One of the most dangerous forms of corruption, those that are not committed inside government offices, nor issued by the decision-maker himself, but rather begin with a person who deceives others about his ability to influence a decision issued by a public authority, in exchange for a benefit or financial compensation. These practices, which the system describes as 'the use of real or alleged influence,' represent a direct assault on the integrity of public decision-making and society's trust in state institutions.

The Saudi legislator addressed this behavior in Article Five of the Anti-Bribery Law, which criminalizes anyone who requests, accepts, or takes a gift or promise thereof in exchange for using his real or alleged influence to obtain, or attempt to obtain, from any public authority any action, decision, license, supply agreement, contract, job, service, or any other advantage. The importance of this text lies in the fact that it criminalizes trafficking in influence itself, not merely achieving a result, so the crime is established whenever the consideration is linked to a claim of the ability to influence public decision, whether the influence is real or alleged, and whether the intended purpose is achieved or not.

The legislator did not stop at criminalizing this behavior but also prescribed a penalty of up to ten years' imprisonment and a fine not exceeding one million riyals, or one of these two penalties, reflecting the seriousness of trading in influence and its harmful effect on the integrity of public decision-making and equal opportunities. It is important to distinguish between exploitation of influence and abuse of authority; the former is based on trading in influence or claiming the ability to influence public decision in exchange for a benefit, while the latter concerns the public official's misuse of his official powers to achieve a private interest. This distinction leads to differences in criminal classification, elements of proof, and the course of the lawsuit. Protecting the integrity of public decision-making is not limited to prosecuting those who abuse their authority; it extends to all who try to turn influence, relationships, or social status into a means of illicit gain. Thus, Article Five came to affirm that public decision is not a subject for paid mediation or trading in influence, and that trust in state institutions is no less important than protecting public funds. Awareness of these provisions contributes to preventing criminal liability and enhances the culture of integrity, which is one of the fundamental pillars of Saudi Vision 2030. Lawyer and legal consultant