What’s the Value of a $600 Bribe? Not $5,000 Says the 7th Circuit

Dominick Owens, a zoning inspector for the city of Chicago, was caught taking two $600 bribes in exchange for certificates of occupancy. So why did the Seventh Circuit reverse his conviction? From the Kaiser Law Firm:

“According to [the law], the thing that was provided in exchange for a bribe - here the certificates of occupancy - has to be worth more than $5,000… 

How do you determine the value of the government action that was purchased by a bribe? There are two ways. First, you can look at the value of the bribe… Of course, that answer cuts against the government in Mr. Owens’ case - the bribes were only $600. The second way is to look at the value of the thing purchased or the value of the benefit to the person paying the bribe received from what he got from the bribe… 

The government in Mr. Owens case argued that the mortgages at issue in Mr. Owens bribes ranged from $200,000 to $600,000. So, since certificates of occupancy were necessary for the mortgages to be funded, the government said, the certificates of occupancy were worth well more than $5,000.”

The court was not convinced. 

Read the update, What’s It Worth To You? The Seventh Circuit Looks At The Value Of Things Bought Through Bribery - The Kaiser Law Firm PLLC»