Can someone explain how this is even remotely legitimate?
The US routinely does this and views extra-territoriality as perfectly normal as long as it does it. Examples are sanctions applied to HSBC for money-laundering for Iran and the ongoing investigation of Glencore. I think the law is called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and is the basis for Trump's reneging on the Iran deal: lots of companies are so scared of this that they're willingly dropping ties with Iran.
However, when the boot is on the other foot it goes apopletic: heaven forfend that any other country go after a US company! Oh, and dealing, including taking bribes, with murderous, autocratic regimes is okay if the president says so. So, we can sell whatever we want to Saudi Arabia…
Biting the hand that feeds IT
