Corruption charges can affect people from all walks of life. While high-profile corruption scandals make headlines, the truth is that these crimes are quite common and can occur at all levels of government and in many different sectors of society.
Bribery and public corruption involve offering, giving, soliciting, or accepting something of value to influence the actions of someone in charge of performing a legal duty. This can include cash, gifts, services, and other benefits. In some cases, people commit bribery and public corruption to gain an unfair advantage or to sway decisions in their favor.
Federal bribery and corruption charges are often pursued by the Department of Justice (DOJ). However, states can also prosecute individuals for alleged bribery and corruption offenses.
The DOJ’s recent FIFA corruption case is a good example of the broad reach of the federal corruption laws. It is one of the largest and most far-reaching DOJ bribery prosecutions in history.
Besides bribery and fraud, the DOJ often prosecutes individuals for other types of federal offenses relating to corruption. These may include mail fraud, honest service fraud, extortion, wire fraud, money laundering, and other federal crimes.
The DOJ also focuses on investigating and prosecuting corrupt practices by private companies. Corporate bribery and corruption can be particularly damaging because it undermines trust in business and distorts the functioning of institutions. When a company engages in bribery and corruption, it can face increased regulatory scrutiny from the DOJ and other enforcement agencies, as well as lose customers and suffer significant financial losses.