The Foreign Agents Registration Act,applies to multinational corporations that have contacts with foreign governments

The Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, entered the spotlight in the midst of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“This is not an issue just for lobbying firms and public relations firms because FARA sweeps very broadly and applies to corporations as well nonprofit groups,” said Robert Kelner, a partner at the law firm Covington & Burling LLP. “They’re all in the crosshairs.”
An official who leads the unit charged with enforcing the foreign agent law told a group of lawyers Wednesday that the Justice Department was focused on improving compliance through education and awareness, in addition to building criminal and civil cases. Law firms and other entities need to make sure FARA is one of the statutes they take into account when designing compliance policies and procedures, said Brandon Van Grack, a veteran prosecutor whose appointment was announced by Mr. Demers in March. Mr. Van Grack previously served on Mr. Mueller’s special counsel team.

“With FARA, we’re in that early stage where companies just now are beginning to realize it applies to them,” he said. “It’s a minefield for multinational corporations that have contacts with foreign governments.”