bureau of Investigation agents interviewed a former senior J.P. Morgan Chase executive in New York late last year in connection with a federal foreign-bribery investigation, according to people familiar with the matter.

Gaby Abdelnour, a former regional head for Asia, was interviewed while at John F. Kennedy International Airport, these people said. The interview was reported by Bloomberg News.

J.P. Morgan declined to comment.

Mr. Abdelnour couldn’t be reached for comment.

J.P. Morgan in August disclosed that the Securities and Exchange Commission had requested documents relating to “the firm’s employment of certain former employees in Hong Kong and its business relationship with certain clients.” The Justice Department is conducting a criminal inquiry into the same issues, the bank also has disclosed.

The investigations are focused on whether the firm or its employees violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a 1977 law that bars U.S.-based or U.S.-listed companies from giving money or other items of value to foreign officials to win business, according to people familiar with the probe.

To prove a violation of the FCPA, investigators must find clear evidence linking the recruitment of an employee to winning a new contract or generating increased revenue, according to legal experts.

J.P. Morgan launched an internal investigation and hired outside counsel to examine roughly 200 hires across its Asian operations.

J.P. Morgan’s internal investigation uncovered spreadsheets that listed names of foreign hires and in some cases the high-ranking officials these hires were related to, another person familiar with the probe has said.

There were several versions of these spreadsheets produced before they were abandoned, this person added.

The hiring of connected recruits was known to some within the company as the “sons and daughters” program, added people close to J.P. Morgan.  

Reference source: sentidocomun.com.mx