As highlighted in this recent DOJ release, the CEO of a multinational corporation was criminally charged for giving, offering, and promising money to a Marine Liaison Officer for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain in exchange for the officer using his official position to take action benefiting the corporation.
As highlighted in this recent DOJ release, “a former City of Atlanta Commissioner of Watershed Management was sentenced today to four and a half years in prison for accepting bribes from an Atlanta contractor in exchange for steering city business worth millions of dollars to the contractor’s company.”
Numerous other DOJ press releases could also be highlighted regarding bribery of “U.S. officials” who abused their positions of authority and trust for their own personal enrichment and place their interests ahead of the public interest.
I am a U.S. citizen.
Am I thus a victim of this criminal conduct? Do I deserve compensation? Does my community deserve a new school or playground?
I personally believe that the answers to the above questions are a strong no as there is little direct casual link to the alleged activity and me.
Why then in the context of FCPA enforcement actions have some advocated compensating the “victims” – namely the citizens of the foreign official’s country? (See here for example).
I have long opposed such feel good measures for a variety of reasons. (See here, here, here, and here).
Perhaps though I need to start viewing myself as a victim of the numerous U.S. bribery and corruption schemes involving U.S. officials.
Will anyone start advocating on my behalf?
