Greens' trial set to begin

The case of Hollywood producer Gerald Green and his wife Patrica is set to begin on Tuesday in Los Angeles. The pair are charged with violating the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, having been accused of bribing a Thai government official in order to obtain management contracts, including running the Bangkok International Film Festival.

Law.com recaps the case. Here's an excerpt:

The case is one of the few to go to trial involving violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), particularly in the entertainment industry, which increasingly has depended upon sales in foreign markets.

"There aren't that many individual prosecutions that go to trial under the FCPA," said Jonathan Drimmer, a partner at Washington, D.C.'s Steptoe & Johnson and an expert on FCPA crimes. "It's not uncommon for FCPA cases to be based against medical companies or pharmaceutical companies, or services companies, but this is the first prosecution that I'm aware of against individuals in the entertainment industry."

U.S. authorities say the Greens made bribes to a Thai official totaling US$1.8 million between 2002 and 2006 in order to obtain $14 million worth of contracts, including the Bangkok International Film Festival as well as the much-troubled Thailand Elite Card.

Update: The Wrap has more on the case.

Update 2: The FCPA blog has an update and there's a post at Compliance Building.