Despite the Biden administration's pledges to be tougher on corporate crime than its business-friendly predecessor, a new report published Monday shows that corporate prosecutions reached a record low in 2021, continuing a decline that accelerated under former President Donald Trump.
Citing data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission and the Corporate Prosecution Registry, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen notes in its analysis that just 90 corporations either pleaded guilty or were found guilty of federal crimes last year even as the Justice Department—led by Attorney General Merrick Garland—announced policies aimed at strengthening enforcement efforts against white-collar offenses.
