- U.S. Department of Justice Press Release
Film Executive and Spouse Arrested for Paying Bribes to a Thai Tourism Official to Obtain Lucrative Film Festival Management Contracts
WASHINGTON -- A Los Angeles film executive and his spouse were arrested today on allegations of making corrupt payments to a Thai government official in order to obtain lucrative contracts to run an international film festival in Bangkok, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the Justice Department announced today.
Gerald Green, 75, and his wife Patricia Green, 52, both of Los Angeles, were arrested on a criminal complaint filed on Dec. 7, 2007, in federal court in Los Angeles and unsealed today. The complaint alleges that the Greens conspired to make more than $1.7 million in bribe payments for the benefit of a government official with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in order to obtain the film festival contract and other contracts with TAT worth more than $10 million.
Gerald Green and Patricia Green owned and operated Film Festival Management, a Los Angeles-based business that was formed in 2003 specifically to bid for the management contract for the annual Bangkok International Film Festival (BKKIFF). The complaint alleges that from 2003 and continuing into 2007, the Greens conspired with others to bribe a senior Thai government official who was, at the time, the President of the BKKIFF and the Governor of the TAT. As a result of her position at the TAT, the Governor was able to influence the awarding of the BKKIFF contracts as well as other TAT contracts. More than $1.7 million in payments were allegedly made for the benefit of the Governor.
The complaint also alleges that the Greens attempted to conceal their bribery, including using different business entities, some with dummy business addresses and telephone numbers, in their dealings with the TAT in order to hide the large amount of money the Greens were being paid under the contracts; and by making commission payments to the Governor through the foreign bank accounts of intermediaries.
The conspiracy and FCPA allegations each carry a maximum of five years in prison.
The criminal case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Lopez of the Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Searby of the Central District of California. The case is being investigated by agents of the FBI, Los Angeles Field Office.
