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Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

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Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

#171

Post by DangitBobby »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #130
vishnugupta wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

> 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. Flying people to an AWS conference seems entirely different than funneling money into a single person's bank account. Yes, I know these conferences have a party-like atmosphere, but it's not done surreptitiously and it's not siphoning…

It doesn't really seem that different.

Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

#172

Post by _jal »

horsawlarway wrote: post #128
pyronite wrote: post #105

Earlier 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.…

Right, I'm sure a white-collar exec took kickbacks because poker is banned in some jurisdictions.

I agree that we massively overcriminalize things. But apologizing for a crook this way is just silly.

(Not to mention you're factually incorrect on some of this, universalizing the rest when it isn't universal, and generally being very hyperbolic.)

Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

#173

Post by [deleted] »

0x0nyandesu wrote: post #28

Why 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?

[deleted]

Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

#174

Post by stefan_ »

vishnugupta wrote: post #114
PragmaticPulp wrote: post #13

Every 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…

It's all fun and games until you swap AWS for Purdue Pharma and point people for doctors and suddenly there is an opium addiction epidemic. This shit has real consequences.

Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

#175

Post by horsawlarway »

___q wrote: post #160
horsawlarway wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

> "Happy birthday" is public domain

Only after 2016. Before that you would have been on the hook for ~$700 per performance to warner media group.

Admittedly, in most "Private" settings, you'd be fine. The most common place to get flagged was in a restaurant where the waiters sing to you.

> you don't need to report things you buy online on your taxes

Ooof, I got some bad news for you, buddy. You ABSOLUTELY DO need to report any online purchase that does not charge you sales tax at time of payment. Most retailers will now do this (primarily because Amazon abused the shit out of this to give customers an additional ~10% off, and the IRS started handing out fines) but for things like: Craigslist, Ebay, Alibaba, etc - You better be reporting it, you little criminal you.

Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

#176

Post by DFHippie »

citizenpaul wrote: post #73
PragmaticPulp wrote: post #13

Every 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…

This was pay to play and the play was not delivered. Hence the blowback from upset "victims" coming after their money. Kickbacks are common sorry man. Its harder in public sector because of the eyeson you but there are ways around it. You just have to be in the right position. Kickbacks are almost never posecuted because both sidea get what they want.

There are more than two sides.

Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

#177

Post by shakezula »

DangitBobby wrote: post #171
PragmaticPulp wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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. Flying people to an AWS conference seems entirely different than funneling money into a single person's bank account. Yes, I know these conferences have a party-like atmosphere, but it's not done surreptitiously and it's not siphoning…

It doesn't really seem that different.

This situation is like lobbying: is it the people's voice in fungible action or is it mega-corporations funneling money directly into politicians pockets?

The answer is probably both, and any attempt to litigate it will probably be abused and lead to even more issues.

Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

#178

Post by cik2e »

pyronite wrote: post #105
wayoutthere wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s a side effect of having so many laws that it’s impossible not to break some of them. And this is coming from someone on the left.

I'm not aware of any laws I've unintentionally broken. Which kinds of laws are you speaking of?

* I'm not aware of any laws I've unintentionally broken. *

So, working as intended?

I get what your meaning but this phrasing cracked me up.

Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

#179

Post by horsawlarway »

_jal wrote: post #172
horsawlarway wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.…

Right, I'm sure a white-collar exec took kickbacks because poker is banned in some jurisdictions. I agree that we massively overcriminalize things. But apologizing for a crook this way is just silly. (Not to mention you're factually incorrect on some of this, universalizing the rest when it isn't universal, and generally being very hyperbolic.)

I'm responding directly to the comment above, asking which crimes they might have unintentionally committed.

You'll notice I make no comment about the kickbacks here.

And yes - the whole POINT is that none of these are all that intuitive, and they vary by region. So the odds are very good that you're violating some city/town/state ordinance fairly often, but the lack of enforcement means you never consider it.

Re: Netflix Executive Sentenced to 30 Months for 700K Bribes, Kickbacks from Vendors

#180

Post by ceh123 »

savingsPossible wrote: post #157
zapataband1 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Not sure about this source, but [0] gives some insight into this. Wage theft is typically defined as legally earned wages than an employer refuses to give to the employee (think tips not being given appropriately, overtime hours not compensated for as an hourly employee, etc.)

[0] https://www.epi.org/publication/wage-theft-bigger-problem-fo...

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