Statistically, is corporate corruption on the rise or the decline?
Asheesh Goel: I’m not aware of any study on whether corporate corruption is increasing. However, one thing is clear: the investigation and prosecution of corporate corruption has increased in a statistically significant amount. Really for the past 5 years, the US government, through the Department of Justice and the Securities & Exchange Commission, has made a substantial commitment of time and resources to this key area of white collar crime. Anecdotally, I would expect that corruption in general increases during economic recessions as unscrupulous individuals seek an unfair advantage. CBM: What impact has the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act had on US companies? AG: There are competing views on this. Many companies have felt that they are at a competitive disadvantage because the playing field is not level, tilting in favor of those who are not subjected to US laws. However, the US government has demonstrated a willingness to pursue multinational companies headquartered outside the US b
