HR-4737 : Still Just a Bill

Foreign Extortion Prevention Act

This bill establishes a federal criminal offense involving bribery by foreign officials.

Specifically, the bill makes it a crime for foreign officials to demand or accept anything of value personally or for another person or a nongovernmental entity to influence the performance of an official act or otherwise confer an improper advantage.

The bill explicitly grants extraterritorial jurisdiction over the offense.

A violation is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 15 years, or both.

Finally, the bill establishes a Victims of Kleptocracy Fund in the Treasury and directs fines and penalties for violations to be deposited into the fund for anti-corruption initiatives.