Daimler pays 185 Million and pleads guilty to felonies

U.S. Justice Department accuses Daimler of paying bribes. Daimler responds by bribing them too.

also I read elsewhere that Daimler isn't pleading guilty or admitting any wrongdoing. They are just forking out the money.

A lot of those countries mentioned in the article have corrupt government officials. Bribery is a form of business there. You pay some official a certain percentage and he'll allow you to do business in his country etc.

International bribery even though common place and legal in other countries is still illegal and punishable in the USA (even if the bribing was conducted in another country).

It is illegal, but the reality is that many firms practice some sort of form of bribery to do business in certain countries. Even American (etc.) firms do this, particularly in Africa and Asia as well as South America. It wouldn't surprise me if in certain parts of North America and Europe, there was some ongoing form of business bribery to.

Joe is right. However Willis also is right....in my country most of american and Spanish Companies works in that way. In fact Spanish trend to work on that way (always).

Just want to point this out: the above image is NOT for Daimler the corporation: it is the logo/symbol for Daimler the car marque, which is owned by Jaguar.

Can someone explain to me what the US has to do with foreign companies and their actions in foreign countries? And why exactly is the US pocketing this money? Shouldnt such money be distributed to the affected places, after all, bribery is more damaging to those countries than they are to the US?