Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Supreme Court Set to Decide On Competing Interpretations of Federal Corruption Statute

By Elkan Abramowitz and Jonathan Sack
March 01, 2024

Section 666 of Title 18 has become one of the most important legal tools used in the federal prosecution of state and local corruption. The law applies broadly to public and private organizations funded by the federal government and makes it a crime to "corruptly solicit[ ][,] demand[ ][,] … or accept[ ] … anything of value" with the "inten[t] to be influenced or rewarded in connection with" an organization's activities. 18 U.S.C. §666(a)(1)(B).

Public corruption is a perennial focus of prosecutors, so the reach of Section 666 is of importance. The new Whistleblower Pilot Program of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District, for instance, expressly seeks to help the office "bring[ ] complex public corruption cases," among others.

Section 666 will soon be taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court. In United States v. Snyder, 71 F.4th 555 (7th Cir. 2023), cert. granted, 2023 WL 8605740 (Dec. 13, 2023), the Supreme Court will decide whether the law criminalizes "gratuities," and not simply "bribes," given to state and local officials. Section 666 does not use the terms "bribe" or "gratuity." It refers to giving or receiving "anything of value" with the "inten[t] to be influenced or rewarded." The law has been understood to apply to bribes — when a state or local official accepts or agrees to accept something of value in return for favorable action in the future (a quid pro quo agreement).

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
'Huguenot LLC v. Megalith Capital Group Fund I, L.P.': A Tutorial On Contract Liability for Real Estate Purchasers Image

In June 2024, the First Department decided Huguenot LLC v. Megalith Capital Group Fund I, L.P., which resolved a question of liability for a group of condominium apartment buyers and in so doing, touched on a wide range of issues about how contracts can obligate purchasers of real property.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

CoStar Wins Injunction for Breach-of-Contract Damages In CRE Database Access Lawsuit Image

Latham & Watkins helped the largest U.S. commercial real estate research company prevail in a breach-of-contract dispute in District of Columbia federal court.

Fresh Filings Image

Notable recent court filings in entertainment law.

The Power of Your Inner Circle: Turning Friends and Social Contacts Into Business Allies Image

Practical strategies to explore doing business with friends and social contacts in a way that respects relationships and maximizes opportunities.