Can corporate officers be jailed for their companys actions?
Yes. If they are deemed personally responsible for the criminal activities of a corporation or against the shareholders of a corporation, corporate officers may certainly be convicted and jailed for their offenses. The recent convictions of directors at Tyco and Worldcom and the unfolding case against Conrad Black et al are examples of this process. Unfortunately, it seems that many of those who are responsible for criminal activity are never charged, let alone convicted and jailed. Some of this is due to the protection offered corporations through law and, in my opinion, a lack of will within governments to lay charges against corporations and their directors. The protection offered through corporate law can be very effective, as many businesses have avoided legal problems by declaring themselves bankrupt or dissolving themselves through other means. Once the corporation is dissolved, it becomes far more difficult to pursue charges against its directors. Governments, NGOs, and individ
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