The best answer is D. Under corporate criminal liability principles, vicarious liability begins with the requirement that a corporate employee or agent actually committed the underlying criminal offense. The Department of Justice explains that, under respondeat superior, a corporation may be held criminally liable for the acts of its employees or agents when those acts were within the scope of their duties and intended, at least in part, to benefit the corporation.

Among the answer choices, D is the one that captures the necessary starting point: an employee must have committed the offense itself, meaning the conduct satisfied the offense’s elements. Option A is incorrect because the required intent is not merely personal benefit; indeed, corporate liability usually turns on some intent to benefit the corporation. Option B is incorrect because acts outside the scope of employment generally weaken, rather than establish, vicarious liability. Option C is also incorrect because direct management participation is not always required; corporations can be liable for employee conduct even when senior management was not personally involved. Thus, while additional requirements often exist, the option that most accurately states what is typically required is that an employee committed each element of a criminal offense, making D the best answer.