Accounts of Honesty. Refuting Allegations of Bribery

In English This article investigates the stories told by Swedish men charged with bribery. The interviews are drawn from a study of court cases relating to bribery. White-collar criminals often justify their actions with reference to business culture: ‘‘Everyone’s doing it.’’ In this study, when refuting alle- gations, interviewees also invoke a ‘‘folk logic of bribery,’’ thus making use of mainstream cultural resources. Received ideas of a ‘‘real’’ bribe include the act itself, but also the moral character of the people involved. Accordingly, interviewees tailor a version in line with these ideas to refute the allegations against them.