On April 16, 2013, The SEC filed a civil action against Park Drilling Company for FCPA violations. According to the SEC: "This matter involves violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ('FCPA') by Defendant Parker Drilling Company ('Parker Drilling' or the 'company'). In 2004, through its outside counsel, Parker Drilling retained a Nigerian agent to assist the company with customs disputes related to the importation of its drilling rigs into Nigeria. During the course of the agent's work, two Parker Drilling executives knowingly paid the agent large sums of money through its outside counsel for, among other things, the 'entertainment' of Nigerian foreign officials in an effort to obtain their influence in resolving custom disputes."

On April 16, 2013, the SEC issued a press release announcing it filed a settled civil action against Parker Drilling Company for "violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by authorizing improper payments to a third party intermediary retained to assist the company in resolving customs disputes." According to the SEC, in order to settle the changes, the company "will pay disgorgement of $3,050,000 plus prejudgment interest of $1,040,818. Parker Drilling consented to the entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining it from violating Sections 30A, 13(b)(2)(A), and 13(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act. The proposed settlement is subject to court approval."

On April 23, 2013, Federal District Judge Liam O'Grady entered final judgment against Parker Drilling Company pursuant to the consent of Parker Drilling Company.