I haven't even gotten a new Datadog shirt in years :-(
Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors
151–160 of 255 posts
Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors
#152Some of the vendors mentioned: - VistaraIT, LLC - Platfora, Inc. - Sumo Logic, Inc - ElasticBox, Inc - Numerify, Inc. - Docurated, Inc - Maginatics, Inc. Is what they did illegal too? Presumably with zero chance of being charged. I haven't fully groked the limits of 'fraud' and 'money laundering' here in the US. These typically feel like they should be civil breach of fiduciary duty type cases.
From TFA: Evidence at trial showed that several more companies paid Kail. Neither Netenrich, Vistara, nor any of the other companies were charged with criminal conduct. Only Kail was charged with devising the criminal scheme that defrauded Netflix. Since Kail was charged for wire fraud and mail fraud (deceiving Netflix about his personal compensation and conflicts of interest), it seems possible that the companies co…
> paying someone on the side for inside information on competitors
That seems like the proper litmus test for bribery by vendors, as distinct from "shakedown" / "pay to play" i.e. extortion from vendors.
Wonder if really shrewd extortionists try to make victims complicit, by sending them inside info never asked for?
Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors
#153Now this is what we need to see to effect change in corporate behavior.
Kind of, but he only got in trouble because he messed with other rich people's money.
Not sure why HN is downvoting this, because this is 100% how the world works lmao
Here's a nice article on this topic: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-03-13/you-ha...
Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors
#154Every time this story comes up, the comments are filled with people proclaiming that kickbacks like this are totally normal and very common. I can't tell how much of it is random people projecting their cynicism onto the business world, or if it's people who have been part of bribery/kickback schemes themselves trying to normalize the behavior online. Either way, cases like this should make it clear that the behavior…
I know of people who AWS fully sponsored, including business class intercontinental travel, to attend re:Invent which is essentially a week long holiday party, by virtue of AWS bill. Every vendor has marketing budget and a decent portion of it goes to keeping their point people at clients happy. You can call it kick back or whatever, it’s a matter of semantics. So yes it is normal. And no it’s neither cynical and nor…
Kickbacks are a personal payment, an illegal personal incentive to a business transaction.
This guy was soliciting cash and stocks! A crummy sponsored trip to a conference would have been arranged through the employer, and is not the same thing.
Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors
#155Why is this even illegal? Perks in the industry is normal. People are always trying to get their own businesses front and center for contracts. Some of these companies just don't have much to give out other than equity and what exactly is wrong about that?
For another example, look at how college bribery schemes are illegal. They're not illegal because they're unfair or immoral, they're illegal because the administrator is selling the spot that the college owns; it's not his/her spot to sell. If the company wanted to be used by Netflix in exchange for equity, then they could make a deal with Netflix itself. This executive was essentially selling the rights to contracts…
I thought the college bribery schemes were mostly illegal because the lowered the price for a guaranteed admission slot too much and, more importantly, cut the university out of the loop by paying the admissions personnel directly.
Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors
#156Every time this story comes up, the comments are filled with people proclaiming that kickbacks like this are totally normal and very common. I can't tell how much of it is random people projecting their cynicism onto the business world, or if it's people who have been part of bribery/kickback schemes themselves trying to normalize the behavior online. Either way, cases like this should make it clear that the behavior…
I'm always reminded that HN is global, and sometimes people are representing what's normal or common where they're sitting, not necessarily everywhere.
I appreciate you pointing this out, I easily forget this.
I think the extreme version of this is me taking something that is routine or normal for me individually and assuming all other humans must do it. Or taking something that my spouse, boss, or parent did and assume all spouses, bosses, or parents must do it. Not necessarily.
Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors
#157Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, this is effectively a race to the bottom situation and is a form of corruption of the rule of law. In today's world, we tend to have a culture of "letting things slide" and all this does is gradually normalize and escalate breaking the law over a long period of time.
Cost of wage theft by employers is 3 times the total cost of burglaries. There's a few articles about wage theft over the year and probably 100 a day about burglaries. White collar crime does not pay.
That is the most amazing statistic!
What exactly is the definition of wage theft? Do you have a source? I would love to have it
Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors
#158Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors
#159I love how it's totally legal for the governor of Florida to send lucrative drug testing contracts to his wife's owned company but a guy getting a few stock options from a client is illegal. I guess we'll just go back to big wads of cash in an envelope instead.
> I guess we'll just go back to big wads of cash in an envelope instead.
Uh so wait are you saying that because the elected official isn't held responsible that we should then lower the bar to permit all bribery? That doesn't make any sense.
Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors
#160Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not aware of any laws I've unintentionally broken. Which kinds of laws are you speaking of?
Ever been under 18 and owned a spray paint can or a permanent marker? Crime. Ever connected to an open wifi network without directly confirming with the owner you're allowed? Crime. Ever held your phone while driving? Crime. Happen to also be headed downhill and hit 1mph over the limit? Double crime! Ever walked across your street outside of clearly marked crossings? Crime. Ever sung happy birthday in public? Crime.…
"Happy birthday" is public domain and
you don't need to report things you buy online on your taxes