New York Bribery Frequently Asked Questions

Bribery is a white collar crime. There are two types of bribery - offering a bribe and receiving a bribe. Offering a bribe involves giving or offering an official money or some other type of benefit in exchange for influencing action related to the public servant’s position. Receiving a bribe involves an official accepting or agreeing to accept money or some other type of benefit with the understanding that in doing so he (or she) will be influenced. Bribery does not always involve a public official. There are also laws against bribery in a commercial transaction.

Bribery does not have to involve money. It can involve the offering or acceptance of any type of benefit. For example, bribery can involve offering or acceptance of sexual favors, a job promotion, or expensive property such as vehicles or real estate.

Even though bribery in the third degree is the least serious bribery crime, it is still a felony.

If you offer any type of benefit to a public servant in order to influence the public servant’s decisions, vote or the manner in which he (or she) perform his responsibilities, you will face the charge of bribery in the third degree. Bribery in the third degree is a class D felony. If you are convicted of this crime, you are at risk of being sentenced to prison for up to 7 years.

Bribery in the second degree involves the same actions as bribery in the third degree, except that the value of the money or benefit involved is more than $10,000. Bribery in the second degree is a class C felony. If you are convicted you face incarceration of up to 15 years.

As a New York bribery lawyer will explain, you will face the charge of bribery in the first degree if your confer, offer to confer, or agree to confer a benefit upon a public servant intended to influence that public servant’s actions related to the investigation, prosecution, or incarceration of a person who committed or was alleged to have committed a class A felony such as murder in the first degree or kidnapping in the first degree. Bribery in the first degree is a class B felony. If you are convicted you face incarceration of up to 25 years.

Bribe receiving in the third degree is similar to bribery in the third degree. The deference is the defendant is not the person offer to confer a benefit, but the person who solicits, accepts or agrees to accept a benefit with the understanding that the way he performs his duty as a public servant will be influenced. Bribe receiving in the third degree is a class D felony with a sentence of up to 7 years in prison.

The charge to a public servant will be raised to bribe receiving in the second degree if the value of the benefit involved is over $10,000. Second degree bribe receiving is a class C felony, and you could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.

Bribe receiving involves a public servant demanding, accepting or agreeing to accept a benefit in exchange of having his decision regarding someone accused of a class A felony influenced. First degree bribe receiving is a class B felony, and can result in a prison sentence of up to 25 years.

If you are facing a bribery charge in New York, contact an experienced bribery attorney. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates have years of experience successfully defending clients in New York criminal courts charged with felonies and misdemeanors. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We serve those accused of crimes in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.