We Now Have The Answer To The Question: What Is The Longest Prison Sentence Ever Imposed For FCPA Violations?

There is a large – and growing – emphasis on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in the U.S. and around the world. There are more prosecutions, more convictions, and more companies focusing on the rules and establishing programs to prevent violations. How serious is the federal government’s push on the FCPA? Very serious. As one bit of evidence, we can point to this: Charles Paul Edward Jumet of Fluvanna County, Va., has been sentenced to 87 months in prison for paying bribes to former Panamanian government officials to secure maritime contracts, in violation of the FCPA, and for making a false statement to federal agents.  The 87 month sentence is the longest prison term imposed against an individual for violating the FCPA. 

According to court documents: From approximately 1997 through July 2003, Jumet and others conspired to pay money secretly to Panamanian government officials in exchange for awarding contracts to Ports Engineering Consultants Corporation (PECC) to maintain lighthouses and buoys along Panama’s waterway.  In December 1997, the Panamanian government awarded PECC a no-bid 20-year concession.  Upon receipt of the concession, Jumet admitted that he and others authorized corrupt payments to be made to the Panamanian government officials.  In total, Jumet and others caused corrupt payments of more than $200,000 to be paid to the former administrator and the former deputy administrator of the Panama Maritime Authority and to a former high-ranking elected executive official of the Republic of Panama.