Ethics: Corporate |
Abuses of power by companies, unions or other organizations by officials who use their positions of power for personal enrichment, to the detriment of the general public and their own employees and associates.
Will charitable generosity shield convicted criminals from punishment?: This is a question today in Miami as two brothers, convicted of swindling and tax evasion as heads of Pharmed corporation, face a pre-sentencing hearing in which their attorneys are expected to present evidence of their sterling civic reputations as philanthropists. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/sfl-flbpharmedxxxxsbjan05,0,7227836.story
INTERNATIONAL
Websites
Analysis & views: 9/24/07 Mattel's apology for its toy recalls is seized on by China toy makers to re-assert the safety of its exported toys. 8/27/07 Chinese toy manufacturers say U.S. importer Mattel must share responsibility for defective toys made in China. 7/14/07 "Lord" Conrad Black, Canada's "billionaire mogul" who amassed a fortune in Canadian media, is now a "disgraced mogul" who faces up to 35 years in prison after his trial in Chicago. 5/20/06 South Korean indictment of head of Hyundai Corporation on corruption rocks automotive industry world-wide. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/20/business/worldbusinessth&oref=slogin
Books:
Video/Film:
Other Media:
NATIONAL
Websites
Analysis & views: 12/17/08 David Glenn Cox imagines a group counseling session for the victims of Bernard Madoff's fraudulent investment scheme, and shows us how it may feel when the well-heeled become the down at the heels. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21483.htm 6/26/08 Supreme Court protects Exxon-Mobil's bottom line:. After the oil spill at Valdez Alaska in 1989 resulted in punitive damage award to $5 billion to its victims, the award was later halved and now the Supreme Court further reduces the damages to a half billion. With the company having announced profits or $10.9 billion in the first quarter of this year, even if it eventually pays the award (which will come to $1 billion with interest) it may seem chump change to a company whose operations will probably not be deterred. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/washington/26punitive.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin\ EXXON MOBILE'S 2008 PROFITS: \http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/01/exxon-mobil-profits-soar_n_99568.html 6/14/08 7 arrested in Baltimore for a mortgage fraud scheme that cost many residents their homes. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.mortgage14jun14,0,3281584.story 4/11/08 Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to begin public disclosure of identities of persons applying for casino licenses. http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0411/p01s07-usmi.html /12/15/07 U.S. pays $32 million for facilitis not built in Iraq......And there's a Gainesville, FL connection: Pentagon auditors show that nearly all of a contract with Ellis Environmental Group was paid, although the Iraqi government was unable to obtain permits and the construction never occurred. An Ellis spokesman says the work had been assigned to a Gainesville-headquartered affiliate, Ellis World Alliance. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-12-13-Iraqcontract_N.htm 12/7/07 Charges of involvement in fraudulent mortgage scheme are levied against 37 in Houston. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5357783.html 11/27/07 Blackwater corruption probe is stymied by a State Department inspector general who doesn't want to inspect: State's IG called off an investigation of the role of the private security contractor in the smuggling of arms that went to Iraqi insurgency, an issue that pre-dated the civilian killings that got the company into trouble. House Oversight Committee complains that the IG gave a weak excuse for his action, which may have been influenced by the fact that his brother was put on a Blackwater governing board during the probe. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/11/26/national/w103247S86.DTL 11/8/07 Shareholders unite, you have nothing to lose but a corpocracy. Robert Monks, in a new book, says that CEOs of U.S. corporations have "hijacked" control of them and have used this control to exempt themselves from any kind of accountability. His difficult solution to a profound problem: organize shareholders to reclaim control from the hands of this economic power elite. http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/corpocracy110707.htm 11/8/07 Shake-up being demanded in D.C. tax office as employees are arrested for diverting millions in tax refunds to their own accounts. 8/22/07 "Unnecessary obstacle to trade" is the mantra of manufacturer opposition to bans on lead paint in children's toys being advocated in light of recent Mattel toy recall. In both the U.S. and China, toy makers are abetted in this attitude by "regulatory" agencies that are more manufacturer-friendly than consumer-friendly. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/19070.html 1/5/07 Villanova University study shows embezzlement to be very common U.S. Catholic Church dioceses. http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/front/16386792.htm 12/20/06 Less corporate accountability may be the result of planned change in rules for company audits that go back to the aftermath of the Enron scandal and after years of complaint of businesses that their operations were being stifled by audit requirements. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/19/AR2006121901433.html 11/3/06 Halliburton's operation of services for troops in Iraq uses a "head count" of usage that greatly enhances the number of troops "served" and increases the funds it can obtain for staff and equipment and thus its profits. http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/103006G.shtml 9/8/06 Former Reagonomics star David Stockmen now faces Wall Street investigation of fraudulent misinforming of investors. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090701723.html?referrer=email 5/5/06 Six officials of firm supplying concrete to Boston's Big Dig construction project are arrested on corruption charges: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/14502784.htm 3/31/06 House Democrats release documents showing abuses of U.S. contracts with Halliburton for Iraqi reconstruction: 3/15/06 Many electric utilities charge customers for the company's income taxes which are never paid: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/15/business/15utility.html?th&emc=th 3/10/06 U.S. contractor found guilty of fraud in Iraqi contracts: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/10/international/middleeast/10contract.html?th&emc=th 3/8/06 Andrew Fastow testifies against his colleagues in Enron: http://www.forbes.com/business/2006/03/08/fastow-enron-trial_cz_df_0308fastow.html 2/24/06 Accountability to investors made difficult by the complex "bottom line" practices of company accountants: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/23/AR2006022302064.html?referrer=email 2/20/06 Corporate crime seems to be the wave of the future for profit-making opportunites: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0218-31.htm 2/11/06 Getty foundation chief resigns amid investigations of foundation operations: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/10/AR2006021001767.html?referrer=email
Books:
Video/Film:
Other Media:
FLORIDA:
STATEWIDE
Websites:
Analysis & views: 1/5/09 Will charitable generosity shield convicted criminals from punishment?: This is a question today in Miami as two brothers, convicted of swindling and tax evasion as heads of Pharmed corporation, face a pre-sentencing hearing in which their attorneys are expected to present evidence of their sterling civic reputations as philanthropists. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/sfl-flbpharmedxxxxsbjan05,0,7227836.story 3/13/06 Gubernatorial candidate Tom Gallagher's long-time ties to a "shady" automobile insurance firm are subject of an investigative report: http://www.newtimesbpb.com/Issues/2006-03-09/news/news_2.html
Other information sources:
FLORIDA LOCALITIES
Websites:
Analysis and views: Palm Beach Co.: 12/13/08 Wall Street invester Bernard Madoff, a part-time ($9.3 million mansion) resident of Palm Beach, is arrested on charges that he conducted a Ponzi scheme that may have lost as much as $50 billion for his unfortunate investers, including many wealthy fellow members of the PBCC. As one Club member says: "Everyone is in shock." They're embarrassed. They don't want to believe they got taken." http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/12/12/1212madoff.html Tampa: 4/7/08 USF seminar in Tampa will focus on business people "behaving badly," dealing with the consequences of unethical behavior. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/07/na-executives-behaving-badly/ Boca Raton: 2/17/08 Boca Raton stockbroker accused of bilking millions of dollars in investment funds for people in his synagogue as he prayed with them while extorting their dollars that he invested in risky and failing enterprises. http://www.miamiherald.com/top_stories/story/422261.html Miami: 2/3/08 Soaring business owned by two Hispanic brothers in Miami crahses to earth in bankruptcy:. Pharmed was a leading medical supplies vendor in south Florida and was tremendously profitable, but failed after years of corruption charges against its management. http://www.miamiherald.com/top_stories/story/404331.html Orlando: 12/12/07 Pyramid scheme catering to Hispanic "investors" is shut down in Orlando. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-scam1207dec12,0,1839497.story?coll=orl_tab01_layout Ocala: 7/12/07 Free-wheeling horse trading involving financial irregularities lands an Ocala woman in jail. http://www.ocala.com/article/20070711/NEWS/70711012/1053/BREAKING_NEWS Tampa: 6/15/07 Ft. Lauderdale: 6/10/07 Small businesses in Ft. Lauderdale are suffering financial stress from a requirement of the Sarbanes-Oxley law that companies with publically-traded stocks must have expensive auditing procedures on their accounts, a fallout of the Enron scandal.
Other information sources
|