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Enforcement Action Dataset

 

Initiation Date:    11/03/2021  Information

Prosecuting Agency:    U.S. Department of Justice

Type of Action:    DOJ Criminal Proceeding

Docket or Case Number:    21-cr-00455

Court:    W.D. Pennsylvania

Name of Prosecuting Attorneys:   

  • Joseph Beemsterboer, Acting Chief, Fraud Section, Criminal Division
  • Stephen R. Kaufman, Acting U.S. Attorney
  • Eric G. Olshan, Assistant United States Attorney

US Assisting Agencies:   Unknown

Foreign Enforcement Action/Investigation:   Unknown

Foreign Assisting Agencies:   Unknown

Origin of the Proceeding:    Unknown

Whistleblower:    Unknown

Case Status:    Ongoing


Summary  Information

Corsa Coal Corporation, headquartered in Pennsylvania, mined, processed, and sold metallurgical coal to customers in the domestic and international steel industries. The company operated mines in Pennsylvania and Maryland and conducted business in foreign markets, including, at various times, Egypt and Turkey.

Frederick Cushmore Jr., a U.S. citizen and resident of Connecticut, worked for Corsa Coal Corp between late 2016 and October 2020 in various international sales positions, including as Vice President, Head of International Sales.

Charles Hunter Hobson, a U.S. citizen and resident of Tennessee, worked for Corsa Coal Corp between 2016 and March 2018 in various international sales positions, including as Vice President of Appalachian Business.

According to the documents in this case, between 2016 and October 2020, Cushmore conspired with others to pay bribes to a high-level executive at Al Nasr Company for Coke and Chemicals ("Al Nasr"), an Egyptian state-owned and state-controlled entity, as well as other Egyptian government officials, in order to obtain and retain lucrative sales contracts for Corsa Coal Corp. The scheme involved making commission payments to Corsa Coal Corp's sales agent in Egypt on each metric ton of coal that the company sold to Al Nasr. It was understood and intended that a portion of the commissions that Corsa Coal Corp paid to the agent would be passed on as bribes to the Egyptian officials. In all, Corsa Coal Corp shipped coal to Al Nasr in Egypt on approximately thirteen occasions, and Al Nasr paid the company approximately $143 million in connection with these coal shipments.

On November 3, 2021, the DOJ filed a single count information in the Western District of Pennsylvania against Cushmore alleging a conspiracy to violate the antibribery provisions of the FCPA. Cushmore pled guilty on November 17, 2021, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on August 13, 2024.

This case is ongoing.

In a related proceeding, on March 29, 2022, the DOJ filed a seven count indictment in the Western District of Pennsylvania against Hobson alleging (1) a conspiracy to violate the antibribery provisions of the FCPA, (2-3) direct violations of the antibribery provisions of the FCPA, (4-6) money laundering, and (7) a conspircy to commit wire fraud. This case is ongoing.

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