Financial news sites were ablaze recently with the news that a co-founder and board member of the data server company Super Micro Computer had been indicted, along with two other company executives, for allegedly conspiring to smuggle high-end Nvidia chips into China, in violation of U.S. export control laws. With news that sensational, and in light of the ensuing stock price drop, it was only a matter of time before plaintiffs’ lawyers would file a securities class action lawsuit. And, sure enough, late last week, a plaintiff shareholder did file a securities suit against the company.
The complaint in the new lawsuit, which can be found here, is interesting in and of itself, relating as it does to the sensational circumstances involved. But the lawsuit is arguably even more interesting for what it represents – that is, as an illustration of the ways that geopolitical issues can – and increasingly are – translating into securities class action lawsuits.Continue Reading Geopolitics, Export Controls, and D&O Risk
As a result of a host of recent developments – including the War in Ukraine, trade tensions with China, and growing issues involving digital assets – several long-standing regulatory regimes have become increasingly important for companies and their executives. These regulatory regimes include U.S. sanctions, export controls, anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-bribery and corruption laws. According to a recent memo from the Skadden law firm entitled “Why Directors and Executives Need to Pay Attention to Sanctions, Money Laundering, and Export Rules” (