Too Late to Pursue Enron Case, Justice Says

WASHINGTON -- Justice Department officials said Tuesday that the statute of limitations prohibits them from pursuing allegations of bribery by Enron Corp. officials in a Guatemala power-generating project. But they declined say why the case was not pursued when the department received a criminal referral from the Internal Revenue Service in 1999, The Washington Post reported.

The Internal Revenue Service in Houston referred the case to Attorney General Janet Reno in May 1999. Peter B. Clark, deputy chief of Justice's fraud division, wrote back a month later: "We appreciate the receipt of information concerning potential violations" of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Tuesday, responding to inquires made to Clark, Justice Department spokesman Bryan Sierra said there could be no prosecution because statute of limitations under the corrupt-practices act expired after five years.

Sierra would not say why the case was not pursued in 1999. "I cannot comment on past referrals or current referrals," Sierra said. "There is an ongoing investigation into Enron."

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 7/30/03