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Veronica Yepez

Partner

Washington +1 202 662 5165

English
  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Veronica Yepez leads Covington’s compliance and investigations practice in Latin America.

    An experienced white-collar lawyer, Veronica leads complex cross-border government and internal investigations involving fraud, corruption, money laundering, and other areas of U.S. law. She has been recognized by Chambers USA and Chambers Latin America, named by Latinvex as one of Latin America's top 100 lawyers, and selected by Global Investigations Review as one of the world's top 100 "Women in Investigations."

    Complementing her investigations practice, Veronica routinely advises multinational companies and financial institutions on cross-border compliance matters and evolving enforcement challenges, including anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, and anti-terrorism risks.

    A trilingual lawyer with deep experience throughout Latin America, she combines on-the-ground knowledge of local business practices with extensive experience advising clients on complex regulatory and enforcement matters.

    Prior to joining the firm, Veronica founded a leading compliance practice in Latin America, serving both multinational and Latin American clients.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters

    Investigations

    • Assisted the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Tecnoglass, Inc., a NASDAQ-listed Colombian company, in analyzing a short seller report.
    • Represented a publicly-listed technology company in a confidential, internal investigation of potential FCPA concerns and alleged accounting fraud regarding its subsidiary in Brazil.
    • Represented a Brazilian company under investigation by the World Bank Group Sanctions System involving allegations that it engaged in prohibited practices in connection with World Bank-funded projects.
    • Represented a Fortune 500 consumer goods company in an internal investigation in connection with allegations of FCPA violations at its subsidiary in Ecuador.
    • Represented a multinational consumer goods company with over U.S.$6 billion revenue in an internal investigation regarding potential FCPA and securities laws violations involving its business in Brazil.
    • Advised a Brazilian conglomerate on U.S. law in connection with criminal investigations in Brazil and Peru involving bribery and money laundering.

    Anti-Corruption Due Diligence and Mergers and Acquisitions

    • Provided anti-corruption due diligence advice to Liberty Latin America (LLA) in connection with transactions in Latin America including an agreement with América Móvil to combine their respective Chilean operations, VTR and Claro Chile, to form a joint venture, and LLA’s $200 million acquisition of Claro Panamá from América Móvil in 2021.
    • Advised a media conglomerate in designing and implementing a compliance program following a multi-billion dollar merger and conducting a deep-dive risk assessment of the incoming business.

    • Provided anti-corruption due diligence advice and conducted a compliance assessment for an IT service management company in connection with several confidential transactions in Peru, Chile, Panama, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
    • Provided anti-corruption due diligence advice to a biotechnology company in connection with business partnerships in Latin America.

    Compliance Counseling

    • Conducted a risk assessment for a global health care company regarding the company’s operations in Mexico.
    • Conducted a risk assessment for an international pharmaceutical company regarding the company’s operations in Brazil.
    • Developed and delivered training on conducting internal investigations for a European pharmaceutical company and its compliance officers in Latin America.
    • Represented Ecuador’s largest financial institution in connection with a review of its AML/CFT compliance program.
    • Reviewed one of Mexico’s most important private bank’s AML/CFT compliance program.

    Individual Representations

    • Represented a designer of luxury goods in a DOJ criminal investigation involving imports from a Latin American country into the United States.
    • Represented an Argentinian executive in connection with a DOJ and SEC FCPA investigation.
    • Represented Joseph Sigelman, the former CEO of PetroTiger, in a high-profile FCPA trial. The Department of Justice charged Mr. Sigelman with bribery and fraud related to his business activities in Colombia.

    Arbitration

    • Represented the Republic of Argentina before the U.S. Supreme Court in a case in which claimant BG Group PLC sought to confirm a $185 million arbitral award in its favor under a bilateral investment treaty.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Yale Law School, J.D., 2008
        • Yale Journal of International Law, Development Editor
    • Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, M.A., 2002
        • with honors
    • Denison University, B.A., 1999
    Bar Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    Judicial Clerkship
    • Hon. Peter J. Messitte, U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 2010 - 2011
    Languages
    • Spanish
    • Portuguese
    Accolades

    Areas of Expertise

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