Dmitrij Harder, a Russian-born German national based in the Philadelphia area, has lost his appeal against a 60-month prison sentence for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He was convicted of bribing an officer at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for loan approvals.
Harder argued that the $3.5 million in bribes he paid to secure financing for two Russian energy projects were “highly beneficial,” creating 6,500 jobs and boosting “the entire economy of the (eastern Siberia) region,” and that this should have been considered a mitigating factor in his sentencing.
He had pleaded guilty in 2016 to two counts of violating the FCPA. He forfeited $1.9 million as part of his plea deal. The Third Circuit has now ruled that the trial judge considered this argument and correctly rejected it.
