2.14 Receiving an Illegal Gratuity by a Public Official / 18 U.S.C. Sec. 201(c)(1)(B) is a federal offense under the United States Code. It is a crime for a public official to accept any gift, money, or other item of value from someone in return for being influenced in the performance of an official act. This offense is also referred to as “accepting a bribe”. It is a crime for a public official to solicit or receive an illegal gratuity. There are different types of illegal gratuities, such as gifts, meals, entertainment, or money. Any form of compensation which is not permitted by law, and is given with the expectation of some form of favorable action is considered an illegal gratuity. If convicted, a public official may face fines and imprisonment.