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Belgian Subsidiy Guilty of Exporting to Syria
A subsidiary of a Texas oil firm has pleaded guilty to illegally exporting drilling equipment to Syria, in violation of U.S. law.
Robbins & Myers Belgium S.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Robbins & Myers Inc., pleaded guilty to four counts of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Export Administration Regulations.
The crimes date back to 2006, when the Belgian subsidiary shipped stators made from U.S.-origin steel to a customer in Syria, despite warnings from its U.S.-based parent company that such shipments were illegal.
According to court documents, the subsidiary continued to make shipments of stators to Syria between August and October 2006, after being told to stop.
The subsidiary’s actions were discovered by an internal auditor, who informed senior management at the U.S.-based parent company, which then confirmed that the shipments were in violation of U.S. law.
As part of its plea agreement, Robbins & Myers Belgium has agreed to pay a total of $1 million in criminal fines, as well as $600,000 in civil penalties, and to forfeit $31,716 in gross proceeds from the illegal exports.
The guilty plea was announced by John P. Carlin, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and Eric L. Hirschhorn, U.S. Department of Commerce Under Secretary for Industry and Security.
U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the investigators, saying, ‘This case shows that the United States will vigorously enforce its export laws against companies doing business with Syria, a state-sponsor of terrorism and home to one of the most brutal regimes on earth.’
Under Secretary Hirschhorn added, ‘The significant civil and criminal penalties in this case show our resolve to pursue and prosecute those who flout our export control laws.’
The case was prosecuted by the Counterespionage Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, with assistance from the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.
Key Facts
- State: District of Columbia
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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