Two More Major FCPA Cases Under Priority DOJ Review (Correct)

Two Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases—one in Pennsylvania and one in Florida—could get dropped depending on the outcome of the Justice Department’s ongoing review of FCPA enforcement matters.

Former coal company executive Charles Hobson, accused of bribing Egyptian officials in connection with state contracts, is asking for a 180-day continuance of his trial, presently scheduled to begin April 21 in the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The request came 10 days after President Trump’s Feb. 10 executive order pausing enforcement of the decades-old law.

The government responded Tuesday saying the case—nearly three years old—was undergoing priority review and asked Judge Robert J. Colville to reset the first day of trial to May 5. They also asked Colville to hold off on ruling on Hobson’s motion for the moment and promised to provide the court with an update on their review on or before March 18.

The second case under priority review charges Georgia businessman Carl Zaglin, Florida resident Aldo Marchena, and former Honduran government official Francisco Cosenza Centeno with a bribery scheme involving contracts for uniforms and other goods for the Honduran police force.

In a status report filed Tuesday, prosecutors said they will update the court on its review no later than March 18. That case is presently scheduled to go to trial in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on April 28.

Another high profile FCPA case involving two former Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. executives was supposed to go to trial Wednesday in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey, but it was postponed at the last minute due to a medical issue. On the same day, March 4, the new US Attorney for New Jersey, John Girodano, asked the court to stay the trial, which is now scheduled to proceed on March 17, for 180-days.

Trump’s executive order requires Attorney General Pam Bondi to review existing FCPA actions and to issue new FCPA enforcement guidelines.

The anti-corruption law, passed in 1977, prohibits bribery of foreign officials. Trump has called the law a “disaster” that has undermined the ability of US businesses to compete internationally.

Hobson is represented by Lacy, Price & Wagner PC.

Zaglin is represented by Gillen & Lake LLC. Marchena is represented by Jose Castaneda Jr. of Coral Gables, Fla. Cosenza Centeno is represented by Jenny Wilson of Miami.

The cases are United States v. Hobson, W.D. Pa., No. 2:22-cr-00086, motion to continue 3/4/25 and United States v. Zaglin, S.D. Fla., No. 1:23-cr-20454, status report 3/4/25.