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以案明纪释法丨利用职权迫使他人接受有偿代理服务构成何罪
Zhong Yang Ji Wei Guo Jia Jian Wei Wang Zhan· 2025-05-21 00:00
Core Viewpoint - The case involves a public official and a private company owner colluding to force businesses to pay for a service that should be free, leading to charges of bribery, money laundering, and abuse of power [2][5][15]. Summary by Sections Basic Case Facts - The public official, identified as the head of A Maritime Bureau, sought to have a private company, controlled by a close associate, handle a new port's electronic data interchange (EDI) declaration services, which are typically free [2][3]. Actions Taken - The official organized a meeting to designate the private company as the EDI agent and pressured other businesses to pay for this service, threatening to deny their EDI applications if they did not comply [3][9]. Financial Transactions - From December 2021 to March 2024, the private company collected over 4.9 million yuan in fees, with the official receiving over 2 million yuan in kickbacks, which were then laundered through various financial maneuvers [3][10]. Divergent Opinions on Legal Classification - Three opinions emerged regarding the classification of the actions: 1. The first opinion suggests the actions constitute forced trading [5]. 2. The second opinion argues for classification as bribery, emphasizing the coercive nature of the actions [6]. 3. The third opinion supports the second but also includes money laundering due to the subsequent financial transactions aimed at concealing the source of the funds [6][11]. Legal Analysis - The actions of the public official and the private company owner are seen as a clear case of bribery, as they exploited the official's position to extract payments for a service that should be free [8][10]. - The laundering of the proceeds through investments and fictitious loan agreements indicates a deliberate attempt to obscure the origins of the illicit funds, fulfilling the criteria for money laundering [11][14]. Abuse of Power - The public official's actions not only violated legal standards but also severely damaged the reputation of the public institution, leading to widespread complaints and media coverage, which constitutes abuse of power [15][16].