Simply put, public corruption is the breach of a public official’s duty of faith toward his or her community. Most corruption takes place when a public official is presented with something of value or significance in exchange for some sort of favorable decision. Public corruption can be committed on the federal, state, or local levels by anybody who was elected, appointed or otherwise employed by a constituency of people. A San Francisco white collar criminal defense attorney may be able to help you if you have been accused of corruption.
The FBI, which is one of the main investigators of public corruption, states that the bulk of its public corruption cases fall under one of five categories: judicial, regulatory, legislative, law enforcement or contractual. Legislative and judicial corruption refers to deals that sway legislators and judges; regulatory corruption relates to government investigators, such as those who look into corporate scandals; contractual corruption deals with the illegal forms of persuasion associated with the allocation of government contracts; and law enforcement corruption refers to any inappropriate attempt to influence officers of the law.
A conviction of public corruption can carry serious penalties in California. Accepting a bribe, for example, carries a maximum penalty of two to four years imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the amount of the bribe. You may also be disqualified from holding any state office in the future. If you have been accused of public corruption, you need a San Francisco white collar criminal defense attorney to make sure your rights are protected. Contact Chris Morales for a free consultation.
