Following his office’s recent work on the American Italian Pasta case (discussed here), which resulted in a $7.5 million fine against the company and charges against the CEO and CFO, US Attorney John Wood of the Western District of Missouri has formed a new securities fraud position within his office. Wood stated Thursday that the position is intended to further the office’s efforts in prosecuting corporate fraud cases and other white-collar crimes, according to the Kansas City Business Journal:
“This new position will further enhance our ability to focus specifically on the integrity of financial markets,” Wood said in the release. “The recent upheavals in financial markets are an important reminder of the critical role that the Department of Justice plays in ensuring the integrity of those markets.”
