Bribery is the offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of something of value in order to influence the actions of a person who holds a public or legal duty (often someone in public office or government). To prove the crime of bribery, the prosecution must demonstrate that there was a quid pro quo exchange in which the recipient (public official) changed or altered his behavior in exchange for the gift (bribe). The quid pro quo relationship between the gift given and the action taken must be clear and direct. For this reason, campaign donations to political candidates generally do not constitute bribery.

In Connecticut, bribery is addressed under various statutes that criminalize the offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of something of value to influence the actions of someone in a public or legal duty. According to Connecticut General Statutes, particularly Section 53a-147, bribery involves a public official or employee who solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept a benefit for, because of, or as a reward for an official action taken or to be taken. To establish bribery, it must be shown that there was a 'quid pro quo' – a clear and direct exchange where the public official's behavior is influenced by the bribe. The law distinguishes between lawful political contributions and bribery; campaign donations are not considered bribery unless they are made with the corrupt intent to influence an official's action. The statutes set forth the penalties for bribery, which can include fines and imprisonment, reflecting the seriousness of the offense.