U.S. Supreme Court Limits Scope of Federal "Honest Services" Fraud Statute

Today, the United States Supreme Court issued two opinions in the cases of Enron Corp.’s Jeffrey Skilling and Hollinger International, Inc.’s Conrad Black that strictly limit the scope of so-called “honest services” fraud charges. These decisions may have serious implications for prosecutors who have used the “honest services” fraud statute as a powerful tool in the investigation and prosecution of alleged corporate malfeasance.