Corruption investigations can focus on lobbyists who are connected to public officials.
November 07, 2025
high
legal
Common investigative focus in corruption probes involving public-sector actors.
Payments intended to influence public officials can be disguised as business or 'promotional' expenses as a method to evade taxes.
November 01, 2025
high
tax_evasion_method
Allegations in corporate bribery and tax-evasion investigations often claim that companies record influence-related payments as ordinary business or promotional expenses to reduce reported tax liability.
Criminal bribery prosecutions generally require proof of a quid pro quo, meaning prosecutors must show that official actions were directly influenced by benefits or payments.
November 01, 2025
high
legal_principle
Establishing bribery typically involves demonstrating corrupt intent and a causal link between the benefit provided and an official act.
Ethics experts state that personal solicitation of donations by public officials can create coercive pressure on potential donors and foster expectations of gratitude and reciprocity, increasing the risk of influence or perceived conflicts of interest.
October 16, 2025
medium
ethics
Scholarly and practitioner ethics commentary often links direct solicitation from officeholders to heightened perceptions of quid pro quo or favoritism.
Under U.S. federal law, making threats conveyed in interstate commerce to injure or kill another person, including public officials, can be prosecuted as a federal crime.
high
legal
Federal statutes criminalize threats transmitted across state lines or via interstate channels.