California Bribery Statutes’ Expansive Notion of “Official Acts”

White collar attorneys and former federal prosecutors and wrote an article for Anti-Corruption Report exploring how California’s approach to bribery laws differs from federal law, the latest court rulings expanding liability, and what businesses should watch out for when dealing with public officials. 

According to the authors, California’s bribery laws don’t just target explicit quid pro quo deals, but instead cast a much wider net, covering even informal interactions that might influence future decisions. “This broad interpretation means that individuals and companies must exercise heightened vigilance in their interactions with public officials in California, ensuring that all conduct remains clearly within the bounds of the law,” they wrote. “The risk of prosecution exists not only for clear-cut cases of bribery but also for more nuanced and potentially future-oriented exchanges.” 

Anti-Corruption Report subscribers can read the full article .