California Bribery Statutes’ Expansive Notion of “Official Acts”

Most executives at multinational companies know that interactions with foreign officials can lead to trouble, but they may operate under a different set of assumptions when entertaining government officials in the U.S. However, what they may not realize is that, in California, these actions may constitute bribery even if they are informal social meetings not tied to a contemplated “official act” by the government employee. In a guest article, Kareem Salem and Andrew Beshai of Manatt Phelps & Phillips summarize the current narrow state of federal law, discuss California law and the different ways it may be interpreted, and provide a word of caution for anyone who may be entertaining government officials in California. See “Legal and Compliance Implications of the Supreme Court’s Snyder Decision” (Sep. 11, 2024).

To read the full article

Continue reading your article with an ACR subscription.