In-game legal question

[Steven Jones]

If someone takes a bribe but doesn't fulfil their end of the bargain, is
that a crime? I'm writing a scenario based on the cricket match-fixing
scandal that occurred earlier this year.
In my version, one player accepted $3000 (he needed the money for his son's
medical treatment) from a bookie but didn't throw the game, scoring a
hat-trick and a century in the same innings.

[Tim Little]

Post by Steven Jones
If someone takes a bribe but doesn't fulfil their end of the
bargain, is that a crime?

If they receive money on the promise of committing an illegal act,
that's often illegal in itself, though not always and not everywhere.
Legal treatment may also vary depending upon whether the person
receiving the money reports the attempt to the authorities (and
hands over the money as evidence).

In cases where the action is not itself illegal, it seems to me that
it would be simple fraud or at the very least breach of (verbal)
contract: they have accepted money in exchange for an act that they
had no intention of carrying out.


- Tim

[Paul Colquhoun]

On Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:00:30 +1100, Steven Jones <***@aapt.net.au> wrote:
| If someone takes a bribe but doesn't fulfil their end of the bargain, is
| that a crime? I'm writing a scenario based on the cricket match-fixing
| scandal that occurred earlier this year.
| In my version, one player accepted $3000 (he needed the money for his son's
| medical treatment) from a bookie but didn't throw the game, scoring a
| hat-trick and a century in the same innings.


How did they manage that? A hat-trick is for bowlers, a century for
batsmen, and you don't do both in the same innings.

[Steven Jones]

He is a bowler. While bowling, he got a hat-trick. When he was batting, he
got the century. As in baseball, an an innings in cricket has two halves.

[Paul Colquhoun]

On Tue, 14 Dec 2010 18:32:04 +1100, Steven Jones <***@aapt.net.au> wrote:
| He is a bowler. While bowling, he got a hat-trick. When he was batting, he
| got the century. As in baseball, an an innings in cricket has two halves.


I'll believe you (and wikipedia) for baseball, but I've never heard that usage
for cricket, and neither has wikipedia.

[jester]

On Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:56:37 +1100, Paul Colquhoun

Post by Paul Colquhoun
| He is a bowler. While bowling, he got a hat-trick. When he was batting, he
| got the century. As in baseball, an an innings in cricket has two halves.
I'll believe you (and wikipedia) for baseball, but I've never heard that usage
for cricket, and neither has wikipedia.

Blimey, wikipedia's got something wrong? Who'd have thought it possible.

IMO, it's a perfectly acceptable use of the terminology.

[Rob Kelk]

On Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:00:30 +1100, "Steven Jones"

Post by Steven Jones
If someone takes a bribe but doesn't fulfil their end of the bargain, is
that a crime? I'm writing a scenario based on the cricket match-fixing
scandal that occurred earlier this year.
In my version, one player accepted $3000 (he needed the money for his son's
medical treatment) from a bookie but didn't throw the game, scoring a
hat-trick and a century in the same innings.

One could argue that the person who took the payment but failed to
perform the services is in breach of contract, or (if he took the money
knowing that he had no intention of going through with his end of the
bargain) has committed fraud.

(Not that I expect someone who would offer a bribe to go through the
legal system for redress; the cricket player is more likely to end up
with a visit from an "enforcer" than a visit from a lawyer...)

[Roger Burton West]

Post by Rob Kelk
(Not that I expect someone who would offer a bribe to go through the
legal system for redress; the cricket player is more likely to end up
with a visit from an "enforcer" than a visit from a lawyer...)

Quite so. A contract is voided if it can only be fulfilled by an illegal
act, at least in most versions of contract law. One could argue that the
bribe should be returned.

Smart institutions have a policy of "accept the bribe and tell us about
it, then do whatever you were going to do anyway".

[Steffan O'Sullivan]

Post by Steven Jones
If someone takes a bribe but doesn't fulfil their end of the bargain, is
that a crime?

I believe it is in the US, but I'm no lawyer. I don't even play one
in an RPG.

In the Black Sox scandal (1919 baseball World Series) eight players
were brought to trial for taking bribes, even though at least one
of them (Joe Jackson) performed very well in the series (series
high batting average, 30 fielding chances with no errors). (All
were found innocent, BTW, but that doesn't change the fact that
it's illegal to take a bribe on a sporting event with which you're
connected.)

[Will in New Haven]

Post by Steven Jones
If someone takes a bribe but doesn't fulfil their end of the bargain, is
that a crime?  

I believe it is in the US, but I'm no lawyer.  I don't even play one
in an RPG.
In the Black Sox scandal (1919 baseball World Series) eight players
were brought to trial for taking bribes, even though at least one
of them (Joe Jackson) performed very well in the series (series
high batting average, 30 fielding chances with no errors).  (All
were found innocent, BTW, but that doesn't change the fact that
it's illegal to take a bribe on a sporting event with which you're
connected.)

Joe Jackson threw to the wrong base (something he almost never did)
and allowed a run to score in the first game. It was the first hint
that people had that the games were fixed. Anyway, he knew, although
the fixers didn't, that all you needed to fix the series was to bribe
the two important Pitchers, Williams and Ciccote (sp) They would have
had to bribe Chic Gandil also because he was their conduit to the
players. Bribing the other players wasn't necessary but, as I say,
they didn't know that. Jackson didn't have to do much to make sure
that they lost the series. And he did the minimum needed.

--
Will in New Haven
Pete when he's dead; Shoeless Joe never

[Bent C Dalager]

Post by Steven Jones
If someone takes a bribe but doesn't fulfil their end of the bargain, is
that a crime?

I'd say probably not. There are some types of contract that courts
tend to simply refuse to have an opinion on and as a consequence you
can't actually put any legal weight behind them. Contracts to engage
in illegal activity (that is, abusing your position in return for a
bribe) would probably fall into that category even if there doesn't
exist any law to make the contracts as such invalid. I wouldn't be
surprised if such a law existed though.

As a pedantic point, I doubt that failing to fulfill a contract is in
itself a crime at any time. Sounds like a case for a civil suit to me
rather than criminal proceedings.

Cheers,
Bent D

[Shawn Wilson]

Post by Steven Jones
If someone takes a bribe but doesn't fulfil their end of the bargain, is
that a crime?  I'm writing a scenario based on the cricket match-fixing
scandal that occurred earlier this year.

Hmmm...


Varient question-

Suppose I have access to secret information. Someone pays me to give
them that information. I take the money but give them fake
information I created rather than the real.

Crime? If so is is the kind of thing anyone would prosecute, or is it
only a technical 'crime'.

How about if I tell the authorities, but keep the money?

[tussock]

Post by Steven Jones
If someone takes a bribe but doesn't fulfil their end of the bargain, is
that a crime?

Yes, it's called conspiracy. Even /discussing/ taking money to
breach the law it is very dangerous ground, actually take the money and
you're screwed.

Also, the crooks are going to murder you, which is a shame. People
who work outside the law take their justice outside it too.

Post by Steven Jones
I'm writing a scenario based on the cricket match-fixing scandal that
occurred earlier this year. In my version, one player accepted $3000 (he
needed the money for his son's medical treatment) from a bookie but
didn't throw the game, scoring a hat-trick and a century in the same
innings.

The fixing was largely about little things, not the match result.
You can bet on crap like if the third bowling change at the north end
bowls a wide on the fourth ball of their second over, for tens of
thousands of dollars at very high returns.
Dude could be the hero of the game and still fulfill all the bribe
conditions.

[MeaningWhat]

Post by Steven Jones
If someone takes a bribe but doesn't fulfil their end of the bargain, is
that a crime? I'm writing a scenario based on the cricket match-fixing
scandal that occurred earlier this year.
In my version, one player accepted $3000 (he needed the money for his
son's medical treatment) from a bookie but didn't throw the game,
scoring a hat-trick and a century in the same innings.

i would be surprised if any legal system had laws about these things.