Question

Which of the following is true regarding corporate executives being held personally liable for business crime?
a. Corporate executives may never be held personally liable for a business crime
b. Corporate executives may only be held personally liable for a business crime if they benefited personally from their actions in executing the business crime
c. Corporate executives may be found personally liable for a business crime regardless of whether the business crime was committed for personal benefit or for the benefit of the corporation
d. A court may not assess criminal liability on a corporate executive unless the executive directly engaged in the specific criminal violation
e. Criminal liability may not be assessed against a corporate executive unless the executive directly engaged in the criminal activity and also profited directly and personally from the criminal activity

Answer 1

The answer is: c. Corporate executives may be found personally liable for a business crime regardless of whether the business crime was committed for personal benefit or for the benefit of the corporation

In order to held personally liable, the justice department need to find a motive that can tied the defendants with the accusation made toward them.

Benefits received could always be used as motives in such situation. Even if only the corporation obtain the benefit from the executive, the executive would most likely rewarded indirectly from the company's benefit.