The UK’s version of the corporate plea deal, Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs), came into being exactly a decade ago. Reached between a prosecutor and an organization which would otherwise be prosecuted, they allow a prosecution to be suspended for a defined period – provided the organization meets certain specified conditions.
The UK’s Serious Fraud Office can’t be seen as both prosecutor and regulator
Corporate plea deals can be useful as bridge between negligence and criminal behavior, but they should not form part of the SFO’s main arsenal.