A corruption probe is an investigation into bribery, embezzlement and other forms of corrupt behaviour. It can be carried out by a company (within its internal disciplinary processes) or by external agencies, such as law enforcement and anti-corruption commissions. Corruption often takes place behind the scenes, making it difficult to expose – but whistle-blowers and journalists can help.
Corruption investigations are complex and time-consuming. Usually, a government agency has to gather many pieces of evidence before they can prove the existence of corruption in a particular situation. It is not unusual for such cases to take years to build a case, and even longer before prosecutors decide whether to prosecute them.
The Public Integrity Section oversees the Department’s prosecution of all federal crimes involving bribery of public officials and other offenses that damage the integrity of the government, including election crimes. The Section also provides advice and expertise to federal prosecutors and agents nationwide regarding the handling of public corruption and election crime matters.
To conduct a corruption investigation, it is usually necessary to interview third parties and suspect contractors, obtaining their cooperation through the use of anti-corruption contractual clauses or company policies. It may be possible to compel third parties or former employees to agree to interviews by using a court-approved investigative tool, such as subpoenas, search warrants or voluntary disclosure agreements. It is usually easier to prove corrupt payments in the form of cash, so it is often useful to trace the source of money, examining bank records, for example. Unexplained large sums of money in a public official’s account can be a sign of bribery.
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