Penalty Info

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Bribery and corruption (public officials)Verified against official source

Verified against official source

This range was checked against the official legal text. Last verified: 2026-10-19.

Statutory range

s. 119 — bribery of judicial officers, MPs, provincial legislators

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 14 years
Fine
No fine stated

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

Indictable only. Proceedings against a holder of judicial office require the written consent of the Attorney General of Canada (s. 119(2)).

s. 121 — frauds on the government — indictable

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 5 years
Fine
No fine stated

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

Includes giving/accepting loans, rewards, advantages or benefits in connection with government business, influence-peddling, and tender-withdrawal payments.

s. 121 — frauds on the government — summary conviction

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 2 years less a day (s. 787 default)
Fine
Fine $0–$5,000 (s. 787 default)

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

s. 122 — breach of trust by a public officer — indictable

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 5 years
Fine
No fine stated

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

s. 122 — breach of trust by a public officer — summary conviction

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 2 years less a day (s. 787 default)
Fine
Fine $0–$5,000 (s. 787 default)

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

CFPOA s. 3 — bribing a foreign public official

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 14 years
Fine
No fine stated

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

Indictable only. No fine stated in s. 3(2).

Note on this entry

Only ss. 119, 121, 122 (Criminal Code) and CFPOA s. 3 were retrieved in this session. ss. 120, 123–125 were not read and are not tiered here — re-check before publishing.

Source

Statute
Criminal Code ss. 119–125; Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act s. 3
Official source
laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
Verification status
Last verified
2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not “your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors, attempt, concurrence, plea, discretion, parole rules, ancillary orders, remediation agreements (Criminal Code Part XXII.1) for organizations. If you face a real charge, consult a licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.