Extraterritoriality–Prosecuting Crime Committed Abroad

American prosecutors have recently brought a number of high-profile criminal cases against foreign citizens abroad (European bankers, business executives in Asia, etc.), but how does US criminal law apply to actions committed abroad? In this TOL Brief, Alex Spiro explains the legal principle of extraterritorial jurisdiction, what type of US-related impact is required, and where federal prosecutors are likely to act.  

 

  Alex Spiro is a litigation partner at Quinn Emanuel based in New York.  Spiro is a former Manhattan prosecutor and now serves as Chairman of the Board of Harvard's criminal justice initiative—The Fair Punishment Project.