Why do you think bribery investigations always seem to center on companies involved in selling military goods or oil production services as opposed to, say, companies selling leather goods, luxury perfumes, or high-quality silverware?

Until a few years ago, the application of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) was confined to U.S. companies that allegedly bribed foreign officials. More recently, that act has become an instrument for prosecuting foreign companies suspected of bribing officials outside the United States. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that more than fifty such cases are under investigation or prosecution within this country. Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has a five-member team to examine possible violations of U.S. laws by foreign corporations in their attempts to secure additional business.