Case Detail

United States v. Peter DuBois (N.D. Ok. 2011) 
United States v. Jald Jensen (N.D. Ok. 2012) 
United States v. Bernd Kowalewski (N.D. Ok. 2012) 
United States v. Neal Uhl (N.D. Ok. 2011)


Case Details

  • Case Name
  • United States v. Peter DuBois (N.D. Ok. 2011) 
    United States v. Jald Jensen (N.D. Ok. 2012) 
    United States v. Bernd Kowalewski (N.D. Ok. 2012) 
    United States v. Neal Uhl (N.D. Ok. 2011)
  • Date Filed
  • 12/27/2001
  • Enforcement Agency
  • DOJ
  • Countries
  • Mexico, Panama, Brazil
  • Foreign Official
  • Officials and employees of the Mexican Policia Federal Preventiva, Mexican Coordinacion General de Transportes Aereos Presidenciales, Gobierno del Estado de Sinaloa, and the Republica de Panama Autoridad Aeronautica Civil.
  • Date of Conduct
  • 2005 to 2010
  • Nature of Business
  • BizJet International Sales and Support, Inc. is a provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  It is a subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik AG, a German provider of aircraft-related services.
  • Influence to be Obtained
  • According to court documents, four BizJet executives, Peter Dubois (former vice president), Jald Jensen (former sales manager), Bernd Kowalewski (former CEO), and Neal Uhl (former vice president), engaged in a scheme to bribe various officials from Mexico, Panama, and Brazil from 2004 to March 2010.  The DOJ alleged that the four executives arranged for illicit check and wire transfers, often referred to as “commissions,” to be made to a group of foreign officials in exchange for lucrative aircraft services contracts.  According to the DOJ’s charges, while it was often the case that the bribes were paid directly to the foreign officials, occasionally, the payments were funneled through a shell company that was owned and operated by Jensen.
  • Enforcement
  • On April 5, 2013, the DOJ unsealed four indictments filed in 2011 and 2012 against DuBois, Kowalewski, Jensen, and Uhl.  At the time of the announcement, both DuBois and Uhl pleaded guilty to multiple charges and were sentenced to probation plus eight months home detention.  The sentences were reduced on account of DuBois’ and Uhl’s cooperation with authorities. 

    In March 2014, Kowalewski was arrested in Amsterdam and subsequently pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA and one substantive count of violating the FCPA.  On November 18, 2014, Kowalewski was sentenced to time served and ordered to pay a $15,000 criminal fine.  The fourth BizJet executive, Jensen, remains a fugitive.
  • Amount of the Value
  • Approximately $565,000.
  • Amount of Business Related to Payment
  • Not Stated
  • Intermediary
  • Shell Company
  • Citizenship of Parent Entity
  • United States
  • Compliance Monitor
  • No
  • Reporting Requirements
  • No
  • Case is Pending?
  • No

Defendants

Peter DuBois 

  • Citation
  • United States v. DuBois, No. 11-cr-183 (N.D. Ok. 2011); 
  • Date Filed
  • 12/27/2011
  • Filed Under Seal
  • Yes
  • Date Case Was Unsealed
  • 04/05/2013
  • FCPA Statutory Provision
    • Anti-Bribery
    • Conspiracy
  • Other Statutory Provision
  • None
  • Disposition
  • Plea Agreement
  • Defendant Jurisdictional Basis
  • Domestic Concern
  • Defendant's Citizenship
  • United States
  • Individual Sanction
  • Probation plus 8-months Home Detention.

Jald Jensen

  • Citation
  • United States v. Jensen, No. 12-cr-06 (N.D. Ok. 2012); 
  • Date Filed
  • 01/05/2012
  • Filed Under Seal
  • Yes
  • Date Case Was Unsealed
  • 04/05/2013
  • FCPA Statutory Provision
    • Anti-Bribery
    • Conspiracy
  • Other Statutory Provision
  • Conspiracy (Money Laundering); Money Laundering.
  • Disposition
  • Fugitive
  • Defendant Jurisdictional Basis
  • Domestic Concern
  • Defendant's Citizenship
  • United States
  • Individual Sanction
  • Pending

Bernd Kowalewski 

  • Citation
  • United States v. Kowalewski, No. 12-cr-07 (N.D. Ok. 2012); 
  • Date Filed
  • 01/05/2012
  • Filed Under Seal
  • Yes
  • Date Case Was Unsealed
  • 04/05/2013
  • FCPA Statutory Provision
    • Anti-Bribery
    • Conspiracy
  • Other Statutory Provision
  • Conspiracy (Money Laundering); Money Laundering.
  • Disposition
  • Plea Agreement
  • Defendant Jurisdictional Basis
  • Agent of Domestic Concern
  • Individual Sanction
  • Time Served; $15,000 Criminal Fine.

Neal Uhl 

  • Citation
  • United States. v. Uhl, No. 11-cr-184 (N.D. Ok. 2011).
     
  • Date Filed
  • 12/28/2011
  • Filed Under Seal
  • Yes
  • Date Case Was Unsealed
  • 04/05/2013
  • FCPA Statutory Provision
    • Conspiracy
  • Other Statutory Provision
  • None
  • Disposition
  • Plea Agreement
  • Defendant Jurisdictional Basis
  • Domestic Concern
  • Defendant's Citizenship
  • United States
  • Individual Sanction
  • Probation plus 8-months Home Detention 
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