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Whats the difference between a bribe and payment for services? legally?

For example, is an employee selling their knowledge about how a company works a bribe? Software contractors often sell information like that. But it does seem bribe-like.




The difference is whose pocket the money goes into. If it goes to the government, or the company, that the official represents, it's a fee. If the official pockets the money, it's a bribe (or possibly fraud / embezzlement).

Good rule of thumb: always get a receipt. No receipt, it's a bribe. If you're given a genuine-looking receipt, then you can probably get off the hook as a victim of fraud.


Plenty of ways to pay a bribe AND get a receipt.

A popular scheme in my country:

- politician runs, possibly through proxy, nearly defunct NGO

- company supports NGO

- politician votes in favor of a company

- after politician's stint is over, he runs a series of speeches for the NGO to cash out


It's not bribe if it's an authentic, official channel.

For eg. if the DMV starts a program where you can pay $50 to get an instant walk-in appointment, it's not a bribe. However, if a DMV employee asks you to slip her a 50 dollar bill in return of an instant appointment, that is a bribe.


Line jumping is revenue center for theme parks these days. At Disneyland it's called the MaxPass, at LegoLand, the Fastrack. I'm sure there are others.


At the TSA, it's called PreCheck.


Not that I care much at all these days, but were there a checkpoint offered with no PreCheck, I, as a non-PreCheck person, would prefer that one even if it took more time.


An employee receives monetary payment from their employer. Any money earned from outside of their employer for doing something at their job is the bribe.




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