Reading Room Document

Applicability of 18 U.S.C. § 207(f) to Public Relations Activities Undertaken for a Foreign Corporation Controlled by a Foreign Government

A foreign corporation is a "foreign entity" under 18 U.S.C. § 207(f) if it exercises sovereign authority or functions de jure or de facto. A former official's proposed activities are not prohibited by section 207(f)(1) if the former official does not provide those services on behalf of a "foreign entity," regardless of whether the former official's services incidentally benefit the foreign entity's interests. Where the former official does provide services on behalf of a "foreign entity," the proposed public relations and media activities would fall within the scope of section 207(f)(1) if the former official acts with the requisite intent to influence a decision of an officer or employee of the United States government. The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/482181/download.

August 13, 2008