On December 2, 2016, the SEC issued an Accounting and Auditing Enforcement, Administrative Proceeding Order against United Continental Holdings, Inc. Here is a link to the Order, CLICK HERE

Why is this Order important – because the SEC found that “United failed to design and maintain a system of internal accounting controls that was sufficient to prevent its officers from approving the use of United’s assets in connection with the South Carolina Route in violation of United’s Policies, which prohibited the use of assets for corrupt purposes.” This isn’t a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act case – the alleged corruption or impropriety occurred in the United States. The SEC alleged that United “instituted the South Carolina Route following pressure from David Samson (“Samson”), then the Chairman of he Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (“Port Authority”). The route provided Samson – who exercised authority and influence as a Port Authority official in matters affecting United’s business interests – with a more direct route to his house in South Carolina.”

The scenario in this case could occur at any time that a public company (1) allegedly acts improperly, and (2) it is alleged that the act was allowed or able to occur because of insufficient internal controls (resulting in a violation of the books and records and internal accounting controls provisions of the Securities Exchange Act, which is automatically alleged in a great number of cases because it is easy in most situations to allege that something unexpected occurred because of inadequate internal controls), and (3) the alleged improper act also allegedly violates some policy or procedure of the public company (i.e., in this case to not use corporate assets for an allegedly corrupt or improper purpose).

What can a company (and the audit committee) do about these possible situations? Review the company’s policies and procedures, and adopt and enact sufficient internal controls, monitored and updated regularly, to ensure that the policies and procedures are followed. But, of course, it is difficult and probably impossible to ensure 100% compliance. I have previously written that the books and records and internal accounting controls provision in the Securities Exchange Act should be amended to include a standard of conduct provision (such as negligence) because it is unreasonable to expect that internal controls, no matter how good, will stop all alleged wrongful conduct.

Below is a screenshot of some of the SEC v. United Order, providing a summary of some of the facts, and I have also included below a link to Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide. Dave Tate, Esq., San Francisco and California

The following is a link to Tate’s Excellent Audit Committee Guide (updated October 20, 2016), Click Here

The following is a link to my trust, estate, conservatorship and elder abuse litigation blog, http://californiaestatetrust.com