The notion of bribery as a victimless crime has resulted in countless disaster costing vast economic-financial losses and people’s lives.
Bribery is used as an excuse to get things done faster, to cut through bureaucratic processes, to gain access to non-public available information, to avoid fines and all sort of activities that portray bribery a victimless crime.
However, going beyond the actors involved in bribery shows a more damaging activity to the integrity of governmental, financial and regulatory institutions. In May 2013, the worst industrial accident in Dhaka costs more than 1000 people their lives in a collapsed factory.
Circumventing regulations via bribery puts a dent in the economy of Bangladesh, which in turn affect more people than the reported death toll. Similar incidents are recorded frequently in third world countries with no international coverage, albeit at a smaller scale.
Rationalising bribery as a victimless crime demonstrate short-sightedness of the actors in achieving personal or business goals.
Bribery is not a third world problem, some would argue citizens of first world countries are the principal drivers of bribery in the third world countries. There are classic examples of large corporate institutions paying a huge bribe to the government of third world countries to ensure the monopoly of natural resources.
Statistics for Bribery
Top Five Enforcement Actions against Large Corporations (source: Stanford Law School)
| Groups of Related Enforcement Actions | Country(ies) Where Bribes Were Paid |
|---|---|
| AB Volvo’s Involvement in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program between 1999 and 2003 | Iraq |
| ABB’s Involvement in Brazil, Paraguay, and the United Arab Emirates from 2001 to 2004 | |
| ABB’s Involvement in Mexico and in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program between 1997 and 2004 | Iraq, Mexico |
| ABB’s Involvement in Nigeria, Angola, and Kazakhstan from 1998 to 2002 | Angola, Kazakhstan, Nigeria |
| AEA Aircraft Recovery’s Involvement in the Dominican Republic in 1983 | Dominican Republic |
| Groups of Related Enforcement Actions | Industry |
|---|---|
| AB Volvo’s Involvement in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program between 1999 and 2003 | Consumer Goods |
| ABB’s Involvement in Brazil, Paraguay, and the United Arab Emirates from 2001 to 2004 | Industrial Goods |
| ABB’s Involvement in Mexico and in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program between 1997 and 2004 | Industrial Goods |
| ABB’s Involvement in Nigeria, Angola, and Kazakhstan from 1998 to 2002 | Oil & Gas |
| AEA Aircraft Recovery’s Involvement in the Dominican Republic in 1983 | Transportation |
| Groups of Related Enforcement Actions | Total Bribery |
|---|---|
| Goldman Sachs’ Involvement in Malaysia and the U.A.E. between 2009 and 2014 | $ 2,700,000,000 |
| Siemens’ Involvement in Multiple Countries from 1996 to 2007 | $ 1,400,000,000 |
| Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras’ Involvement in Brazil between 2003 and 2012 | $ 1,000,000,000 |
| Gorrin’s Involvement in Venezuela between 2008 and 2017 | $ 1,000,000,000 |
| Multiple Companies’ Involvement in Uzbekistan between 2004 and 2012 | $ 866,000,000 |
| Groups of Related Enforcement Actions | Profit from Bribes |
|---|---|
| Odebrecht and Braskem’s Involvement in Multiple Countries from 2001 to 2016 | $ 3,336,000,000 |
| Siemens’ Involvement in Multiple Countries from 1996 to 2007 | $ 1,100,000,000 |
| Societe Generale and Legg Mason’s Involvement in Libya between 2004 and 2011 | $ 523,000,000 |
| Keppel Offshore and TechnipFMC’s Involvement in Brazil between 2001 and 2014 | $ 500,000,000 |
| Ericsson’s Involvement in Multiple Countries between 2000 and 2017 | $ 458,380,000 |
| Groups of Related Enforcement Actions | Revenue from Bribes |
|---|---|
| TSKJ’s Involvement in Nigeria from 1994 to 2004 | $ 6,000,000,000 |
| Hitachi’s Involvement in South Africa between 2005 and 2014 | $ 5,600,000,000 |
| Alstom and Marubeni’s Involvement in Multiple Countries from 2000 to 2010 | $ 4,000,000,000 |
| Societe Generale and Legg Mason’s Involvement in Libya between 2004 and 2011 | $ 3,660,000,000 |
| SBM Offshore’s Involvement in Multiple Countries | $ 2,819,500,000 |
| Groups of Related Enforcement Actions | Total Sanction |
|---|---|
| Odebrecht and Braskem’s Involvement in Multiple Countries from 2001 to 2016 | $ 3,557,626,137 |
| Airbus’ Involvement in China between 2008 and 2015 | $ 2,091,978,881 |
| Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras’ Involvement in Brazil between 2003 and 2012 | $ 1,786,673,797 |
| TSKJ’s Involvement in Nigeria from 1994 to 2004 | $ 1,715,938,854 |
| Ericsson’s Involvement in Multiple Countries between 2000 and 2017 | $ 1,060,570,832 |
Tackling bribery should start with awareness of the pyramidic chaos it can bring upon a country or organisation. The international organisations must do more to not encourage bribery at either local level or international level.
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It is never a “win-win” situation in bribery, putting short-term financial gains of few selected individuals or organisations above the economic interest of a country is akin to slavery.
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The push for a win at all cost is not a justification for bribery.
There are victims at the end of bribery activities, no justification or illusion is enough to think otherwise.