Public Corruption Program Brochure
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Public Corruption Program Brochure |
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What is Public Corruption?
The FBI has a continuing responsibility to respond to allegations or development of information within the FBI’s jurisdiction involving the abuse of trust by public officials. Public corruption occurs when a public official - someone elected or appointed to a position of trust in a governmental entity - engages in activity that involves either an abuse of the official’s trust and/or undermines the integrity of federal, state or local governmental operations in violation of federal law. Pubic corruption investigations are viewed as among the most sensitive investigative matters the FBI handles.
Public corruption is detrimental to any community due to the way it can increase the cost of doing business and generally corrodes the integrity of the marketplace. Public corruption severely undermines the legal and judicial systems and typically results in an inefficient allocation of government resources.
Corruption, if left unrestrained, leads to an erosion of trust in government institutions and a community that is increasingly desensitized to the dishonest actions of those in power. To reduce its effects, it is vital that we are all aware of the actions that can be seen to constitute corrupt activity.
The FBI’s Public Corruption Program ranks #4 among the FBI’s top 10 investigative priorities. Corruption strikes at the core of what the United States is all about. Our democracy depends on a healthy, efficient, and ethical government.
Types of Public Corruption
There are several types of public corruption, each with its own distinct characteristics.
Contract - Payment of bribes or “kickbacks” (i.e. anything of value) to local, state, or federal public officials in exchange for favorable treatment regarding government contracts and can include:
· “Pay to play” schemes
· Improper disclosure of competitor bid informations
· Discretionary awarding of “no bid” contracts
· Approving false invoices or cost overruns for the bidding contractor
Judicial - When an individual or organization seeks to influence an act taken by a court by engaging in behavior that corrupts a member of the judicial system. Examples of judicial corruption include payment for:
· Reduction of bond or sentence
· Waiving fines
· Dismissal of charges
Law Enforcement – Can involve payment or benefit to local, state, or federal law enforcement officials in exchange for some desired action or inaction, such as:
· Theft of items seized during an investigation
· “Protecting” illegal activity
· “Tipping” or leaking sensitive information to unauthorized parties
Legislative - Bribes or kickbacks to legislators, their staff, lobbyists, or consultants in exchange for some action or inaction concerning pending or future legislation or policy. This may include any of the following:
· “Pay to play” schemes
· Voting for/against legislation
· Confirmation of an executive appointment
· Appropriation considerations
Regulatory - Typically involves payments to public officials in exchange for some action or inaction pertaining to licensing, inspections, zoning variances, or other public documents. Regulatory corruption can include:
· Failure to report violations of regulatory codes in exchange for something of value
· Fraudulent issuance of identification documents
· Improper issuance of licenses (liquor, vehicle, construction, adult entertainment, etc.)
· Altering zoning variances
Election Fraud - Election fraud can occur in a state or federal election and encompasses activities such as buying votes, intimidating voters, voting more than once in an election, tampering with ballet boxes, destroying ballets, or any other intentional disruption of the polling process.
Applicable Federal Statutes
Numerous federal statutes are utilized in public corruption investigations including bribery, gratuities and “kickbacks;” extortion; obstruction of justice; conflicts of interest; fraud and theft; drug trafficking; money laundering; racketeering crimes (RICO); tax crimes; election and campaign finance crimes; and conspiracy.
The FBI wants your help
Many successful public corruption investigations were initiated based simply on a “tip” or information received by individuals who may be aware of, or witness to, some form of wrongdoing.
If you would like to report information regarding possible public corruption or to obtain more information, please contact the Denver Division of the FBI.
Contact: Matthew McPhillips
Supervisory Special Agent
Address: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Denver Division
1961 Stout Street
18th Floor
Denver, Colorado 80294
Telephone: 303.629.7171
Internet: www.fbi.gov
*Potential corruption information may also be reported through the Internet.
For a printable tri-fold form of this brochure in Adobe PDF format please click here.
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