Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)

The U.S. anti-corruption infrastructure, including inspector-general offices and transparency rules, is being systematically weakened. The 'When the Guardrails Erode' series examines this erosion, its risks to democratic governance, and potential solutions, paired with an Anti-Corruption Tracker documenting actions. Upcoming articles cover topics like international accountability, FOIA reforms, and state-level countermeasures.

The Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA), signed into law in December 2023, makes it a crime for foreign officials to demand bribes from U.S. companies and Americans, closing a loophole that previously only penalized U.S. companies under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The law presents an opportunity to reshape how U.S. companies operate in corruption-prone environments like Venezuela, which reopened its oil sector to American companies following a January 2026 U.S. military intervention.