corruption

Congressmen, lobbyists, and car salesmen have some of the worst reputations for honesty and ethics, as do business execs, stock brokers and real estate agents. And there's a reason why: The rules of their games are stacked against good behavior.

It's been more than two years since Bernie Madoff's gigantic Ponzi scheme collapsed, but the blame game is just beginning. And many of the victims are jockeying for position, hoping to recover some money from other parties who might be deemed partly responsible for the fraud.

According to the latest leaked U.S. diplomatic cables from WikiLeaks, Pfizer hired investigators to try to uncover evidence of corruption in order to pressure the Nigerian attorney general to drop the case against it.

For decades, U.S. companies doing business overseas have had to avoid falling afoul of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits the bribing of foreign officials. But in the past few years, such corporate misbehavior is receiving more attention and increased enforcement, which is making executives nervous.

Alan Hevesi, the former comptroller of New York state, has pled guilty to corruption charges that he accepted campaign money and gifts from a California venture capitalist in exchange for directing pension-fund money to the donor's firm.

Federal investigators are looking into allegations that major drug companies, including Merck, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb and GlaxoSmithKline, paid bribes overseas to boost sales and accelerate approvals.

Congressional investigators are questioning six lawmakers over possible misuse of taxpayer dollars meant to pay for overseas travel, The Wall Street Journal reported. The probe is looking into spending by lawmakers including Solomon Ortiz (D., Texas) and Joe Wilson (R., S.C.), The Wall Street...

The jury found ex-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich guilty of lying to the FBI but deadlocked on the 23 other charges. Because of one hold-out juror, Blagojevich goes free on charges including allegedly selling the President's Senate seat.

Two federal agencies are investigating whether drugmaker Merck & Co. violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars U.S. companies from bribing foreign officials.

New Jersey's Chris Christie is preparing to announce sweeping plans to overhaul Atlantic City's casino district, just one part of a set of proposals that would mark the biggest changes to the state's gaming industry since gambling was legalized.