The Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) is a United States federal law that enables US authorities to prosecute foreign officials who demand or accept bribes from a US citizen, US company, or within a US jurisdiction. FEPA was signed into law by Joe Biden on December 22, 2023, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024.[1]
Analysts stated that FEPA addresses a longstanding gap in US anti-bribery legislation by tackling the "demand" side of bribery. At the same time, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) focuses on the "supply" side of bribery.[2][3]
One expert noted that FEPA is "probably the most important U.S. anti-bribery effort since the FCPA itself became law. The law amends the federal domestic bribery statute to add a new subsection punishing foreign government officials for demanding or receiving a bribe. The law is quite specific in that it is intended to be extraterritorial in nature. This means that demanding or receiving a bribe, even if done somewhere else, is now a crime punishable in the United States."[4]
See also
References
- ^ "Congress Enacts the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act Targeting Foreign Officials' Conduct". JD Supra. December 22, 2023. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
- ^ Sun, Mengqi (2024-01-02). "U.S. Prosecutors Can Charge Foreign Officials With Bribery Under New Provision". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
- ^ "Congress Passes the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act". The National Law Review. December 19, 2023. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
- ^ Weber, David (2024-01-09). "Why Disney World is America's greatest law enforcement tool". The Hill. Retrieved 2024-01-10.