FBI steps up inquiry into alleged payment of police by Murdoch employees If it is found to have violated the FCPA, Murdoch's News Corp, which has its headquarters in New York, could be fined up to $2 million and barred from US government contracts, and individuals who participated in the bribery could face fines of up to $100,000 and a jail sentence of five years. In practice, US authorities have usually settled FCPA cases in return for large cash payments from companies, who can sometimes avoid legal admissions of guilt. Much of the evidence police are examining in the News Corp case was handed over to investigators by the company, who have set up a special clean-up unit in London and hired batteries of lawyers in Britain and the United States, some of whom specialise in FCPA cases, company sources said. The US Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission also have jurisdiction to pursue civil cases against alleged violators of the law. Justice Department prosecutors sent News Corp, U.S. parent of Murdoch's UK media properties, a request for information on alleged payments which journalists made to British police officers in return for news tips. Sources close to News Corp said the Management and Standards Committee (MSC), the unit which the company set up to deal with phone hacking and related investigations, for some time had been concerned about the consequences of US investigations of possible FCPA violations. Both News International and parent company News Corp declined to comment.