Former Sicpa Executive Pleads Guilty in Brazil Bribery
Charles Finkel admitted conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act over a bribery scheme in Brazil.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Financial Crime
Charles Finkel, a former executive vice president of Sicpa, pleaded guilty on October 21 to conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The plea was placed on the court docket and newly unsealed US court records were made public.
Why it matters
The plea shows US prosecutors pursuing foreign bribery cases under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act against individuals connected to multinational companies. It also illustrates how such cases can end in financial penalties and payments to the United States rather than only prison terms.
Finkel consented to a $14.85 million money judgment and agreed to pay $5 million to the US by October 31 or his sentencing date, whichever is earlier. The extraction does not specify a sentencing date or any further charges against other parties.
The players
Charles Finkel
A former executive vice president of Sicpa who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Sicpa
A Swiss company that provides security printing and authentication products, where Finkel previously served as an executive.
The details
Finkel pleaded guilty to his role in a bribery scheme in Brazil and consented to a money judgment as part of the plea agreement. The court records of the case were newly unsealed and the plea was placed on the court docket.
Timeline
October 21: Finkel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
October 31: Deadline for Finkel's $5 million payment to the US, or his sentencing date if earlier.
Legal Context
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been the main US statute used to prosecute bribery of foreign officials by American and affiliated companies and their executives. Cases like Finkel's show the law still being applied to individuals, with resolutions that include money judgments alongside guilty pleas.
For readers following corporate compliance, the case shows that individual executives can face personal guilty pleas and money judgments under the FCPA. Companies operating abroad are reminded that bribery exposure can extend to former staff years after the conduct occurred.
The takeaway
Foreign bribery cases can produce personal financial consequences for executives even before sentencing. Organizations should review their anti-bribery controls for overseas dealings regardless of when the conduct occurred.
Further reading
Explore more on Financial Crime to see how related corporate bribery and fraud cases are handled.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mlex.
