--- title: Top FCPA cases 2021 - lowest charges ever? description: Our annual FCPA analytics is ready - what was so special about 2021? image: https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/Blog/Featured%20images/Top-FCPA-cases-2021.webp --- ” [Skip to content](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/fcpa-2021#main-content) [![Ethicontrol logo with Ukrainian flag](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/ethicontrol%20ua%20logo%20website.svg)](https://ethicontrol.com/en/main?hsLang=en) - Features Show submenu for Features - [Internal reporting channels](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/internal-reporting-channels) - [Toll free lines](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/specialised-contact-center) - [Incident management](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/incident-management) - [Case management](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/case-management) - [Analytics and reporting](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/analytics-and-reporting) - Use cases Show submenu for Use cases - [Ethics & Compliance](https://ethicontrol.com/en/main) - [EU Whistleblowing Directive](https://ethicontrol.com/en/eu-whistleblowing-directive-platform) - [Antifraud and Corporate security](https://ethicontrol.com/en/painless-security-platform) - [On premise (inhouse)](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/korobkove-rishennia-ethibox) - [Compliance matrix](https://ethicontrol.com/en/compliance-matrix) - [Clients' Cases](https://ethicontrol.com/en/case-studies) - [Pricing](https://ethicontrol.com/en/pricing) - [Blog](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog) - Company Show submenu for Company - [About us](https://ethicontrol.com/en/about-us) - [Contacts](https://ethicontrol.com/en/contacts) - [Services](https://ethicontrol.com/en/services) - [Security and trust](https://ethicontrol.com/en/trust-center) - [Our methodology](https://ethicontrol.com/en/painless-ethics-management-methodology) - [Whistleblowing FAQ](https://ethicontrol.com/en/faq) - [We hire!](https://ethicontrol.com/en/join-us) - [Customer support portal](https://help.ethicontrol.com/en/support/home) - Features Show submenu for Features - [Internal reporting channels](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/internal-reporting-channels) - [Toll free lines](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/specialised-contact-center) - [Incident management](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/incident-management) - [Case management](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/case-management) - [Analytics and reporting](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/analytics-and-reporting) - Use cases Show submenu for Use cases - [Ethics & Compliance](https://ethicontrol.com/en/main) - [EU Whistleblowing Directive](https://ethicontrol.com/en/eu-whistleblowing-directive-platform) - [Antifraud and Corporate security](https://ethicontrol.com/en/painless-security-platform) - [On premise (inhouse)](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/korobkove-rishennia-ethibox) - [Compliance matrix](https://ethicontrol.com/en/compliance-matrix) - [Clients' Cases](https://ethicontrol.com/en/case-studies) - [Pricing](https://ethicontrol.com/en/pricing) - [Blog](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog) - Company Show submenu for Company - [About us](https://ethicontrol.com/en/about-us) - [Contacts](https://ethicontrol.com/en/contacts) - [Services](https://ethicontrol.com/en/services) - [Security and trust](https://ethicontrol.com/en/trust-center) - [Our methodology](https://ethicontrol.com/en/painless-ethics-management-methodology) - [Whistleblowing FAQ](https://ethicontrol.com/en/faq) - [We hire!](https://ethicontrol.com/en/join-us) - [Customer support portal](https://help.ethicontrol.com/en/support/home) ![Burger](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/Burger.svg) ![Cross](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/Cross.svg) Search [Demo](https://ethicontrol.com/meetings/ectrl1/demo?hsLang=en) [Home](https://ethicontrol.com/en/main?hsLang=en)  / [Ethics Control Blog](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog) [Cases](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/cases), [Research](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/research), [FCPA](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/fcpa) # Top FCPA cases 2021 - lowest charges ever? [Sofia Merzlikina,](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/author/sofia-merzlikina) 29 December 2021 Another year, another FCPA analytics by Ethicontrol — view our previous works under the [FCPA](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/fcpa?hsLang=en) tag. "[Relatively quiet](https://fcpa.stanford.edu/fcpac-reports/2021-fcpa-q3-report.pdf)" and “significantly declining”—are two major characteristics of FCPA enforcement cases in 2021. Companies publicly disclose fewer and fewer cases of ongoing investigations by the US authorities, and DOJ is trying to tackle this worrying perspective. Not only foreign bribery remains the main focus for DOJ, but the sources of information for investigations expanded (now DOJ is using innovative data mining, for example).  Only four companies were charged by SEC and three by DOJ for violating FCPA in 2021. The biggest fine was paid by Credit Suisse, who are currently under DPA (as well as Amec Foster Wheeler Ltd) - [$275 million](https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/credit-suisse-resolves-fraudulent-mozambique-loan-case-547-million-coordinated-global). Total fines by DOJ and SEC in 2021 constituted around $500 million, when in [2020](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/top-10-fcpa-cases-of-2020-new-records?hsLang=en) it was $9.88 billion. 2021 hit the lowest in terms of investigations conducted and fines imposed in 6 years.    |   | Company | total fine, mUSD | DOJ | SEC | Other countries | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Credit Suisse | 275 | 175 | 100 | 228 | | 2 | Deutsche Bank AG | 173 | 130 | 43 |   | | 3 | Amec Foster Wheeler Ltd | 40.7 | 18 | 22.7 |   | | 4 | WPP plc | 19 |   | 19 |   | \*Compiled by Ethicontrol based on the DOJ and SEC press releases.   ![FCPA top 2021 - Infogram](https://ethicontrol.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/Blog%20images/FCPA%20top%202021%20-%20Infogram.png?width=700&height=532&name=FCPA%20top%202021%20-%20Infogram.png) \*Detailed infographic you can find [here](https://infogram.com/fcpa-top-2021-1hxr4zx98zw7q6y).   **Credit Suisse – $275m**. Credit Suisse Group AG, a financial institution, was charged both by DOJ and SEC for $175 million and $100 million accordingly. Credit Suisse committed wire fraud to get a loan for investing in its tuna fishing project in Mozambique – the loan concerned both the US and international investors ($850 million). Credit Suisse did not fully disclose the information about the dangers of the project, which harmed the financial interests of the investors and constituted a violation of compliance practice. **Deutsche Bank – $173m**. A financial services company was accused of corrupt payments and bribes, internal control violations, and fraudulent commodities trading practices. $130 million and $43 million were charged by DOJ and SEC accordingly. Specifically, Deutsche Bank concealed corrupt payments to third-party intermediaries by falsifying the books of records. Currently, Deutsche Bank is under DPA. **Amec Foster Wheeler Ltd – $40**.7m. Amec Foster Wheeler Energy Limited was charged by both DOJ and SEC for paying bribes to officials in Brazil in order to secure a governmental contract. Amec Foster Wheeler is currently under DPA. **WPP plc – $19m**. WPP plc was charged by SEC for record-keeping and anti-bribery violations in relation to its subsidiaries in multiple countries. WPP prioritized profitability instead of growing consistently with keeping its robust internal controls. Even though 2021 hit the lowest in terms of FCPA charges and companies which publicly announced the investigations, moves by DOJ and SEC seem to be promising — another year of fruitful work and enhanced compliance is coming.    Sources: **[https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2021-213](https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2021-213)** **[https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2021-3](https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2021-3)** **[https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2021-112](https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2021-112)** **[https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2021-191](https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2021-191)** **[https://www.sec.gov/enforce/sec-enforcement-actions-fcpa-cases](https://www.sec.gov/enforce/sec-enforcement-actions-fcpa-cases)** **[https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/credit-suisse-resolves-fraudulent-mozambique-loan-case-547-million-coordinated-global](https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/credit-suisse-resolves-fraudulent-mozambique-loan-case-547-million-coordinated-global)** **[https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/deutsche-bank-agrees-pay-over-130-million-resolve-foreign-corrupt-practices-act-and-fraud](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/deutsche-bank-agrees-pay-over-130-million-resolve-foreign-corrupt-practices-act-and-fraud)** **[https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/amec-foster-wheeler-energy-limited-agrees-pay-over-18-million-resolve-charges-related-bribery](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/amec-foster-wheeler-energy-limited-agrees-pay-over-18-million-resolve-charges-related-bribery)** **[https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/case/related-enforcement-actions/2021](https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/case/related-enforcement-actions/2021)** ###### Categories - [Research](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/research) - [Laws](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/laws) - [News](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/news) - [Whistleblower](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/whistleblower) - [New features](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/new-features) - [Events](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/events) - [Whistleblowing](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/whistleblowing) - [Cases](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/cases) - [FCPA](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/fcpa) - [EU Whistleblowing Directive](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/eu-whistleblowing-directive) - [Anonymity](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/anonymity) - [Resources](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/resources) - [Cybersecurity](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/cybersecurity) - [Multilingualism](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/multilingualism) ###### Subscribe Company [Blog](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog?hsLang=en) [About us](https://ethicontrol.com/en/about-us?hsLang=en) [Contacts](https://ethicontrol.com/en/contacts?hsLang=en) [We hire!](https://ethicontrol.com/en/join-us?hsLang=en) [Security](https://ethicontrol.com/en/trust-center?hsLang=en) [Terms of business](https://ethicontrol.com/en/terms-of-business?hsLang=en) [Whistleblowing FAQ](https://ethicontrol.com/en/faq?hsLang=en) Features [Internal reporting channels](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/internal-reporting-channels?hsLang=en) [Toll-free lines](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/specialised-contact-center?hsLang=en) [Incident management](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/incident-management?hsLang=en) [Case management](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/case-management?hsLang=en) [Analytics and reporting](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/analytics-and-reporting?hsLang=en) [Pricing](https://ethicontrol.com/en/pricing?hsLang=en) Use cases [Ethics & Compliance](https://ethicontrol.com/en/main?hsLang=en) [EU Whistleblowing Directive](https://ethicontrol.com/en/eu-whistleblowing-directive-platform?hsLang=en) [Corporate security](https://ethicontrol.com/en/painless-security-platform?hsLang=en) [On premise](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/korobkove-rishennia-ethibox?hsLang=en) [Clients' cases](https://ethicontrol.com/en/case-studies?hsLang=en) [Compliance matrix](https://ethicontrol.com/en/compliance-matrix?hsLang=en) Resources [Ethics management methodology](https://ethicontrol.com/en/painless-ethics-management-methodology?hsLang=en) [Whistleblowing ROI calculator](https://ethicontrol.com/en/fraud-losses-calculator?hsLang=en) [Evaluate maturity of your WB solution](https://form.jotform.com/222344419023043) [Whistleblowing is good for business](https://ethicontrol.com/en/good-for-business?hsLang=en) [Presentations](https://www.slideshare.net/olagodiyenko/presentations) [Researches](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/research) [![ECTRL White Logo](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/ECTRL%20White%20Logo.svg "ECTRL White Logo")](https://ethicontrol.com/en/main?hsLang=en) Copyright © 2026 Ethicontrol, OU and Ethicontrol LLC. All rights reserved. [Privacy policy](https://ethicontrol.com/en/privacy-policy?hsLang=en) [Cookies policy](https://ethicontrol.com/en/cookies-policy?hsLang=en) [Legal information](https://ethicontrol.com/en/trust-center?hsLang=en) [Attribution](https://ethicontrol.com/en/attribution?hsLang=en) [English](https://ethicontrol.com/en/main?hsLang=en) [Polski](https://ethicontrol.com/pl/main-pl?hsLang=en) [Українська](https://ethicontrol.com/uk/main-uk?hsLang=en) [Español](https://ethicontrol.com/es/main-es?hsLang=en) | [![twitter-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/twitter-1.svg)](https://twitter.com/ethicontrol)[![instagram-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/instagram-1.svg)](https://www.instagram.com/ethicontrol.eu/)[![youtube-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/youtube-1.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGXCC7zAqYo5QX82Id1R0GA)[![facebook-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/facebook-1.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/ethicontrol) [![linkedin-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/linkedin-1.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ethicontrol) | | --- | | [![ariba_network_white_-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ariba_network_white_-1.png?width=100&height=24&name=ariba_network_white_-1.png)](http://discovery.ariba.com/profile/AN01468432990)   | Company [Blog](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog?hsLang=en) [About us](https://ethicontrol.com/en/about-us?hsLang=en) [Contacts](https://ethicontrol.com/en/contacts?hsLang=en) [We hire!](https://ethicontrol.com/en/join-us?hsLang=en) [Security](https://ethicontrol.com/en/trust-center?hsLang=en) [Terms of business](https://ethicontrol.com/en/terms-of-business?hsLang=en) [Whistleblowing FAQ](https://ethicontrol.com/en/faq?hsLang=en) Features [Internal reporting channels](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/internal-reporting-channels?hsLang=en) [Toll-free lines](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/specialised-contact-center?hsLang=en) [Incident management](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/incident-management?hsLang=en) [Case management](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/case-management?hsLang=en) [Analytics and reporting](https://ethicontrol.com/en/features/analytics-and-reporting?hsLang=en) [Pricing](https://ethicontrol.com/en/pricing?hsLang=en) Use cases [Ethics & Compliance](https://ethicontrol.com/en/main?hsLang=en) [EU Whistleblowing Directive](https://ethicontrol.com/en/eu-whistleblowing-directive-platform?hsLang=en) [Corporate security](https://ethicontrol.com/en/painless-security-platform?hsLang=en) [On premise](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/korobkove-rishennia-ethibox?hsLang=en) [Clients' cases](https://ethicontrol.com/en/case-studies?hsLang=en) [Compliance matrix](https://ethicontrol.com/en/compliance-matrix?hsLang=en) Resources [Ethics management methodology](https://ethicontrol.com/en/painless-ethics-management-methodology?hsLang=en) [Whistleblowing ROI calculator](https://ethicontrol.com/en/fraud-losses-calculator?hsLang=en) [Evaluate maturity of your WB solution](https://form.jotform.com/222344419023043) [Whistleblowing is good for business](https://ethicontrol.com/en/good-for-business?hsLang=en) [Presentations](https://www.slideshare.net/olagodiyenko/presentations) [Researches](https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/tag/research) [![ECTRL White Logo](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/ECTRL%20White%20Logo.svg "ECTRL White Logo")](https://ethicontrol.com/en/main?hsLang=en) Copyright © 2026 Ethicontrol, OU and Ethicontrol LLC. All rights reserved. [Privacy policy](https://ethicontrol.com/en/privacy-policy?hsLang=en) [Cookies policy](https://ethicontrol.com/en/cookies-policy?hsLang=en) [Legal information](https://ethicontrol.com/en/trust-center?hsLang=en) [Attribution](https://ethicontrol.com/en/attribution?hsLang=en) [English](https://ethicontrol.com/en/main?hsLang=en) [Polski](https://ethicontrol.com/pl/main-pl?hsLang=en) [Українська](https://ethicontrol.com/uk/main-uk?hsLang=en) [Español](https://ethicontrol.com/es/main-es?hsLang=en) | [![twitter-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/twitter-1.svg)](https://twitter.com/ethicontrol)[![instagram-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/instagram-1.svg)](https://www.instagram.com/ethicontrol.eu/)[![youtube-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/youtube-1.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGXCC7zAqYo5QX82Id1R0GA)[![facebook-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/facebook-1.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/ethicontrol) [![linkedin-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/linkedin-1.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ethicontrol) | | --- | | [![ariba_network_white_-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ariba_network_white_-1.png?width=100&height=24&name=ariba_network_white_-1.png)](http://discovery.ariba.com/profile/AN01468432990) [![HRCaseManagement_HighPerformer_HighPerformer-1](https://ethicontrol.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Website/HRCaseManagement_HighPerformer_HighPerformer-1.png?width=50&height=65&name=HRCaseManagement_HighPerformer_HighPerformer-1.png)](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ethicontrol) [![HRCaseManagement_HighPerformer_HighPerformer](https://ethicontrol.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Website/HRCaseManagement_HighPerformer_HighPerformer.png?width=50&height=65&name=HRCaseManagement_HighPerformer_HighPerformer.png)](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ethicontrol)    | ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Sofia Merzlikina", "url" : "https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/author/sofia-merzlikina" }, "dateModified" : "2023-08-16T14:35:14.504Z", "datePublished" : "2021-12-29T09:18:00.000Z", "headline" : "Top FCPA cases 2021 - lowest charges ever?", "image" : [ "https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/Blog/Featured%20images/Top-FCPA-cases-2021.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://ethicontrol.com/en/blog/fcpa-2021", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://ethicontrol.com/hubfs/ethicontrol%20logo%20square.png" }, "name" : "Ethicontrol OU" } } ```