Monday, June 8, 2020

American Trap

Business

‘American Trap’: A French Executive’s View From a U.S. Prison Cell



  • New book describes jailing of a former Alstom manager in U.S.
  • Pierucci’s story comes as auto titan Ghosn remains in prison.
Frenchman Frederic Pierucci’s nightmare began shortly after his airplane touched down in New York on a brisk April night in 2013.
Like the recently jailed car titan Carlos Ghosn, the former Alstom SA executive Pierucci was whisked away from his airplane, accused of financial misdeeds and thrown in jail.

The American Trap: My battle to expose America's secret economic war against the rest of the world.


Description

In 2014, France lost part of the control of its nuclear power plants to the United States. Frédéric Pierucci, former senior executive of one of Alstom's power company subsidiaries, found himself at the heart of this state scandal. His story goes to the very core of how he plotted the key features of the secret economic war that the United States is waging in Europe. And after being silenced for a long time, he has decided, with the help of journalist Matthieu Aron, to reveal all.
In April 2013, Frédéric Pierucci was arrested in New York by the FBI and accused of bribery. The US authorities imprisoned him for more than two years - including fourteen months in a notorious maximum-security prison. In doing so, they forced Alstom to pay the biggest financial penalty ever imposed by the United States. In the end, Alstom also gave up areas of control to General Electric, its biggest American competitor.
Frédéric's story unpacks how the United States is using corporate law as an economic weapon against its own allies. One after the other, some of the world's largest companies are being actively destabilised to the benefit of the US, in acts of economic sabotage that seem to be the beginning of what's to come...

Review

A cautionary tale for globe-trotting executives at multinational companies― Bloomberg

This is more a tale of war than a thriller. A 'covert economic war' waged by the United States to weaken U.S. companies' competition― La Croix

An extraordinary French industrial saga...a testimony that sends shivers down your spine― Le Journal du Dimanche

A wake-up call for all managers working for international companies... A warning sign for all those multinational companies that risk getting on the radar of the American justice system― Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

A legal thriller― Le Figaro

About the Author

Former senior executive of Alstom in the Philippines, Frédéric Pierucci's life was turned upside-down on April 4th, 2013 when he was arrested by the FBI under the Foreign Corruption Practice Act that allows the arrest of anyone, anywhere for suspicion of corruption.


Matthieu Aron is a journalist and former associate director of the Nouvel Observateur and former managing editor at France Inter. He has followed Frederic Pierucci's story since the beginning.

The former executive of "French Huawei" and the author of "American Trap" Pierucci complained tearfully: How did we get from the world's first to being acquired by the United States!  Today, they are eyeing Huawei China again. Don't repeat the same mistakes.

 Alstom is the brightest pearl in French industry.  At a glorious time, Alstom did, the world's first hydropower equipment, nuclear power plant conventional island world first, environmental control system world first, ultra-high-speed trains and high-speed trains world first.  In terms of energy, we have provided equipment that accounts for 15% of the world’s total installed capacity, totaling 460 MW, ranking second in the world.  Alstom and the American giant General Electric have fierce global competition.

 On April 14, 2013, at JFK International Airport in the United States, I (Pieruzzi), as the vice president of Alton International Sales, was arrested by the FBI just after getting off the plane.  I never expected that I would be arrested in the United States and prosecuted for imprisonment for a case that was in Indonesia ten years ago.  What is even more shocking is that when I was in prison, my old club Alstom was "dismembered".

 Alstom, a commercial giant that once spanned the global power, energy and rail transportation industry, was not only fined a huge $772 million fine by the US Department of Justice.  The core business was also "compulsory" acquired by major competitor General Electric, which allowed the United States to obtain partial control of most nuclear power plants in France.

 When I was just arrested by the United States, I did not understand the situation.  My heart is still illusory, thinking that I can be safe and sound.  But in the end, I was told that I violated the US "Anti-Corruption Act" and conspiracy to launder money and other ten counts.  If the lawsuit is established, I will face a total of 125 years in prison.  It was at that time that I suddenly realized that the goal of the United States was not me but Alstom.  The Americans did this so that they could dismember Alstom and finally achieve the purpose of acquisition.

  In the days when I was imprisoned by the United States, I always paid attention to the development of the situation.  I think that business competition should have a bottom line, no one can trample on the rules arbitrarily, let alone they are the world leaders!  But the ensuing events completely shattered my fantasy.  In order to force Alstom to succumb, on April 23, 2014, our company's vice president of Asia, Lawrence Hawkins, was arrested by the United States.  The next day, Alstom President Berkeley was under pressure to announce that he was planning to sell his “pearl on the palm” energy business (70% of its business volume) to General Electric for $13 billion.

 Although Alstom has more than 10 billion U.S. dollars in this acquisition, but after paying taxes, joint ventures, capital injection, shareholder dividends, and debt repayments, the company's earnings are almost zero.  With a strong dollar and technical strength, the United States has successfully applied a set of American guidelines to other allies and their businesses on many issues of common concern.  Arrest the executives of competitors through judicial means, and finally force the executives of the competitors to succumb to the acquisition of the rival company.  Americans have used this method to perfection. Within ten years, General Electric has acquired at least four companies through this method. Alstom is only the fifth.

 Alstom is our Huawei in France, but it was crushed by the United States and finally acquired.  In recent years, your Chinese Huawei company has faced the same situation as ours.  All are the same means, but your Huawei is the top enterprise in the field of 5g, Alstom is the pearl of French industry!  At that time, at least 4 senior executives of Alstom were arrested. Today you witnessed the arrest of the daughter of Huawei’s founder Mr. Ren Zhengfei, Ms. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s CFO.

 The US Department of Justice is not independent, but is under the control of powerful American multinational companies.  The relevant US laws can be called a tool for extortion. Since 2010, French companies and banks alone have paid US$14 billion in fines to the US.  From the moral two of the Alcatel oil industry in the communications industry to Industrial Bank.  The punished French company is undoubtedly not an industry giant.

 When I heard your Ms. Meng Wanzhou from Huawei being arrested in Canada, I felt that I should tell the world what I knew, especially Huawei, which reminded China, I hope you will not repeat Alstom’s mistakes.  At the beginning of 2019, the book "The American Trap" co-authored by a French journalist and I was published in France, which caused a huge response.  This book is my personal experience of Pierucci, and it reveals in detail the inside story of the US government's crackdown on US corporate competitors.  I sincerely hope that Chinese friends can take a look at it and make preparations to prevent it. I wish Ms. Meng Wanzhou can return to the country as soon as possible, and hope that Huawei can overcome the difficulties.

 "This is a complete blackmail."

American Trap.

Description


This is the story of a man caught in the middle of a huge American destabilising operation, illustrating the secret economic war that the United States is waging against developed nations across the world. 
In 2014, France lost part of the control of its nuclear power plants to the United States. Frédéric Pierucci, former senior executive of one of Alstom's subsidiaries, found himself at the heart of this state scandal. His story goes to the very heart of a $12 billion thriller that illustrates the secret economic war that the United States is waging in Europe. And after being silenced for a long time, he has decided, with the help of journalist Matthieu Aron, to reveal all. 
In April 2013, Frédéric was arrested in New York by the FBI and prosecuted for a bribery case, despite not being involved at all. The US authorities locked him up for more than two years - including 14 months in a very high security prison. In doing so, they forced Alstom to pay the biggest penalty ever imposed by the United States and to give up areas of control to General Electric, Alstom's biggest American competitor. 
Frédéric's story unpacks how the United States is diverting the law and morality and using corporate law as an economic weapon against its own allies. One after the other, some of the world's largest companies are being actively destabilised to the benefit of the US Treasury, in acts of sabotage that seem only to be the beginning of what's to come...

Best comments.
Latour07

 5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase

 Reviewed in France on February 3, 2019

 Salutary combat

 Frédéric Pierucci was an international executive at Alstom when in April 2013 he was arrested on the plane which took him from Singapore to New York by the FBI.  He does not know why.
 He will learn it.
 It is in fact an "element" of the pressure device put in place by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to bend the presidency of Alstom struggling with the DoJ for years for acts of bribery of public officials at the  foreign.
 Alstom is the emblematic case of the economic war delivered with intelligence and patriotism by the United States to its Western partners.  The de facto coordination of the DoJ and GE attacks on Alstom, involving considerable resources (almost 500 million euros in consultancy fees for the "merger" of the two companies will be paid in fees for bankers, lawyers, communicators)  very easily bent a French political power, naturally little sensitive to espionage and even less to economic intelligence (despite the work of the IHEDN), Atlanticist, taken aback and intellectually incapable of grasping the subjects of  industrial strategy (including Emmanuel Macron who, while he could avail himself of this skill, focuses on so-called "high-tech" subjects to the detriment of others).  The desperate action of Arnaud Montebourg, to save Alstom, who was betrayed by Patrick Kron, its president, is worthy of praise as the author does.  The cowardice of Holland, which was no longer to be demonstrated, is again illustrated in this case Alstom, a strategic company for France which controls and maintains 58% of the fleet of boilers in our atomic power plants, for example.

 2 years in prison, including 14 months in a high security district, various pressures, the betrayals of his lawyers committed by one of Alstom's advisers (one swims in full conflict of interest) will be inflicted on Frédéric Pierucci, and  indirectly to his wife, four young children and parents.

 Frédéric Pierucci's book reads like a high-flying thriller with the difference that these are real facts and that the writing is that of his blood, his sweat, his fears, his courage,  his steadfast tenacity, his intelligence.  The author's objective is to make us understand that we have been in the midst of an economic war waged by the United States for years.  It cost almost 13 billion euros to French companies in fines paid, 50% more than the poverty reduction plan announced by Emmanuel Macron in 2018 (8 billion euros)!  So much money that goes, in part, in the payment of salaries, recruitments, research and development funding for our industries and banks (BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Crédit Agricole had to pay).

 Our industrial flagships Airbus and Areva are also the target of the American DoJ.

 As Alain Juillet, former director of intelligence at the DGSE points out after the book, it is urgent that our leaders go beyond the Sapin 2 law (which is real progress compared to nothing) and, like the  proposes the former Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, associate lawyer of a French cabinet in Paris, that a European anti-corruption organization is the counterpart of the American one.

 The signal is given.  All French citizens must know that their Nation is engaged in this economic war which it is not written that we should have no means of defense.


 45 people found this helpful
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Alexis Livier

 3.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase

 Reviewed in France on February 22, 2019

 Good, but no concrete political solution

 Amazon having been kind enough to censor my first comment, I republish it by filing its claws: it should not shock good souls!  Clear the country, still pass, but criticize the grandes écoles, the government and the republic, no!

 So I said that the testimony was interesting, both on the US prison system and on the process of letting go of an old employee by a lawless and lawless directorate, but, in the end, we close the book, and we don't  know what to do.

 Mr. Pierucci does not offer solutions;  he is, however, a senior executive, "rich", if I dare say, of a sad experience allowing him to have more height of sight than most people: he became a consultant, so he capitalizes on his experience,  which in itself is not open to criticism, but politically, who are we voting for?  We keep the grandes écoles and the knot heads that come out of them to rule the country?  How can you resist the American Empire?  Should we apply the law of Talion?  Should we not de-Americanize the country to regain the independence of spirit necessary for the reestablishment of economic independence?  All these questions…


 33 people found this helpful.

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5,0 sur 5 étoilesAchat vérifié
Commenté en France le 11 février 2019
tout le monde devrait lire ce livre
tout le monde devrait lire ce livre, en particulier nos hommes et femmes politiques et tous les européens. Quand j'entends que l'Europe bloque le rapprochement Alstom-Siemens, je me dit que nos responsables n'ont rien compris, ils devraient ouvrir les yeux.
Je salue le courage de Frédéric Pierrucci qui a résisté à cette machine à broyer et qui continue à se battre. Soutenons le au moins en achetant ce livre.
12 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
zaza marseille

 5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase

 Reviewed in France on February 11, 2019

 everyone should read this book

 everyone should read this book, especially our politicians and all Europeans. When I hear that Europe is blocking the Alstom-Siemens rapprochement, I tell myself that our officials have understood nothing, they should open their eyes.
 I salute the courage of Frédéric Pierrucci who resisted this grinding machine and who continues to fight. Let's support it at least by buying this book.

 12 people found this helpful

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Wake

 5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase

 Reviewed in France on January 26, 2019

 AWESOME!

 Scary economic and political thriller.  When you think that it is lived it sheds light on the dubious relations usa Europe ...
 Say gentlemen our rulers, how long will this accomplice blindness last?
 What deafening silence apart from a few radio interviews.


 12 people found this helpful
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Grabenstein

 5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase

 Reviewed in France on August 29, 2019

 Rapetous no longer need crowbars ...

 In the old days, to palpate bundles of sorrel, whether by robbing a bank or removing a "Persona Grata", you had to wet the shirt and have lots of calibers.
 Now no more of all that, a few well-hidden "leather rings", a villainous law, the hostage of a person even if it had no direct link with the grievances alleged, and that's the jackpot ...
 When we are sidelined all the time on the "media" that Europe is a necessity as "against the power of the other big world blocs", the experience of Mr. PIERRUCI clearly shows us that these good words are only one  huge rubbish for moron rabbits.

 We also see clearly "in vivo" that, as Mitterrand said at the end of his life, our good allies, the Ricans, behave like moral enemies, and lead us a war of undermining (and blackmail) for s  '' appropriating the jewels of genius and industrial creation specific to the old Continent.
 Particularly targeted, those from French know-how, Aibus now appearing as one of their last "targets".

 To achieve its ends, the American power, does not shrink from any abjection and betrayal of its commitments, even if they are official.

 The Author, who is not at all a conspiratorialist (otherwise the discredit would be immediate), describes how espionage and US interference everywhere on the planet (with the exception of some resistance fighters, mainly Russia and China  ), camouflaged behind "SA" self-proclaimed law of "Extra Territoriality" (which many countries have validated via the anti-corruption conventions of the OECD, without bringing LESS reciprocity to this unfair law), allow themselves in this case  to hostage as a hostage, for 25 months (in total), a foreign citizen in spite of the most elementary rules of Law and simple respect for the human person.
 Thus the stranglehold of the deep US state and its manufacturers, based on what can be described as a travesty of justice (without capital letters, where the slightest element is minted), is granted under the banner of "good and  well "and the fight against corruption, an almost limitless power against the backdrop of the threat of its military might.

 The author explains perfectly the purpose of this package: A double racket!
 1) Collect a record fine (more than 700 million just for Alston, and beyond 12 billion if we consider all of the large French companies),
 2) Appropriate a maximum of high-tech sectors (Alstom, Technip, Etc.) strategic for our country.

 Admittedly, Alstom has shown itself to be far from being exemplary and has become mired in all-out corruption, but this has also been the case for ALL of its global competitors, the Americans being among the first, except that the latter  are drawn very cheaply at the level of their "justice".

 Also described are the powerlessness of the French State (and of Europe which has endorsed the takeover), the inbreeding of the large shareholders and decision-makers who, apart from Montebourg, will let this matter slip by without even opposing any real resistance, the  all acted by the giant giant Hollande and his minister ... Macron.
 The CEO of Alstom (therefore first responsible for this monumental fiasco if the amount of his emoluments actually corresponded to something), Patrick Kron, will even find a way to get voted (and get bogged down) a bonus of several million d  'euro as a reward for this brilliant action (the sellout on the sly, without even notifying its supervisory minister Mr Monteboug, of our common heritage).

 To the question of the incredible lack of combativeness of our "zelites", Montebourg will answer in off: Because they ch.ent in their pants before the ricans.
 One can imagine that there must undoubtedly also have been a lot of underlying financial interests (see in sub com the link to Marianne's article dealing with the potential "corruption pact" which could affect Macron)

 So rather than wasting money on "The memory of goldfish" it is better to invest in this testimony book, the story of which should appear in the textbooks ...
 G.


 5 people found this helpful

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Mr. C. Jacquet

 5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase

 Reviewed in France on March 11, 2019

 A must read ... especially if you work in export!

 I read this book (well written moreover) in one go or almost, like an adventure novel.  On each page it must be said that it is a lived and freezing adventure.  Having worked on export at the end of the last century, I was delighted that the world was simpler and less dangerous.  And I immediately ordered the paper version for my two older sons.  This book should be placed in the Young Executive Survival Kit.
 And then it is a very sad reminder: do not be naive, do not expect anything from your company or your government when the trap is closed on you.
 Especially since this book seems to be the first of a long series to come, the economic war has become cruel and no one is immune (Carlos Ghosn, the leader of Huawei, etc ... should have read  this book).
 The Tarpeian rock is close to the Capitol and its 2019 version The pair of handcuffs is never far from the plane's gangway.


 4 people found this helpful

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sedlex

 4.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase

 Reviewed in France on February 7, 2019

 the story continues

 very good book.  history continues with American law beyond borders.  Obviously GE has not kept its commitments.
 The FIB starts again with the Chinese of HUAWEI in the same way. But the other states do not know how to start a serious counter fire and to get rid of the dollar which blocks the system.


 5 people found this helpful

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Alain Carron

 5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase

 Reviewed in France on July 28, 2019

 Cowboy justice


 An exceptional book.  Co-written with a journalist, what The American Trap tells us is terrible.  On the one hand, there is the flea market of the jewels of French industry, the cowardice of a business manager who sacrifices the business and its executives to escape its responsibilities.  On the other, an American judicial system which is only the law of the strongest, tempered by money and gambling den negotiations.  At the top of this pyramid of shame, the extra-territoriality of American law, an exorbitant privilege which the United States has arrogated to itself and which authorizes it to pursue almost without restraint any foreign enterprise, provided that it has had  a tenuous link with the USA.  And we see that the United States Department of Justice functions like the armed wing of economic imperialism in this country.  In the midst of all this, a French executive and his family, victim of the greed of the powerful and the cynicism of a country of cowboys who claims to give the whole world lessons in democracy.

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