Telecommunications and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

Authorities in the USA have been increasingly active in enforcing the provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) on firms engaged in paying bribes in cash or in kind. This paper reviews a series of investigations and settlements of cases in the telecommunications sector, which appears to be one especially prone to corruption. These relate to a wide range of countries and activities, including the issuing of licenses, public procurement and the wholesale rates paid for telephone calls. In one case a former member of US Congress was prosecuted. Substantial fines have been paid to both the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission, with some individuals receiving jail sentences