§1352 Demands by foreign officials for bribes

Summary

Makes it a crime for foreign officials to corruptly demand, seek, or take bribes or other things of value, using the mail or any form of interstate commerce, from people or companies tied to the United States. The law covers demands made while the official (or someone acting for them) is in U.S. territory, and also covers demands from U.S. issuers or domestic businesses or their officers or agents. The payment must be in return for improper influence, getting the official to break a legal duty, giving an unfair advantage, or using the official’s influence with their government to affect a decision. Violators can be fined up to $250,000 or three times the value of what was taken, jailed for up to 15 years, or both. The offense can be pursued by U.S. courts even if it happened abroad. Definitions (one line each): “Foreign official” = a foreign government employee, senior foreign political figure, or someone acting for them. “Public international organization” = an international body named by the President. The Attorney General must report within 1 year and then each year to Congress and post online about demands for bribes, diplomatic protections, enforcement actions, DOJ effectiveness, and needed resources or laws. The law does not replace or expand existing rules in the securities laws or the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.