Bonta Alerts Businesses: It Remains Illegal to Bribe Public Officials
California Attorney General Rob Bonta on November 10 issued a legal alert reminding businesses operating in California that it remains illegal to pay bribes or prohibited gratuities to federal officials to obtain or retain business, regardless of the priorities and behavior of the current federal administration. The statute of limitations for prosecutions extends beyond the current administration, and violations remain actionable under California's Unfair Competition Law.
The alert notes that 18 U.S. Code sections 201(b) and 201(c) prohibit bribery of a public official to influence an official act and the giving of anything of value to an official for an official act performed or to be performed, and that bribes can also violate general anti-fraud and honest-services laws such as 18 U.S. Code section 1341 and serve as Unfair Competition Law predicates.
Bonta said corruption remains illegal and will not be tolerated, and urged businesses to maintain rigorous internal controls so they and their agents do not offer anything of value in exchange for official acts.
(Source: California Attorney General's Office)
Source: California Attorney General's Office
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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