- Science
- Global
Politically connected firms face softer penalties for bribery
- May 20, 2026 at 3:40 PM
- 43 views
When companies are caught making illegal payments to foreign government officials to win or keep business, the penalties are meant to be severe. But new research suggests those consequences are not always applied evenly. In some cases, political influence may quietly shape how harsh—or lenient—enforcement outcomes become, raising questions about fairness, transparency, and accountability.
Originally published at Phys.org