U.S. v. Green -- See You In September

Variety -- our favorite FCPA news source on leap day or any other day -- is reporting that the trial of Hollywood movie producers Gerald and Patricia Green has been postponed to September 2008. The husband and wife are accused of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by paying more than $1.7 million in bribes to a government official with the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Prosecutors say the purpose of the alleged payments was to obtain a no-bid contract to manage the prestigious Bangkok International Film Festival, for which the Greens' company received about $10 million. They've pleaded not guilty and are free on bail. Before being postponed, the trial was set to start this week.

Variety also reports that Thailand's Department of Special Investigations is expected to announce soon the results of its investigation into corruption allegations against the former head of the Bangkok International Film Festival, Juthamas Siriwan. The high-profile politician wasn't named in the FBI's affidavit about the Greens. But she was easy to identify from descriptions of her and her family members. Both the Greens and their prosecutors will be anxious to learn the results of the Thai government's investigation into Siriwan, who has "proclaimed her innocence and threatened to sue the FBI," according to Variety.

View prior posts about the Greens here.

View the FBI's Affidavit here.

View Variety's February 25, 2008 report here.