Defendant Name: WPP plc

Defendant Type: Public Company
SIC Code: 7311
CUSIP: 92937A10

Initial Case Details

Legal Case Name In the Matter of WPP plc
First Document Date 24-Sep-2021
Initial Filing Format Administrative Action
File Number 3 - 20595
Allegation Type Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
AAER 4257

Violations Alleged

Exchange Act
• Sec 13(b)(2)(A)
• Sec 13(b)(2)(B)
• Sec 30A

Resolutions

First Resolution Date 24-Sep-2021

Related Documents:

34-93117 24-Sep-2021 Administrative Proceeding
Order Instituting Cease-and- Desist Proceedings Pursuant to Section 21C of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Making Findings, and Imposing A Cease-and-Desist Order
On September 24, 2021, the SEC instituted settled cease-and-desist proceedings stating: "This matter concerns violations of the anti-bribery, books and records, and internal accounting controls provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA") by WPP, the world's largest advertising group. The bribery scheme took place at a WPP majority-owned subsidiary in India, which, through intermediaries, paid as much as a million dollars in bribes to Indian officials to obtain and retain government business, resulting in over $5 million in net profit from 2015 -- 2017."
2021-191 24-Sep-2021 Press Release--Administrative Proceeding
SEC Charges World's Largest Advertising Group with FCPA Violations
The SEC "announced that London-based WPP plc, the world's largest advertising group, has agreed to pay more than $19 million to resolve charges that it violated the anti-bribery, books and records, and internal accounting controls provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)."