SEC Charges John Deere With FCPA Violations for Subsidiary’s Role in Thai Bribery Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Deere & Company, which does business as John Deere, agreed to pay nearly $10 million to resolve SEC charges that it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) arising out of bribes paid by its wholly owned subsidiary, Wirtgen Thailand. The company is an Illinois-based global manufacturer of agricultural machinery and heavy equipment. The SEC’s order finds that, from at least late 2017 through 2020, Wirtgen Thailand employees bribed Thai government officials with the Royal Thai Air Force, the Department of Highways, and the Department of Rural Roads to win multiple government contracts and also bribed employees of a private company to win sales to that company.