§ 609.42 — Bribery
Plain-Language Summary
Bribery is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. It is a crime to offer money or benefits to a public official to influence their actions, or for an official to accept such payments. It also covers bribing witnesses and accepting money to not report or prosecute a crime. A public officer convicted of bribery loses their office permanently.
609.42 BRIBERY.
§
Subdivision 1.Acts constituting.
Whoever does any of the following is guilty of bribery and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both:
(1) offers, gives, or promises to give, directly or indirectly, to any person who is a public officer or employee any benefit, reward or consideration to which the person is not legally entitled with intent thereby to influence the person’s performance of the powers or duties as such officer or employee; or
(2) being a public officer or employee, requests, receives or agrees to receive, directly or indirectly, any such benefit, reward or consideration upon the understanding that it will have such an influence; or
(3) offers, gives, or promises to give, directly or indirectly any such benefit, reward, or consideration to a person who is a witness or about to become a witness in a proceeding before a judicial or hearing officer, with intent that the person’s testimony be influenced thereby, or that the person will not appear at the proceeding; or
(4) as a person who is, or is about to become such witness requests, receives, or agrees to receive, directly or indirectly, any such benefit, reward, or consideration upon the understanding that the person’s testimony will be so influenced, or that the person will not appear at the proceeding; or
(5) accepts directly or indirectly a benefit, reward or consideration upon an agreement or understanding, express or implied, that the acceptor will refrain from giving information that may lead to the prosecution of a crime or purported crime or that the acceptor will abstain from, discontinue, or delay prosecution therefor, except in a case where a compromise is allowed by law. §
Subd. 2.Forfeiture of office.
Any public officer who is convicted of violating or attempting to violate subdivision 1 shall forfeit the public officer’s office and be forever disqualified from holding public office under the state.
History:
1963 c 753 art 1 s 609.42; 1976 c 178 s 2; 1984 c 628 art 3 s 11; 1986 c 444
History: History: 1963 c 753 art 1 s 609.42; 1976 c 178 s 2; 1984 c 628 art 3 s 11; 1986 c 444