From the AP story on a “novel trial”  beginning tomorrow in Los Angeles:

” The trial is the first in which entertainment industry figures are charged under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a federal statute prohibiting corrupt payments to foreign officials for business purposes.

Prosecutors contend (Gerald and Patricia Green) paid Juthamas Siriwan, the former governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, about $1.8 million to help secure the Bangkok International Film Festival and tourism-related deals, beginning in 2002. The payments, often disguised as sales commissions, were transferred into accounts of Juthamas’ daughter and a friend or paid in cash to Juthamas directly, according to court documents.”

But why are they getting prosecuted and not Sirawan? Strange story, especially from over here where payments and gifts are as everyday as the monsoon rain.

LA film producers to stand trial in bribery case – by Greg Risling, AP (please don’t charge me for the quote AP!)

Thanks to 2bangkok.com for seeing this first.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Trial opens in federal bribery case against producers (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
• The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Can You Say China Relevant? (chinalawblog.com)