[victorbjorklund]

Not outright bribes. Just the implicit knowledge among all parties that the rating agency that gives bad grades get fewer customers. Result is the same but not exactly "bribing".

Yea, probably there was invidual cases of bribing like in all industries. But overall the issue wasn't oughtright bribes.

[vlovich123]

It wasn’t just implicit. There was explicit acknowledgment of the problem and turning a blind eye precisely because they were getting paid by the banks. I don’t know how else to categorize that except as bribery - you’re literally paying money to influence the outcome which is the very definition of bribery.

[specialist]

IIRC, SCOTUS recently ruled that only an explicit quid pro quo is considered a bribe. So laundering monies thru multiple parties is a-okay and mutual backscratching, such as a gifting someone an RV and then coincidentally getting preferential lucrative judgements, is reciprocal altruism. Or something. Because vibes.

I know, I know. Requiring conspirators to say "this is a bribe" for there to be legal jeopardy is sort of nuts.