Category: News

In a recent interview for an article written, in Dutch, by Marit Willemsen of NCL.NL, I explained that seizing assets belonging to Equatorial Guinea’s ruling Obiang family will hardly bring benefit to the inhabitants of the oil-producing former Spanish colony, located in central Africa.

Should Dutch prosecutors be successful in the forfeiture of a yacht, supposedly belonging to Teodorin Obiang (TNO), the son of the the country’s president, they will face difficulties giving the money back to Equatorial Guinea in a manner that won’t benefit the Obiangs ultimately.

Prosecutors had better concentrate their resources on prosecuting those who help such rulers launder the proceeds in their territory. And they should also assist countries that are really involved in claiming looted assets back.

The trial may herald “a change of paradigm” in how France combats financial crimes, according to Stephane Bonifassi, a criminal lawyer in Paris.

UBS Group AG will stand trial in France in a tax-fraud case that may leave the Swiss bank open to a fine of as much as 4.9 billion euros ($5.3 billion).

The bank, which posted a 1.1 billion-euro bond to cover any potential penalties three years ago, said on Monday that it will have to answer charges that it helped wealthy clients evade taxes by stashing funds overseas. The criminal case is coming to court after settlement talks with French authorities broke down over the size of the fine. No date has been set for the trial. Read more

For this article in Global Investigations Review about Airbus’s alleged corruption case, Stéphane Bonifassi explained how Deferred Prosecution Agreements, now a part of France’s legal landscape, will help cooperation between prosecutors in France and the UK.

Read the article (subscription-based)

Stéphane Bonifassi is proud to have been recognized by Who’s Who Legal as “most highly regarded” in the areas of asset recovery and business crime defence and investigations in France. Read more

 

L’émission « le Bien Commun » animée par Antoine Garapon sur Amicus Radio a été l’occasion de revenir sur une disposition contestable de la loi Sapin 2 insidieusement glissée dans la foule de propositions nouvelles portées par la loi Sapin 2. L’article 24 (renuméroté 59) modifie profondément les règles en matière d’immunités d’états étrangers et les renforce considérablement. Retrouvez mon analyse critique et celle du professeur Matthias Audit sous le lien suivant : bit.ly/2nn3hh1

Venez assister le 27 mars prochain à la conférence qu’organise France Amériques sur le thème “Quelle coopération entre procureurs et entreprises, après la loi Sapin 2?” en présence d‘Eric Russo, Premier vice-procureur au Parquet national financier.

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