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What Is Bribery?
What Is Bribery?
Bribery is a word with specific connotations. But the definition is actually rather broad, from both a legal and a dictionary perspective. In general, bribery occurs when someone offers another person something valuable to influence their actions. Bribery is sometimes prosecuted as a federal offense. The circumstances under which bribery is a crime can vary, and the severity of the crime also varies.
If any allegations of bribery are made against officials in positions of government power, the FBI has the authority to investigate. This is the biggest type of crime that the FBI investigates, in order to weed out corruption in the government. Even if the bribery occurs with a local or state official, it’s still subject to federal investigation. Local politicians who accept bribes may be subject to federal prosecution.
One example would be if a city council member was approached by a real estate broker. The real estate broker wants building permits for a certain section of the city. They pay the city council member to get them the permits. This is bribery, and it’s considered a very serious crime. Some bribery schemes might be prosecuted on the state level rather than the federal level.
Bribery tends to be a complex crime. It always involves at least two entities: the person offering the bribe and the person taking it. But it’s common for there to be more involved third parties behind the scenes. This is part of why the FBI investigates bribery so thoroughly, so they can get to the heart of a situation.
If you are looking for a lawyer that listens, is aggressive where needed, and holds his word above all else, Todd is the best pick. I had hired multiple attorneys prior to hiring the Spodek Group for a white collar case. The first thing that stood out to me was the cost, as anyone going through the process and dealing with the system, money was tight at that time - especially after hiring and firing multiple lawyers. The cost was not as high as others which was definitely a plus. Todd's intake process was also unlike other attorneys. He took the time to actually listen. He cared. He was trying to put himself in my shoes while I was explaining the situation to him and he really took the time to understand the whole situation. Other lawyers will give you 15 mins and send you a retainer agreement. Not Todd, I think he spent almost two hours with me as I was explaining everything.Not only was he great during the onboarding process, he was supportive and very informative through the entire plea process and eventually sentencing. After hiring him, I asked if I should hire a prison consultant, he told me to save my money as he would do everything they would. He was right and held up to his word. Later on I would hear from others that went with the prison consultants that they were a waste of money - I am glad I listened to Todd!When it came time for sentencing, two days prior to sentencing, the prosecutor tried increasing my proposed prison time by almost double - apparently a normal move. Todd and his team worked with me non-stop through the weekend prior to sentencing to ensure that I was not given additional prison time. Again, he took the time to listen and came up with a strategy to explain the case with great detail.Unfortunately, I did plead guilty as that was my best option. Todd and his whole team wrote up nearly 300 pages of a summary of what happened and why I should not be given prison time. If I breakdown the amount I spent with Todd versus the amount of work that I saw being done, I am shocked I was not charged four times as much. The other benefit was, a lot of criminal defense lawyers were just a single attorney with a paralegal or two. Todd had a team of people that I dealt with (5-7 people that I interacted with), but he was ALWAYS accessible. It would never take him more than an hour to reply unless he was in court.I was sentenced to prison and I was emotionally distraught. Todd and his team did whatever they could even after sentencing to make sure I was alright. He personally stayed in touch with my family to ensure I was doing alright and offered support to them. Most lawyers would consider the job complete at sentencing, not Todd.After prison, Todd still spent time with me to make sure I was on the right track and avoiding any potential risks in the future. He has also been giving advice on how to navigate probation etc and has not been looking at the clock for billing.Although I wish I had never been arrested in the first place, I am glad I had Todd and his team in my corner. Without them I likely would have had to spend a lot more time in prison than I did.Thank you, Todd, and the entire Spodek Law team, for helping turn what was a nightmare into a manageable situation!
I am immensely grateful to the entire team at Spodek Law Group for their unwavering dedication and exceptional expertise throughout my case. From our initial consultation to the final resolution, their professionalism and tireless advocacy made all the difference. Their strategic approach and attention to detail instilled confidence in me every step of the way.Thanks to their hard work and commitment, we achieved a truly favorable outcome that exceeded my expectations. Not only did they navigate the complexities of my case with precision, but they also provided invaluable support and guidance during what was undoubtedly a challenging time. I cannot recommend Spodek Law Group highly enough, especially attorneys Todd Spodek and Claire Banks; they are beacons of excellence in the legal profession.YSP.
Todd, Ralph and Alex are amazing. Helped my husband get from a double digit number with multiple charges to a single digit, by the time I blink he will be out. They very professional and help with all your needs. They dealt with my anxiety and worry very well and they understand that your family member needs to get home as soon as possible.
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I don’t know where to start, I can write a novel about this firm, but one thing I will say is that having my best interest was their main priority since the beginning of my case which was back in Winter 2019. Miss Claire Banks, one of the best Attorneys in the firm represented me very well and was very professional, respectful, and truthful. Not once did she leave me in the dark, in fact she presented all options and routes that could possibly be considered for my case and she reinsured me that no matter what I decided to do, her and the team will have my back and that’s exactly what happened. Not only will I be liberated from this case, also, I will enjoy my freedom and continue to be a mother to my first born son and will have no restrictions with accomplishing my goals in life. Now that’s what I call victory!! I thank the Lord, My mother, Claire, and the Spodek team for standing by me and fighting with me. Words can’t describe how grateful I am to have the opportunity to work with this team. I’m very satisfied, very pleased with their performance, their hard work, and their diligence.Thank you team!
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A federal statute outlines punishments for being convicted of bribery. The cases are prosecuted as felonies. A person convicted of bribery in federal court may have a prison sentence of up to 15 years. For bribery to be prosecuted on a federal level, it must involve a public government official.
Bribery is considered a criminal offense, not a civil one. As such, the prosecution must prove that a bribe was taken. A person cannot be convicted of bribery without substantial proof that they either offered or accepted a bribe. Allegations that a government official was given something valuable won’t hold up in court until there’s proof. Furthermore, even when the item of value is proven, the government must then prove that it was provided with the intent of swaying a public official.
Bribery and extortion are often confused by the general public. Though these are similar, there are key differences. Bribery occurs between two consenting people, while extortion involves one party threatening another without any common benefit between them. A person who is convicted of bribery must have been getting something out of the deal.
Allegations of bribery tend to undergo heavy investigation by the FBI before they create a case for the federal court. Once they have enough evidence, they will ask a prosecutor to indict the involved parties. During the investigation, many federal agents will try to talk to the people they’re investigating. If you’re approached by a federal agent, make sure that you never speak to them without a lawyer present. Their only interest is in furthering their investigation by using information against you. They are not there to help.
Another thing is that federal agents are allowed to lie during the questioning process, but you can be subject to felony charges if you lie during the interview. Save yourself some headache and get your lawyer to take care of the interviews.
Past DOJ Bribery Cases
There was a case in which the president of an egg company pleaded guilty when charged with federal bribery. He received eggs from non-USDA farmers and then bribed USDA officials to say that the eggs had passed the inspection. The company president faces potentially 15 years behind bars.
A federal jury convicted an investment firm executive of bribery. The prosecution provided evidence that he had paid elected officials over a hundred thousand dollars to make sure that they passed legislation that would be good for his business. He attempted to say that the bribes were contributions to political campaigns, but the jury disagreed.
If you talk to a defense lawyer early, you may be able to end the investigation before it ever reaches a courtroom.
