Secure Attach

The article tells the story of how a WilmerHale lawyer mistakenly sent an email to a Wall Street Journal reporter that revealed confidential information about an SEC investigation into PepsiCo's former general counsel, Maura Smith. The email contained documents that showed Smith had conducted an internal probe into possible fraud and corruption at a Russian company that PepsiCo had acquired in 2011.

The article also explains that Smith left PepsiCo in 2012 after less than a year on the job, and that the SEC is looking into whether she was fired in retaliation for her investigation. The article cites anonymous sources who confirmed the existence of the SEC probe, but said it was at an early stage and might not lead to any enforcement action. PepsiCo denied any wrongdoing and said Smith's departure was not related to her investigation.