A) This was a pretty unusual experience for me. And I think it is unusual for the readers.
B) I can see your point. She did ask me to take photos and to tell her story. I have not been in touch with her in a while. I will deliberate for a bit and consider taking down her photos.
There is no profit motive. I am not paid for this story.
Irlan (left) wouldn’t let me take pictures, but occasionally I’d sneak one in.
I'm not sure what to think about this. Corruption is bad. But this particular official's heart seemed to be in the right place, and he treated you with respect, honesty, and generosity, even when he didn't have to. He doesn't seem to have been repaid in kind.
I want to say something like, "Hopefully Irlan isn't on the wrong side of the courtroom as a result of your story," but on the other hand... corruption is bad, and I don't want the legal system in my own country to work this way.
So, did you do a good thing by exposing Irlan and his colleagues, or a bad thing by betraying them? I honestly don't know. You made me empathize with someone I wouldn't ordinarily empathize with, and then you stuck a knife in his back. Which is interesting.
Parenthetically, if you're a US citizen, you're subject to the FCPA, which can potentially be a pretty big deal. Google it if you're not familiar with the acronym. I don't know if the FCPA's reach extends to bribing low-level immigration officials, but it's worth looking into if you plan to leave the article up.
Dunno. However, the Feds have a long history of defining "business transactions" in whatever terms suit their purposes at the moment. (Wickard v. Filburn comes to mind, for one thing.) And certainly export regulations don't make a distinction between commercial and private transactions.
B) I can see your point. She did ask me to take photos and to tell her story. I have not been in touch with her in a while. I will deliberate for a bit and consider taking down her photos.
There is no profit motive. I am not paid for this story.