Bribe, Swindle or Steal

Promoting Facts and Countering Disinformation Jun 25, 2025

Melissa Goldin, a NY-based News Verification Reporter and Editor with The Associated Press analyzes and debunks fake news.

This episode was originally published on 24 July 2024.

Encouraging and Protecting Whistleblowers Jun 18, 2025

This week, we’re listening in on Alexandra Wrage’s keynote presentation at a Whistleblowers and Public Integrity conference hosted by the Vancouver Anti-Corruption Institute (VACI). She addresses the incredible personal price that whistleblowers pay when they’re driven to expose misconduct, explores how we can begin to shift the tone of the discussion around reporting and notes how difficult it is to uncover financial crime without whistleblowers.

This episode was originally published on 16 November 2022.

Daphne Caruana Galizia: Her Work, Her Murder and the Chance for Justice Jun 04, 2025

Paul Caruana Galizia, an investigative journalist at the Financial Times and Author of “A Death in Malta”, joins the podcast to talk about the work of his mother, Daphne, the growing danger she perceived as her investigations reached the highest circles of power in Malta, and now the criminal proceedings against the two men who killed her. Paul also discusses the Daphne Foundation and the incredible journalistic community that worked together, again, to prove that killing a journalist won’t kill their story.

This episode was originally published on 12 October 2022.

Collaborative Investigative Journalism Without Borders May 28, 2025

At the TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting award ceremony last month, former prosecutor and National Observer columnist Sandy Garossino led a conversation with ICIJ’s Spencer Woodman, Bellingcat’s Aric Toler, and 2022 Prize winners Hans Peterson Hammer of Göteborgs-Posten and Lilia Saúl Rodriguez of the OCCRP. They discuss the evolution, impact and future of cross-border collaborative investigative journalism.

This episode was originally published on 20 July 2022.

Maria Ressa on Holding the Line May 14, 2025

Nobel Peace Prize winning journalist Maria Ressa joins the podcast to talk about corruption, disinformation and how to stand up to a dictator.

This podcast was originally published on February 22, 2023.

How Corruption Undermines Elections May 07, 2025

Dr. Magnus Ohman of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) joins the podcast to discuss how corruption undermines free and fair elections. He discusses his recent publication "Vote for Free: A Global Guide for Citizen Monitoring of Campaign Finance," which provides an eight-step model for civil society organizations seeking to monitor campaign finance.

This episode was originally published on 30 November 2022.

Shattered Families, a Refugee Crisis and the United States’ Diminished Reputation as a Beacon to Newcomers Apr 30, 2025

Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody describe with passion their work with the International Rescue Committee. They tell us what America as a haven means to them and mourn the news that 545 children separated from their parents on the US southern border cannot be restored to their parents. They conclude with a fervent appeal to Americans to turn out to vote in this election.

This episode was originally published in October 2020.

A Syrian-Libyan Human Smuggling Scheme Mar 12, 2025

As Syria struggles to get on its feet after decades under the tyrannical father-son Assad regime, we're revisiting a story from 2024 when those desperate to leave Syria were preyed upon by a human smuggling ring. The story was brought to light by Mahmoud Elsobky, one of the two winners of the 2024 TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting.

Originally posted on Jul. 10, 2024

"Rigged: America, Russia and One Hundred Years of Covert Electoral Interference" Mar 05, 2025

We are revisiting an episode from 2020 with David Shimer. David discusses his book that reviews the century of covert election interference by Russia and the U.S., the known impact of Russian meddling in 2016, and their growing capacity to interfere in future elections.

This episode was originally published on 22 September 2020.

Corruption, Sanctions and Putin's War Regime Feb 26, 2025

With these issues back in the headlines, we’re revisiting an important discussion with Leonid Volkov, originally recorded in 2022 at the TRACE London Forum. Leonid is the Political Director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation and was Alexei Navalny’s former Chief of Staff. He discusses the role of corruption in Putin’s Russia as well as the impact of sanctions and the toll that rampant corruption is taking on Russia.

This episode was originally published on 5 October 2022.

FCPA Year in Review (2024) Feb 12, 2025

This podcast is based on TRACE's recent Year in Review webinar with Kate Atkinson. Kate is a Member and the Chair of Miller & Chevalier, based in their DC office, and she reviews for us the FCPA highlights for 2024.

Trump Hotel - Baku: Adam Davidson Feb 05, 2025

We’re reposting our 2017 podcast with Adam Davidson of the New Yorker who joined the podcast to talk about his research into the baffling Trump Hotel deal in Baku.

This episode was originally published on 14 June 2017.

"White House Inc.: How Donald Trump Turned the Presidency Into a Business” (Last Time) Jan 29, 2025

In light of last week’s inauguration, we're revisiting a 2020 podcast episode with Dan Alexander, author and senior editor at Forbes, discussing his book about Trump’s business deals with foreign entities, including one very strange deal with the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar.

This episode was originally published on 7 October 2020.

Understanding Trump’s Executive Order on the Civil Service (It’s Much More Serious Than It Sounds) Jan 22, 2025

This inauguration week, we're revisiting a 2020 podcast on President Trump's assault on the civil service. In this episode, Harvard law professor, Matthew Stephenson, provides some context for understanding Trump's executive order on the civil service and then lists the three primary threats it poses for corruption. A more detailed discussion can be found on his Global Anticorruption Blog.

This episode was originally published on 4 November 2020.

Governance in Space Jan 15, 2025

Our guest today, Dr. Rebecca Connolly, joins us to discuss her work on the legal governance of outer space relating to militarization, security and commercialization, drawing some interesting parallels to the law of the sea and making it clear that there is still a lot of work to be done.

Navigating the Greenlash: Can boards still lead on climate change?” Jan 08, 2025

Karina Litvack joins the podcast to share her insights into climate governance based on her extensive board experience in the oil and gas sector and her role as the Founding Chair of the Climate Governance Initiative.

Our Favorite Wine Fraudster Dec 18, 2024

As is holiday tradition, we're revisiting our podcast with Peter Hellman, who describes Rudy Kurniawan’s audacious scheme to defraud wine collectors in his excellent book, In Vino Duplicitas: The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire.

This episode was originally published on 20 December 2017.

The DOJ’s New Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program Dec 11, 2024

Patrick Gushue, the Department of Justice’s Acting Director of its Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program, joins the podcast to discuss the program, uptake to date, who is eligible and key considerations as to timing and whistleblower involvement in the misconduct. More information about the pilot program is available at justice.gov/corporatewhistleblower

Profiting From Human Rights Atrocities in Syrian Prisons Dec 09, 2024

Omar Alshogre, refugee, public speaker, and project manager with the Syrian Emergency Task Force, shares the wrenching story of his three years as a political prisoner in the worst of Syria’s prisons. He discusses the role that extortion plays there, simultaneously delegitimizing the regime further and propping it up financially.

Episode resources:

Mentioned at (00:33): The Syrian Emergency Task Force
Mentioned at (00:45): Omar's testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 11 March 2020

This episode was originally published on 9 June 2021.

An International ATM Skimming Scheme Dec 04, 2024

With the holiday travel season approaching, we’re revisiting a podcast episode featuring Paul Radu, the co-founder and co-executive director of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Paul describes his team’s work in uncovering an international team of cash machine skimmers that ultimately skimmed hundreds of millions of dollars, largely from tourist hot spots. Travelers often don’t realize their accounts are being drained until after they return home.

This episode was originally published on 9 June 2020.

Extreme Wealth – Episode 8: Walt Pavlo and the Empty Temptations of Fraud Nov 20, 2024

Walt Pavlo went to work at MCI at a time when telecoms were hungry for go-getters. It was the early 2000s, and Walt enjoyed the freedom and aggressive nature of a recently deregulated industry. But soon he realized that MCI’s most lucrative customers were also its flakiest, and the pressure was on to manage millions of bad debt that accumulated on the books. In this episode, Walt explains how he concocted a fake-loan scheme that netted him money far beyond his dreams — and yet how hollow it felt, right up until the moment it all came crashing down.

Walt Pavlo is a nationally recognized speaker who writes for Forbes and NYU Law School on white-collar crime and criminal justice. He founded the firm Prisonology in 2014 as a consulting firm to support federal criminal defense attorneys by providing experts who have retired from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He is the co-author of “Stolen Without a Gun: Confessions from Inside History's Biggest Accounting Fraud, the Collapse of MCI WorldCom,” which covers his stint working in the company’s billing department and committing fraud.

Hockey Canada’s Governance Review Nov 13, 2024

Retired Canadian Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell joins the podcast to describe the review he was commissioned to undertake of Hockey Canada’s organizational structure in the aftermath of a sexual assault scandal that shook confidence in the sport in 2018.

Extreme Wealth – Episode 7: Chuck Collins and the Burdens of Dynastic Wealth Nov 06, 2024

In his mid-20s, Chuck Collins made a fateful choice. The great-grandson of Oscar Meyer, and thus an heir to part of the meatpacker’s family fortune, Chuck was skeptical of the riches (some $500,000 in 1986 dollars). He didn’t want to perpetuate the imbalances he saw dynastic wealth creating in society. Rather than live off the interest, or to give a portion to charity, Chuck gave away the entire inheritance, and thus embarked on a most unusual sort of normal life.

In this episode, Chuck explains what reverberations his decision to give away his inheritance had on his family and in his career, and he lays out his case to other similarly privileged Americans: Why life is better without the insulation that great wealth provides, and how billionaires can rejoin American life.

Chuck Collins is the director of the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he edits Inequality.org. He is also a founding member of Patriotic Millionaires, a group of high-net-worth Americans who advocate for public policies — including higher taxes on the wealthy — meant to rein in the political power of the richest Americans. His prolific writings focus on inequality, the racial wealth divide, philanthropy, the climate crisis, and billionaire wealth dynasties. His forthcoming book "Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Wealth and Power and Ruining Our Lives and Planet" will be published in 2025.

Extreme Wealth – Episode 6: Jonathan Rugman and the Stunning Power Plays of MBS Oct 30, 2024

The sudden ascent of Mohammed bin Salman from an obscure royal heir to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia — the country’s de facto ruler — has fascinated Jonathan Rugman, an author and longtime correspondent in the Middle East. Jonathan’s latest BBC documentary, “The Kingdom,” traces MBS’s life from an unruly youth to a series of Machiavellian maneuvers to cut ahead of cousins and uncles in the line of royal succession. Jonathan’s reporting illuminates a brash but secretive young autocrat whose wealth and power have few equals anywhere on the planet. After years of high-profile murder, jailings, and crackdowns, a formidable question remains: What more does MBS want?

Jonathan Rugman is a Visiting Lecturer in the journalism department at City, University of London, who has reported from some 50 countries during his 30-year journalism career. He is the author of “Ataturk’s Children – Turkey and the Kurds” and “The Killing in the Consulate,” in which he investigated the murder of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. His numerous awards include a BAFTA for his coverage of the Paris terror attacks of 2015.

Extreme Wealth – Episode 5: Paul Schervish and the Spiritual Duality of Riches Oct 23, 2024

For more than 20 years, Paul Schervish surveyed many of the richest people in America for a long-running study on how the wealthy view the world and themselves. In this episode, another in our series on extreme wealth, Paul explains how his research and his early years spent as a priest inform his understanding of wealth and its potential to improve the world. Applying sociological and religious scholarship to the question of how what to do with money — and by extension, what to do with the rich — he invites haves and have-nots alike to consider the roles that God, human agency, and spiritual fulfillment play in our material lives.

Paul Schervish is a former Jesuit priest and a professor emeritus at Boston College, where he directed the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy. A prolific scholar and author, his books include “The Structural Determinants of Unemployment,” “Wealth in Western Thought: The Case for and Against Riches,” “Gospels of Wealth: How the Rich Portray their Lives,” and “The Will of God and Wealth: Discerning the Use of Riches in the Service of Ultimate Purpose.”

Extreme Wealth - Episode 4: Bill Browder and the Pitiless Greed of Vladimir Putin Oct 16, 2024

Sir William Browder (“Bill”), a financier turned justice advocate, is our guest for this episode of our ongoing series on extreme wealth. Bill has been the engine behind the Magnitsky Act, a law that for the past 12 years has empowered governments to seize the assets of foreign leaders who abuse human rights — a significant countermeasure against corruption and atrocity that has exasperated Vladimir Putin and oligarchs in Russia, where Bill was once a leading foreign investor. His experience working in (and subsequently abandoning) Russia allowed him to see inside that culture and economy, and have led him to conclude Putin’s military conquests as a dictator’s efforts to protect his unfathomable stolen wealth — and his own neck.

Bill Browder is the founder of Hermitage Capital Management, a firm that became the top foreign investor in post-Soviet Russia. For nearly 20 years he has been the target of Russian prosecution efforts that have drawn round condemnation from the international community, as he continues to promote the rule of law and denounce the regime of Vladimir Putin. He’s the author of “Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder and One Man's Fight for Justice” and “Freezing Order: A True Story of Russian Money Laundering, State-Sponsored Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath.”

Extreme Wealth – Episode 3: Jennifer Risher and the Limits of Sudden Wealth Oct 09, 2024

The author and philanthropist Jennifer Risher continues our series on extreme wealth by telling the story of her ear-popping rise from a middle-class Microsoft employee in the early ‘90s to an unexpected multimillionaire. The stock options she accrued with her husband, David — a fellow Microsoft employee who went on to join Amazon and who is now the CEO of Lyft — gave Jennifer immediate entry to a world of privilege that, as the child of a working-class household, she’d never expected to join. Her experience showed her the peculiar nature of personal wealth: an agent of tremendous power that, she finds, does more to amplify people’s character than to alter it.

Jennifer Risher is the author of “We Need to Talk: A Memoir About Wealth,” which aims to illuminate discussions of money that are often cloaked in taboo, guilt, and secrecy. She and her husband founded the #HalfMyDAF movement, which seeks to encourage wealthy people to make greater charitable gifts in their lifetimes.

Extreme Wealth – Episode 2: Steve Fishman Inside the Mind of Prisoner Bernie Madoff Oct 02, 2024

In this episode — another in our series on extreme wealth — the journalist Steve Fishman discusses his reporting on Bernie Madoff and the collapse of Madoff’s $65 billion ponzi scheme. Steve doggedly pursued the story even after the financier was sent to a federal prison in North Carolina. Eventually the two men connected for a series of phone interviews that gave Steve a unique insight into the truths and lies that enabled Madoff to con investors at an industrial scale. Steve explains that greed was but one motivation for Madoff, an apex Manhattan insider who never forgot humiliations he suffered during his youth in Queens.

Steve Fishman is a longtime journalist who lives in Brooklyn. He covered Bernie Madoff first as a staff writer at New York magazine and later as the host and creator of the podcast Ponzi Supernova. His latest podcast series, The Burden, investigates decades of sketchy convictions won by Louis Scarcella, a formerly celebrated NYPD detective.

Extreme Wealth – Episode 1: Clay Cockrell and the Champagne Problems of the 1% Sep 25, 2024

This week we debut a special project within Bribe, Swindle or Steal: single-topic episodes that focus on extreme wealth. For years Alexandra Wrage has worked on corporate compliance and anti-corruption efforts, a field that provides a front-row view into human corruptibility. In these episodes, she digs into the practical, philosophical, political, and even spiritual roots of why people risk everything—from scandal to criminal charges—for the allure of money, even when all of their material needs are more than covered. She will explore some surprising challenges of wealth alongside the ways in which greed changes people and extreme wealth changes the rules that we all live by.

Her first guest in this series is Clay Cockrell, a therapist in New York City whose Walk and Talk Therapy practice specializes in treating very wealthy clients. The problems they bring to therapy give him a unique insight into the privileges, the anxieties, and the perils exclusive to the 1%.

The Sentencing of Roger Stone Sep 18, 2024

In this episode from 2020, Randall Eliason, law professor and former Assistant U.S. Attorney provides an excellent account of the days leading up to the sentencing of political operative Roger Stone. The Department of Justice’s unprecedented interference in--and reversal of--its prosecutorial team’s recommendation led to the resignation from the case of all four prosecutors. Over 2000 former DOJ officials called on Attorney General Barr to resign in the wake of his interference in the case.

This episode was originally published on 4 March 2020.

Primer on Money-Laundering Sep 11, 2024

A 22-year veteran of Treasury and consultant to the Dept of Justice, John Madinger sheds light on some of the money-laundering schemes he has uncovered and why the Breaking Bad car wash scheme probably wouldn’t have worked.

This episode was originally posted: December 27, 2017

“Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How it Changes Us” Sep 04, 2024

Brian Klaas, Associate Professor at University College London and host of the award-winning podcast “Power Corrupts,” joins us to discuss his book “Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us”. Brian describes research on who is drawn to positions of power and how power impacts us, including potentially re-wiring our brains.

This episode was originally published 30 March 2022.

How Local News Uncovers Local Fraud Aug 28, 2024

David Jackson, a senior reporter with Injustice Watch, discusses his work exposing corruption, which has led to both indictments and legislative reform.

The U.S. College Admissions Scandal: Jonathan Turner Aug 21, 2024

Jonathan Turner, former Vice President, Ethics & Compliance, at Smith & Nephew in Memphis, discusses the admissions scandal that has rattled several top-tier U.S. universities and ties some of the lessons learned back to the work of compliance professionals.

This episode was originally published 2 October 2019.

Anand Mangnale on the Risks of Investigative Journalism Aug 14, 2024

Anand Mangnale of the OCCRP joins the podcast to describe his investigation into the practices of the vast and powerful Adnani Group in India, the spyware discovered on his phone as soon as the story began to break and the subsequent efforts to silence him, including bizarre charges of financial support of terrorism.

The Corrupt Underbelly of Sport Aug 07, 2024

Declan Hill discusses the pervasive and sinister nature of match-fixing and how we can prevent sport from being turned into theater.

This episode was originially posted on 2 August, 2017.

Doping in International Sports Jul 31, 2024

Rob Koehler, WADA veteran and current Director General of Global Athlete, joins the podcast to discuss the epidemic of doping in sports, the imbalance of power between athletes and administrators and the IOC's startling decision to allow Russia to compete in the Paris Games in spite of its invasion of Ukraine.

This episode was originally published 15 February 2023.

Rugby, Amateur Sports and the Paris Olympics! Jul 17, 2024

Sally Dennis, former President of Rugby Canada and current Canadian representative on the Council of World Rugby, describes her role in the professionalization of sports governance, where challenges remain— and rugby's arguably unique invulnerability to match fixing!

A Syrian-Libyan Human Smuggling Scheme Jul 10, 2024

Mahmoud Elsobky, one of the two winners of this year’s TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting, describes his team’s high risk infiltration of a human smuggling ring that preyed on—and defrauded—those desperate to leave Syria.

Diana Henriques on Reputation Laundering Jul 03, 2024

Diana Henriques, award-winning journalist and author, discusses the traits of fraudsters and the menace of reputation laundering.

Addressing Doping in Sport: Paul Massaro Jun 26, 2024

Paul Massaro of the U.S. Helsinki Commission discusses the scope of doping in international sport, the foreign policy implications and the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act (RADA) offered in response.

(This episode was originally published on 20 March 2019)

The Death of Sergei Magnitsky Jun 19, 2024

In recognition of the recent honor of Sir Bill Browder KCMG with the title Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George for his significant contributions to human rights and anti-corruption, we are revisiting a 2017 interview with Bill. He describes the brazen fraud and violence of Putin’s Russia, the death of Sergei Magnitsky, and the passage of the Magnitsky Act.

(This episode was originally published on 31 May 2017)

"Thing Are Worse than We Know" Jun 12, 2024

Today’s podcast is a recording of a talk given by Drew Sullivan of the OCCRP at the University of Maryland. Drew is the co-founder and editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (the OCCRP), a global network of journalists working collaboratively to evaluate and mine enormous amounts of data to expose corruption. The OCCRP is also a past winner of the TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting. Special thanks to the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland in the School of Public Policy and the Philip Merrill College of Journalism for letting us record the event.

Originally posted 11 May 2022

Canada's First Bribery Acquittal Jun 05, 2024

Jessica Warwick in Norton Rose's Ottawa office joins the podcast to talk about the Arapakota decision and what it means for anti-bribery enforcement in Canada.

(This episode was originally published 21 June 2023)

Serenading Despots May 29, 2024

Pedro Pizano and Jeffrey Smith, with the McCain Institute and Vanguard Africa respectively, discuss the reputation laundering that musicians, actors and athletes facilitate when they agree to perform for dictators and kleptocrats. They also describe how these same artists can use their platforms for good instead and show support for the citizens living under brutal regimes.

Originally Posted: Sep. 15, 2020

Investment Funds: Massive Transparency Loopholes May 22, 2024

Josh Kirschenbaum is a visiting fellow at the German Marshall Fund’s Alliance for Securing Democracy and formerly served as acting director of the Office of Special Measures at Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). He joins the podcast to discuss investment funds and the gaping loophole they create through which vast sums of money can move with no accountability.

This episode was originally published on April 20, 2021.

The New Corporation: How Good Corporations are Bad for Democracy May 15, 2024

Joel Bakan joins the podcast to discuss his books, and the films based on them. He outlines the fundamental conflict inherent in companies ostensibly committed to ESG principles while simultaneously driven by a legal requirement to maximize shareholder value.

Originally posted on Jul. 14, 2021

DEI Progress and Setbacks: What Compliance Professionals Need to Know May 08, 2024

This week’s podcast features an excellent presentation by Misti Mukherjee, founder and managing member of Extensio Law. Misti addresses the shifting field of diversity, equity and inclusion—including recent changes to the law—and emphasizes the critical importance of this work alongside the need to approach it with intentionality and discipline.

A Glimpse Inside Bhutan May 01, 2024

This week’s podcast is a bit off the beaten track. We speak with Sherub Tharchen in Paro in Bhutan about his country. We cover some of the basics, including the country’s location between two neighbors with high levels of corruption, and then discuss how the current King of Bhutan tackled corruption in a way that, while probably not replicable in most countries, has nevertheless had great success for the Bhutanese.

Whistleblower Protections Apr 24, 2024

Leah Ambler, then Director of Corruption Prevention at the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity and previously Legal Analyst at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), delves—in her personal capacity—into her excellent chapter on whistleblower protections, emphasizes their importance in reducing corruption and highlights the challenges posed by the lack of comprehensive, harmonized legislation.

Originally posted on Jan. 12, 2022

Former Enforcement Officials Reflect on the Last Decade of Anti-Bribery Enforcement and its Future Apr 17, 2024

This week on Bribe, Swindle, or Steal, we listen in on the lively presentation at the 2024 TRACE Forum featuring former enforcement officials, Charles Duross, Partner, Morrison Foerster, David Last, Partner, Cleary Gottlieb, and Mark Mendelsohn, Partner, Paul Weiss. Speaking with TRACE President, Alexandra Wrage, Chuck, David, and Mark discuss their time as Chiefs of the FCPA Unit and their experiences navigating heightened scrutiny and shifting resources, and then they offer their perspectives on what lies ahead.

Mark Pieth on the Global Gold Trade Apr 10, 2024

In this re-posted episode, Prof. Mark Pieth discusses his book, Gold Laundering: The dirty secrets of the gold trade - and how to clean up. He outlines the many problems, including child and trafficked labor, environmental degradation, violence, and corruption. He also addresses some modest steps forward and how, in spite of the considerable challenges, more progress can be made.

This epsiode was originally posted on December 1, 2021.

Sam Bankman-Fried: Crypto's Madoff? Apr 03, 2024

In light of last week’s sentencing of Sam Bankman-Fried—25 years in prison and an $11 billion forfeiture order—we are re-posting our conversation with Jim Campbell, author of “Madoff Talks” and his comparison of the two men.

Originally posted on January 25, 2023

Self-Reporting and Cooperation: The DOJ’s New Incentives and Expectations Mar 27, 2024

For this week’s podcast, we listen in on the excellent presentation—dense with practical information—by John Davis, member, Miller & Chevalier, at the TRACE Forum in Annapolis.

News from the European Union, including the CSDDD Mar 20, 2024

This week on Bribe, Swindle, or Steal, we listen in on the presentation of Nicola Bonucci, International Lawyer and former Director for Legal Affairs OECD, at the TRACE Forum in Annapolis. Nicola provides context for recent compliance news from the EU and discusses the adoption of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive at a gathering of compliance experts just three hours after the news broke!

Flags of Convenience Mar 13, 2024

Tom Cardamone, President and CEO of Global Financial Integrity, joins the podcast to discuss the regulatory and enforcement challenges associated with flags of convenience. These range from trafficked labor to environmental violations and Tom highlights the inherent tension between substantial tax incentives on one hand and accountability on the other.

Originally posted September 15, 2021

Russian Sanctions: Impact and Due Diligence Mar 06, 2024

Pavel Verkhniatsky joins the podcast from Kyiv where he is the Managing Partner of COSA Solutions with particular expertise in sophisticated due diligence and cross-border investigations. We range from the very broad and geopolitical to the very specific as Pavel discusses the impact of sanctions on Russia, as well as common due diligence 'red flags'.

"Spin Dictators" Feb 28, 2024

Daniel Treisman, co-author of Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century, discusses the new generation of dictators and how they weaponize information, bully with legal action and mobilize enablers to stay in power.

Originally posted on May 24, 2023

Enablers and the Dark Fleet of Oil Tankers Feb 21, 2024

Zeke Faux joins the podcast to talk about the support and credibility provided to oil tankers violating sanctions by the companies that insure them. Zeke, together with Zachary Mider, wrote an excellent Bloomberg article earlier this month about one New York insurance company that insures a disproportionate number of these aged tankers accused of shipping sanctioned Iranian oil.

Leonid Volkov, Alexei Navalny's Chief of Staff Feb 16, 2024

In honor of the extraordinarily courageous and principled life of Alexei Navalny, first poisoned with Novichuk and killed today in Polar Wolf prison, we are reposting our 2021 conversation with his chief of staff, Leonid Volkov.

Leonid Volkov joins the podcast to talk about Putin's obsessive campaign against Navalny, who was first poisoned with Novichok and later imprisoned. Volkov also discusses the deep roots of corruption in Russia and how the west can support Russians determined to end the looting of their country.

Launching Today: Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World Feb 14, 2024

Author, academic and former compliance professional, Alison Taylor joins the podcast to talk about her compelling new book. She describes the contradictions inherent in companies that talk about “doing well by doing good” and explains why corporate reputation management can’t be an end in itself and how trying to do less can be the best strategy. “You don’t have to join every conversation”.

Buying Fakes: Valerie Salembier Feb 07, 2024

Valerie Salembier, former publisher of Harper’s Bazaar and founder of The Authentics Foundation, discusses the true cost of counterfeit luxury items: child labor, trafficked labor and organized crime.

This episode originally aired on July 3, 2018.

“The Tinder Swindler” Jan 31, 2024

Investigative journalist Erlend Ofte Arntsen of Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang joins the podcast to discuss his work on the Tinder Swindler story, adapted into a Netflix documentary. Erlend and his colleagues broke the story of Shimon Hayut, an Israeli con man who found women on the dating app, impressed them with private jets and bodyguards, concocted stories about being in great personal danger and then drained their bank accounts and left them with extraordinary credit card debt.

This episode originally aired on February 15, 2022.

Addressing the Demand-Side of Bribery at Last: FEPA Jan 24, 2024

Tom Firestone, a partner with Squire Patton Boggs in Washington, discusses the new US Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA). Tom’s perspective is especially interesting as he previously served as the Legal Adviser at the US Embassy in Moscow dealing with financial crime there and, in 2018, he wrote an article on what was needed to tackle the demand side of bribery.

Transparency International's New Chair: François Valérian Jan 17, 2024

François Valérian joins the podcast to discuss the platform on which he ran in TI's recent election, his priorities and his thoughts on the state of global anti-corruption efforts.

2023 FCPA Year in Review Jan 10, 2024

Dan Kahn, former Chief of the DOJ’s FCPA unit and current partner with Davis Polk, talks us through the anti-corruption enforcement actions, trends and highlights of 2023.

Sam Bankman-Fried: Crypto's Madoff? Jan 03, 2024

Jim Campbell, author of "Madoff Talks" and featured in the recently released Netflix documentary, "Madoff: Monster of Wall Street", joins the podcast to talk about FTX. Having studied both men, he compares what we know about Bankman-Fried and Madoff.

This podcast originally aired onJanuary 25, 2023.

"Iceland's Secret: The Untold Story of the World's Biggest Con" Jan 03, 2024

Jared Bibler joins the podcast to discuss his lively book about the complete meltdown of Iceland's banking sector and, as a result, its economy. It was a brazen scheme equal in size to three Enrons and, although it happened in 2008, it remains a timely cautionary tale for the banking sector and regulators today.

Podcast originally aired: April 12, 2023

The Panama Papers: Six Years Later Jan 03, 2024

Kevin G. Hall, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project's North America editor, reflects on how the Panama Papers have shaped investigative journalism over the past six years and the biggest challenges journalists face today.

Podcast originally aired: April 26, 2023

China's Clandestine Police Stations Jan 03, 2024

Laura Harth with Safeguard Defenders joins the podcast to talk about the more than 50 illegal Chinese police stations operating around the world, including in the United States and Canada. These violate both the sovereignty of the inadvertent ‘host’ countries and the rights of the Chinese citizens abroad who are stalked and coerced to comply with government demands to return to China or risk the persecution of their families. Laura discusses her organization’s excellent report 110 Overseas: Chinese Transnational Policing Gone Wild. (The title is based on the emergency number for the police in China - 110.)

Podcast originally aired: February 8, 2023

Pegasus and Compliance in the Age of Cyber Intelligence Jan 03, 2024

Chaim Gelfand, Vice President, Compliance, at NSO Group joins the podcast to talk about managing compliance for a product that has, baked into its design, complex privacy, corruption and human rights implications. Because of the controversial nature of spyware, we will hear from journalist Khadija Ismayilova next week about the allegation that spyware was installed on her cell phone and her concerns about abuse of the technology.

Podcast originally aired: March 8, 2023

“When McKinsey Comes to Town” Dec 27, 2023

Michael Forsythe, co-author with Walt Bogdanich of “When McKinsey Comes to Town”, joins the podcast to talk about McKinsey’s work in support of autocratic regimes, its rampant conflicts of interest and the distance between its stated values and its work on the ground.

This episode originally aired on January 18, 2023.

“White Collar Crime Explained” Dec 20, 2023

Randall Eliason talks about extortion, conspiracy, cover-up crimes and plea bargains – topics covered in his excellent new 24 lecture course available through Great Courses. He also takes us through some examples from recent headlines.

This episode originally aired on September 29, 2020.

Repression Across Borders Dec 13, 2023

Yana Gorokhovskaia of Freedom House joins the podcast to talk about transnational repression, the increasingly common abuse and intimidation by states of their citizens living abroad. Yana discusses Jamal Khashoggi, murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and Roman Protasevich, whose plane was forced to land in Belarus where he is still being held, but also refers to the hundreds of other cases that don’t make the news. Freedom House has released an excellent report on this problem that can be found at: https://freedomhouse.org/report/transnational-repression.

This episode originally aired January 5, 2022.

The Lockheed Bribery Scandal that Prompted the FCPA Dec 06, 2023

Dr. Frank Badua, Associate Professor of Accounting and Business Law at Lamar University College of Business, describes the misconduct from the 1950s through the 1970s by a group of companies that led to widespread support for passage of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

This episode originally aired February 5, 2020.

Contagious Dishonesty Nov 29, 2023

Federico Masera with the University of New South Wales and the Resilient Democracy Lab in Sydney joins the podcast to discuss his recent research, together with Giorgio Gulino, "Contagious Dishonesty: Corruption Scandals and Supermarket Theft." Their intriguing research uncovers a trend toward substantially increased customer theft at supermarkets in the immediate aftermath of local corruption scandals involving prominent public officials.

This podcast was originally published on September 22, 2021.

Maria Ressa on Holding the Line Nov 22, 2023

Nobel Peace Prize winning journalist Maria Ressa joins the podcast to talk about corruption, disinformation and how to stand up to a dictator.

We at TRACE are thankful for all of the investigative journalists that work to uncover financial crime, often at considerable personal risk.

This podcast was originally published on February 22, 2023.

A Review of the Global Anti-Corruption News Nov 15, 2023

For today’s podcast, we’re listening in on Pascale Dubois’ excellent and fast-paced review of the international anti-bribery landscape at the recent TRACE Forum in London. Pascale is a leading international executive advisor and independent expert who has been involved with anti-corruption efforts for two decades, including as the World Bank’s VP of the Integrity Vice Presidency.

Menendez Corruption Allegations – Round Two Nov 08, 2023

Jessica Tillipman, Associate Dean for Government Procurement Law at George Washington Law School, joins the podcast to give a fantastic, detailed and fast-paced overview of the latest Menendez corruption allegations, interspersed with gold bars, bundles of cash and a Mercedes convertible. In the process, Jessica takes us back to the overturning of Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s corruption conviction and what we should expect in its wake.

The Death of Sergei Magnitsky: Bill Browder Nov 01, 2023

As Russia’s war on Ukraine drags on, we revisit Russian corruption and its weaponization of financial crime in our 2017 interview with Bill Browder. He describes the brazen fraud and violence of Putin’s Russia, the death of Sergei Magnitsky, and the passage of the Magnitsky Act. You can also listen to our most recent interview with Bill, discussing his excellent book, "Freezing Order." (That episode was originally published in 2017.)

The DOJ’s Revised Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs Oct 25, 2023

This week, we’re listening in on Jeff Clark’s excellent presentation at the recent TRACE Forum in London. Jeff is a partner in Cadwalader’s Washington office and discusses the DOJ’s revised ECCP, with an emphasis on corporate communications and compensation policies.

The State of Anti-Corruption Enforcement in the UK Oct 18, 2023

This week, we listen in on the presentation of the inimitable Michelle de Kluyver of Addleshaw Goddard at the recent TRACE Forum in London.

Looking Back: The Siemens Scandal Oct 11, 2023

Jessica Tillipman of George Washington Law School covers the highlights and key points from the Siemens bribery case of 2008. It was a startling case at the time and divided the international enforcement landscape into the world before and after Siemens. (This episode was originally published in 2020.)

Trust Us - Episode 4: Inside the Jersey Offshore Investigation Oct 04, 2023

Today’s podcast is the fourth and final episode in a four-part guest series produced by the Global Reporting Centre and European Investigative Collaborations. The series tells the fascinating and little-known story about a trove of leaked documents exposing the machinations of a trust company in Jersey, Britain’s notorious tax haven.

Trust Us - Episode 3: Inside the Jersey Offshore Investigation Sep 27, 2023

Today’s podcast is the third in a four-part guest series produced by the Global Reporting Centre and European Investigative Collaborations. The series tells the fascinating and little-known story about a trove of leaked documents exposing the machinations of a trust company in Jersey, Britain’s notorious tax haven.

Trust Us - Episode 2: Inside the Jersey Offshore Investigation Sep 20, 2023

Today’s podcast is the second in a four-part guest series produced by the Global Reporting Centre and European Investigative Collaborations. The series tells the fascinating and little-known story about a trove of leaked documents exposing the machinations of a trust company in Jersey, Britain’s notorious tax haven.

Trust Us: Inside the Jersey Offshore Investigation Sep 13, 2023

Today’s podcast is the first in a four-part guest series produced by the Global Reporting Centre and European Investigative Collaborations. The series tells the fascinating and little-known story about a trove of leaked documents exposing the machinations of a trust company in Jersey, Britain’s notorious tax haven.

Preserving Ukraine’s Heritage and Thwarting Money Laundering through Art Sep 06, 2023

Yuliia Hnat, Co-Founder of the Museum of Contemporary Art NGO and Ukrainian Emergency Art Fund, and Irina Tarsis, Founder and Managing Director at the Center for Art Law, join the podcast to talk about all that is being done to preserve Ukraine’s tangible heritage during the Russian invasion and to catalog art and antiquities to ensure that they can’t easily be traded on the international market and can eventually be restored to Ukraine.

"Very Bad People" Aug 30, 2023

Patrick Alley, co-founder of Global Witness and author of Very Bad People: The Inside Story of the Fight Against the World’s Network of Corruption, joins the podcast to discuss the early days of his Global Witness investigations, how their efforts gained momentum and where we should be focusing our attention next. (This episode was originally published in 2022.)

Enabling the Enablers Aug 23, 2023

Scott Greytak of Transparency International U.S. joins the podcast to talk about the many loopholes that permit U.S. lawyers to work for criminal actors as they exploit the U.S. financial system. He brings us up-to-date on the ABA’s recent change to its Model Rules of Professional Conduct and when we’ll see the ENABLERS Act revisited.

"Inside the Iraqi Kleptocracy" Aug 16, 2023

Robert Worth, a journalist previously based in Baghdad with the New York Times and author of A Rage for Order: The Middle East in Turmoil from Tahrir Square to ISIS, describes the deadly and intractable problem of corruption in Iraq. He discusses the role the United States and its pallets of cash played in this, but also the enforced sectarian apportionment of power—the Muhasasa—that ensures each group protects its fiefdom rather than acting in the best interest of the whole country. (This episode was originally published in 2022.)

“Butler to the World” Aug 09, 2023

Oliver Bullough joins the podcast again to discuss his book, Butler to the World. The book addresses how the UK went from a colonial power dominating the world to a service provider—or butler or perhaps consigliere—to the world’s oligarchs. (This episode was originally published in 2022.)

“Fool Me Once” Aug 02, 2023

Kelly Richmond Pope, Professor of Forensic Accounting at DePaul University, joins the podcast to talk about her new book: Fool Me Once: Scams, Stories and Secrets from the Trillion-Dollar Fraud Industry. She describes the three types of fraud perpetrators and why we blame the victims of fraud for their gullibility and I ask her whether lawyers or accountants are more at fault for rampant fraud!

“Big Dirty Money” Jul 26, 2023

Jennifer Taub, author, legal scholar, professor and advocate, joins the podcast to talk about her latest book: Big Dirty Money: The Shocking Injustice and Unseen Cost of White Collar Crime. Jennifer focuses, in particular, on how much more gently we treat corporate financial crime than we do very petty financial crime, in spite of the fact that the former costs taxpayers far more money. (This episode was originally published in 2021.)

Carlos Ghosn’s “Collision Course” Jul 19, 2023

Hans Greimel and William Sposato, journalists and authors, join the podcast to discuss their book: Collision Course: Carlos Ghosn and the Culture Wars That Upended an Auto Empire. They cover Ghosn’s rise to hero status in Japan, his ultimate fall—arrest, detention and escape from the country—and the many compliance challenges raised by this strange story. (This episode was originally published in 2021.)

Board Support for the Compliance Function Jul 12, 2023

Jeff Cottle of Brown Rudnick, and former partner of Norton Rose Fulbright, discusses how to secure and maintain board support, what ideal communications patterns look like and when and how to leave if the board refuses to hear bad news. (This episode was originally published in 2019.)

Pegasus and Compliance in the Age of Cyber Intelligence Jul 05, 2023

The first episode of a two-part series, Chaim Gelfand, Vice President, Compliance, at NSO Group talks about managing compliance for a product that has, baked into its design, complex privacy, corruption and human rights implications. Because of the controversial nature of spyware, we hear from journalist Khadija Ismayilova in the second episode about the allegation that spyware was installed on her cell phone and her concerns about abuse of the technology. (This episode was originally published in March 2023.)

What Spyware Means for Journalists and Civil Society Jul 05, 2023

This podcast is the second episode in a two-part discussion of the compliance and human rights implications of spyware. After hearing from Chaim Gelfand at NSO Group, we asked Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative journalist in Azerbaijan who is alleged to have been monitored for four years by spyware installed on her phone, to speak to the privacy and human rights issues. (The first half of the conversation has some IT issues, but it clears up in the second half, so please stay with us!) (This episode was originally published in March 2023.)

Imprisoned in China Jun 28, 2023

Peter Humphrey and his wife were well-respected compliance professionals active in China when they were arrested, tried and imprisoned unjustly for two years. (This episode was originally published in 2017.)

Canada’s First Bribery Acquittal Jun 21, 2023

Jessica Warwick in Norton Rose’s Ottawa office joins the podcast to talk about the Arapakota decision and what it means for anti-bribery enforcement in Canada.

“The Power of One”: Frances Haugen’s Decision to Blow the Whistle on Facebook Jun 13, 2023

Data scientist, whistleblower and now author, Frances Haugen, joins the podcast to discuss her book, which comes out today. Frances describes her journey through tech as an algorithmic product manager, her growing understanding of the risk of radicalization and political violence that Facebook posed and her ultimate decision to blow the whistle when it became clear that Facebook, profiting from outrage, wasn’t going to fix itself.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Jun 07, 2023

Jesse Eisinger of ProPublica joins the podcast to discuss their investigation into the gifts, travel, tuition, rent and other benefits lavished on Justice Thomas directly—or indirectly for the benefit of family members—by right-wing billionaire, Harlan Crow. Jesse discusses the initial article, the tips they received with additional information after publishing it, and the political backlash to their reporting.

The Outlaw Ocean May 31, 2023

New York Times reporter Ian Urbina discusses his excellent but grim series about crime and impunity on the high seas. (This episode was originally published in 2020.)

“Spin Dictators” May 24, 2023

Daniel Treisman, co-author of Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century, discusses the new generation of dictators and how they weaponize information, bully with legal action and mobilize enablers to stay in power.

Nicolas Niarchos at the TRACE Forum May 17, 2023

Journalist and author Nicolas Niarchos discusses the current state of compliance in battery metal mining, political and regional challenges in the industry, and his forthcoming book on the topic.

Compliance Challenges Surrounding Messaging Apps May 10, 2023

Chuck Duross, former head of the DOJ’s FCPA unit and now a partner with Morrison & Forester, walks us through the many compliance challenges associated with employee use of messaging apps, together with a few suggestions on how best to manage the risk.

“The Art of the Bribe” under Stalin May 03, 2023

James Heinzen joins the podcast to talk about his book, The Art of the Bribe: Corruption Under Stalin 1943-1953 and how bribery, extortion and embezzlement in Russia have changed—or not—over the last 70 years.

The Panama Papers: Six Years Later Apr 26, 2023

Kevin G. Hall, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project’s North America editor, reflects on how the Panama Papers have shaped investigative journalism over the past six years and the biggest challenges journalists face today.

Paul Massaro at the TRACE Forum Apr 19, 2023

Paul Massaro of the U.S. Helsinki Commission provides an animated overview of current policy initiatives, U.S. support for Ukraine and what’s next in the fight against global kleptocracy.

“Iceland’s Secret: The Untold Story of the World’s Biggest Con” Apr 12, 2023

Jared Bibler joins the podcast to discuss his lively book about the complete meltdown of Iceland’s banking sector and, as a result, its economy. It was a brazen scheme equal in size to three Enrons and, although it happened in 2008, it remains a timely cautionary tale for the banking sector and regulators today.

“Wilful Blindness: How a Network of Narcos, Tycoons, and CCP Agents Infiltrated the West” Apr 05, 2023

Investigative reporter Sam Cooper describes the waves of drugs and laundered money from China crashing on Canada’s shores. Sam's book is “Wilful Blindness: How a Network of Narcos, Tycoons, and CCP Agents Infiltrated the West.” (This episode was originally published in 2021.)

Sam Bankman-Fried: Crypto’s Madoff? Mar 29, 2023

With new foreign bribery charges announced against Sam Bankman-Fried this week, we’re revisiting our discussion with Jim Campbell, author of “Madoff Talks.” Having studied both men, he compares what we know about Bankman-Fried and Madoff.

Wildlife Crime Mar 22, 2023

Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director of the Wildlife Justice Commission, joins the podcast to discuss the impact of corruption and the role of organized crime in the illicit trade in wildlife.

What Spyware Means for Journalists and Civil Society Mar 15, 2023

Today’s podcast is the second episode in a two-part discussion of the compliance and human rights implications of spyware. After hearing from Chaim Gelfand at NSO Group last week, we asked Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative journalist in Azerbaijan who is alleged to have been monitored for four years by spyware installed on her phone, to speak to the privacy and human rights issues. (The first half of the conversation has some IT issues, but it clears up in the second half, so please stay with us!)

Pegasus and Compliance in the Age of Cyber Intelligence Mar 08, 2023

Chaim Gelfand, Vice President, Compliance, at NSO Group joins the podcast to talk about managing compliance for a product that has, baked into its design, complex privacy, corruption and human rights implications. Because of the controversial nature of spyware, we will hear from journalist Khadija Ismayilova next week about the allegation that spyware was installed on her cell phone and her concerns about abuse of the technology.

Surviving a Bribery Investigation and Fostering a Culture of Compliance Mar 01, 2023

Hentie Dirker, Chief ESG and Integrity Officer with SNC-Lavalin, speaks to Jonathan Drimmer of Paul Hastings about building a culture of compliance in the aftermath of a bribery scandal. (This episode was originally published in August 2019.)

Maria Ressa on Holding the Line Feb 22, 2023

Nobel Peace Prize winning journalist Maria Ressa joins the podcast to talk about corruption, disinformation and how to stand up to a dictator.

Doping in International Sports Feb 15, 2023

Rob Koehler, WADA veteran and current Director General of Global Athlete, joins the podcast to discuss the epidemic of doping in sports, the imbalance of power between athletes and administrators and the IOC's startling decision to allow Russia to compete in the Paris Games in spite of its invasion of Ukraine.

China’s Clandestine Police Stations Feb 08, 2023

Laura Harth with Safeguard Defenders joins the podcast to talk about the more than 50 illegal Chinese police stations operating around the world, including in the United States and Canada. These violate both the sovereignty of the inadvertent ‘host’ countries and the rights of the Chinese citizens abroad who are stalked and coerced to comply with government demands to return to China or risk the persecution of their families. Laura discusses her organization’s excellent report 110 Overseas: Chinese Transnational Policing Gone Wild. (The title is based on the emergency number for the police in China - 110.)

After You Pay a Bribe: Lindsey Mitchell Feb 01, 2023

Listen to the riveting first-hand story of a Unaoil executive who found himself at the center of a bribery scheme.

Sam Bankman-Fried: Crypto’s Madoff? Jan 25, 2023

Jim Campbell, author of “Madoff Talks” and featured in the recently released Netflix documentary, “Madoff: Monster of Wall Street,” joins the podcast to talk about FTX. Having studied both men, he compares what we know about Bankman-Fried and Madoff.

“When McKinsey Comes to Town” Jan 18, 2023

Michael Forsythe, co-author with Walt Bogdanich of “When McKinsey Comes to Town”, joins the podcast to talk about McKinsey’s work in support of autocratic regimes, its rampant conflicts of interest and the distance between its stated values and its work on the ground.

“Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust”: Diana Henriques Jan 11, 2023

Diana Henriques describes Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, discusses how difficult it is to uncover fraud by those who prey on the trust of others and addresses the simple, consistent controls that saved some investors from losses. Diana is featured in the new Netflix series MADOFF: The Monster of Wall Street.

“Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present” Jan 04, 2023

Ruth Ben-Ghiat joins the podcast to discuss her book Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, which examines 100 years of authoritarian rule. She describes the characteristics of a strongman and the strange virility cult surrounding these leaders before turning to the central role of corruption in the autocrat’s playbook.

(This episode was originally published in November 2021.)

FIFA Swamp with Grant Wahl Dec 28, 2022

Reflecting on the year as it draws to a close, we note with great sadness the recent loss of sports journalist, author and inimitable soccer analyst, Grant Wahl. We’re replaying today our podcast with Grant from 2017. He was generous with his time, happy to share his expertise and invariably good humored. He is missed.

Compliance Predictions for 2023 Dec 21, 2022

As we near the end of the year, we asked nine experts in the field to provide us with their compliance predictions for 2023. Surprisingly, no prediction was duplicated. We hope you enjoy these prognostications and we wish you all a wonderful holiday season and all the very best in the year ahead!

Revisiting the DOJ’s “Monaco Memo” Dec 14, 2022

Dan Kahn, former Chief of the FCPA Unit, joins the podcast to discuss the September Monaco Memo now that the compliance community has had some time to debate it. Dan discusses the good news, and some concerns, associated with cooperation credit, voluntary disclosure, recidivist companies, monitors and ongoing concerns about personal devices and ephemeral apps.

“American Kleptocracy” Dec 07, 2022

Casey Michel with the Hudson Institute's Kleptocracy Initiative joins the podcast for a very lively discussion about his book, American Kleptocracy: How the U.S. Created the World’s Greatest Money Laundering Scheme in History. Casey discusses America’s role in the problem of global kleptocracy and shares some optimism about the path ahead. (This episode was originally published in 2021.)

How Corruption Undermines Elections Nov 30, 2022

Dr. Magnus Öhman of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) joins the podcast to discuss how corruption undermines free and fair elections. He discusses his recent publication: “Vote for Free: A Global Guide for Citizen Monitoring of Campaign Finance,” which provides an eight-step model for civil society organizations seeking to monitor campaign finance.

Anti-Corruption Compliance in Ukraine Nov 23, 2022

Mykola Murskyj with Razom for Ukraine joins the podcast to discuss the organization’s work in Ukraine, the anti-corruption climate there prior to the invasion and steps that can be taken now. Mykola also discusses the Enablers Act.

FIFA's Red Card: Ken Bensinger Nov 09, 2022

As we approach the 2022 World Cup, we’re revisiting our 2018 episode with Ken Bensinger, who discusses his fascinating book, Red Card, and the decades of misconduct by FIFA eventually uncovered by the FBI. We play “violation bingo” as Ken describes the bribery, self-dealing, conflicts of interest and money laundering that were business as usual at FIFA.

The FIFA Swamp Nov 02, 2022

As we approach the 2022 World Cup, we’re revisiting our 2017 episode with journalist Grant Wahl on how decades of FIFA corruption and self-dealing have undermined the world's favorite sport. (This episode was originally published in 2017.)

Oliver Bullough at the TRACE London Forum Oct 26, 2022

Speaking at the TRACE London Forum, Oliver Bullough, author of Butler to the World, discusses the UK’s role as an enabler of financial crime, efforts toward accountability, the balance between transparency and privacy, and the weaponization of lawsuits in British courts to silence journalists.

When Companies Negotiate with Terrorists Oct 19, 2022

Investigative journalist Dorothee Myriam Kellou tells the story of the Lafarge plant in Syria that was ultimately taken over by ISIS

Corruption, Sanctions and Putin’s War Regime Oct 05, 2022

This week, we hear from Leonid Volkov who spoke at the recent TRACE London Forum. Leonid is Alexei Navalny’s Chief of Staff and Political Director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. He discusses the role of corruption in Putin’s Russia as well as the impact of sanctions and the toll that rampant corruption is taking on Russia.

Bill Browder at the TRACE London Forum Sep 28, 2022

This week, we’re listening in on our conversation with Bill Browder at the TRACE London Forum. Bill discusses his new book, Freezing Order, and his ongoing quest for accountability and justice following the abuse and murder of his lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky.

Creating a Culture of Compliance: Jonathan Drimmer Sep 21, 2022

Jonathan Drimmer of Paul Hastings describes how to create and sustain a culture of compliance.

Leonid Volkov, Alexei Navalny’s Chief of Staff Sep 14, 2022

Leonid Volkov joins the podcast to talk about Putin’s obsessive campaign against Navalny, who was first poisoned with Novichok and later imprisoned. Volkov also discusses the deep roots of corruption in Russia and how the west can support Russians determined to end the looting of their country.

Corruption in the U.S. 7th Fleet Sep 07, 2022

In light of recent news about Leonard Glenn Francis' escape from house arrest ahead of his U.S. sentencing, we're revisiting our episode with Doyle Hodges, Commander, USN, ret., and Stephen Wrage, Professor, U.S. Naval Academy. They describe how "Fat Leonard" of Glenn Defense Marine Asia organized and executed a scheme that corrupted at least 30 officers and compromised over 400 others.

The Brooklyn FIFA Trial Aug 31, 2022

International sports expert, Declan Hill, returns to the podcast to discuss the FIFA trial that concluded in late December and the outlook for meaningful reform.

The Congo’s Cobalt Rush Aug 24, 2022

Freelance journalist Nicolas Niarchos joins the podcast to discuss his excellent piece in the New Yorker: The Dark Side of Congo’s Cobalt Rush. He also describes his recent incarceration and that of his Congolese colleague, Jeef Kazadi, during their ongoing investigation in the DRC.

Fat Leonard: An Update Aug 17, 2022

Tom Wright joins the podcast to discuss the latest developments in the ‘Fat Leonard’ story, summarized from his lively podcast series by the same name. Tom recorded hours of interviews with Leonard Glenn Francis and so brings fresh insight to this lengthy saga as we await Leonard’s sentencing in response—seven years later—to his 2015 guilty plea.

“Very Bad People” Aug 10, 2022

Patrick Alley, co-founder of Global Witness and author of Very Bad People: The Inside Story of the Fight Against the World’s Network of Corruption, joins the podcast to discuss the early days of his Global Witness investigations, how their efforts gained momentum and where we should be focusing our attention next.

“Blood and Oil: Mohammed Bin Salman’s Ruthless Quest for Global Power” Aug 03, 2022

Bradley Hope discusses his excellent book about the rise of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and key milestones like the “Ritz Carlton Prison”, the kidnapping of Prime Minister Hariri of Lebanon and the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. He also discusses some of MBS’s modernization efforts and what the Kingdom might look like if he hadn’t risen to a position of power.

The Zondo Commission in South Africa Jul 27, 2022

Paul Holden of Shadow World Investigations joins the podcast to discuss the South African Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (“Zondo Commission”). He describes the extensive corruption and money-laundering enabled by banks and international corporations and makes a prediction about whether the Gupta brothers, recently arrested in Dubai, will be extradited to South Africa.

Profiting From Human Rights Atrocities in Syrian Prisons Jul 13, 2022

Omar Alshogre, refugee, political activist and Georgetown University student, shares the wrenching story of his three years as a political prisoner in the worst of Syria’s prisons. He discusses the role that extortion plays there, simultaneously delegitimizing the regime further and propping it up financially.

Episode resources:

Mentioned at (00:33): The Syrian Emergency Task Force
Mentioned at (00:45): Omar's testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 11 March 2020

Jim Wasserstrom on Whistleblowers and the Integrity Sanctuary Jul 06, 2022

Jim Wasserstrom spoke at the TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting in Vancouver last month, describing his own experience as a whistleblower and his commitment to building an Integrity Sanctuary where whistleblowers can recover and flourish in safety.

Khadija Ismayilova on Keeping Whistleblowers Safe Jun 29, 2022

Khadija Ismayilova spoke at the TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting in Vancouver last week, describing the risks to whistleblowers and what we can do to encourage and protect them.

Moneyland, Kleptopia and On Corruption in America Jun 22, 2022

Oliver Bullough, Tom Burgis and Sarah Chayes, authors of three of the best books on global corruption, gather for a panel at the Annapolis Book Festival for a fascinating discussion about how the corrupt operate, often with impunity, and what can be done to slow the pace of looting.

“Butler to the World” Jun 15, 2022

Oliver Bullough joins the podcast again to discuss his latest book, out this week: Butler to the World. The book addresses how the UK went from a colonial power dominating the world to a service provider—or butler or perhaps consigliere—to the world’s oligarchs.

"Fat Leonard" Jun 08, 2022

Craig Whitlock of the Washington Post describes the sleaze and corruption that compromised the top ranks of the Seventh Fleet.

The Death of Sergei Magnitsky Jun 01, 2022

Bill Browder of Hermitage Capital describes the brazen fraud and violence of Putin’s Russia.

“Inside the Iraqi Kleptocracy” May 25, 2022

Robert Worth, a journalist previously based in Baghdad with the New York Times and author of A Rage for Order: The Middle East in Turmoil from Tahrir Square to ISIS, describes the deadly and intractable problem of corruption in Iraq. He discusses the role the United States and its pallets of cash played in this, but also the enforced sectarian apportionment of power—the Muhasasa—that ensures each group protects its fiefdom rather than acting in the best interest of the whole country.

“The Killing of a Journalist” May 18, 2022

Matt Sarnecki joins the podcast today. Matt is a senior producer with the OCCRP and the director of a new documentary about the murders in Slovakia of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová. The Killing of a Journalist explores the public outrage, the criminal investigation that was based in part on leaked phone records, and the political fall-out from this tragedy.

“Things Are Worse Than We Know” May 11, 2022

Today’s podcast is a recording of a talk given by Drew Sullivan of the OCCRP at the University of Maryland. Drew is the co-founder and editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (the OCCRP), a global network of journalists working collaboratively to evaluate and mine enormous amounts of data to expose corruption. The OCCRP is also a past winner of the TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting. Special thanks to the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland in the School of Public Policy and the Philip Merrill College of Journalism for letting us record the event.

“Freezing Order” May 04, 2022

Bill Browder joins the podcast again to talk about his fascinating new book, the many successes of the Global Magnitsky Act which he promoted with energy and ingenuity and where he is turning his attention now.

United Nations Special Rapporteur Apr 27, 2022

This week, Mary Lawlor joins the podcast to discuss her role as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and her determination that anti-corruption activists should be included as⁠—and offered the protection of⁠—human rights defenders. Read her recent report, At the heart of the struggle: Human rights defenders fight corruption.

Reporting from Kyrgyzstan Apr 20, 2022

Bektour Iskender, journalist, co-founder of Kloop and TED Fellow, joined me at TED2022 to discuss his investigative reporting in Kyrgyzstan and the impact that his team’s work had there.

DOJ Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite, Jr. Apr 13, 2022

This week, we’re listening in on remarks from Kenneth Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, at our annual TRACE Forum. He discusses recent changes in the DOJ’s approach to white collar crime, priorities for compliance teams, and the new KleptoCapture initiative.

The Impact of the AMLA on Anti-Corruption Compliance and Enforcement Apr 06, 2022

This week, Kara Brockmeyer, partner in Debevoise & Plimpton’s Washington, D.C. office, discusses the impact of the U.S. Anti-Money Laundering Act on anti-corruption compliance and enforcement. This podcast was recorded at TRACE’s 2022 Forum, which brings together compliance professionals for meaningful discussions.

“Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How it Changes Us” Mar 30, 2022

Brian Klaas, Associate Professor at University College London and host of the award-winning podcast “Power Corrupts,” joins us to discuss his book “Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us”. Brian describes research on who is drawn to positions of power and how power impacts us, including potentially re-wiring our brains.

What the Revised OECD Recommendation Means for the Private Sector Mar 23, 2022

Drago Kos, Chair of the OECD’s Working Group on Bribery, and Dan Kahn, former head of the DOJ’s FCPA Unit and now a partner in Davis Polk’s DC office, wrap up our series on the OECD revised Recommendation with a focus on the very practical implications for companies.

The Latest from the DOJ on Extortion Mar 16, 2022

Bill Steinman of Steinman & Rodgers joins the podcast to discuss the recent Opinion Procedure Release addressing extortionate demands. Bill also reviews the substantial grey area of emergencies involving the detention of personnel and confiscation of property that are arguably legal under local law.

The UK and the OECD Anti-bribery Convention Mar 09, 2022

Michelle de Kluyver, partner in Addleshaw Goddard’s Global Investigations group, joins the podcast to discuss the UK’s history with the OECD convention and what impact the revised Recommendation might have.

FCPA Year in Review: 2021 Mar 02, 2022

Cheryl Scarboro presents TRACE’s annual FCPA Year in Review webinar and we listen in for today’s podcast. Cheryl was Associate Director in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement for almost twenty years and served as its first ever Chief of the FCPA Unit. She is now a partner in Simpson Thacher & Bartlett’s Washington DC office.

France and the OECD Anti-bribery Convention Feb 23, 2022

Jan Dunin-Wasowicz, counsel in Hughes Hubbard & Reed’s Paris office, joins the podcast to discuss France’s performance to date as a party to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and what impact the revised Recommendation might have there.

“The Tinder Swindler” Feb 16, 2022

Investigative journalist Erlend Ofte Arntsen of Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang joins the podcast to discuss his work on the Tinder Swindler story, recently adapted into a Netflix documentary. Erlend and his colleagues broke the story of Shimon Hayut, an Israeli con man who found women on the dating app, impressed them with private jets and bodyguards, concocted stories about being in great personal danger and then drained their bank accounts and left them with extraordinary credit card debt.

Standardizing “Non-Trial Resolutions” (Settlements) Across Borders Feb 09, 2022

Peter Solmssen joins the podcast to talk about his work, together with a group of experts, in support of the OECD Working Group on Bribery’s revised Recommendation relating to settlements. He discusses how “individual heroism” by prosecutors should not be required to reach settlements and he shares his thoughts on the benefits the revised Recommendation will bring not only to companies, but also to prosecutors and to the larger goal of reducing corruption.

Canada and the OECD Anti-bribery Convention Feb 02, 2022

Mark Morrison, National Practice Group Leader of Blakes’ Business Crimes, Investigations & Compliance group, joins the podcast to discuss Canada’s performance to date as a party to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and what the revised Recommendation might mean for Canada.

All About Audits Jan 26, 2022

Ryan Murphy, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Cyber, Risk & Regulatory Platform and lead on PwC's U.S. Investigations & Forensics Services Practice, joins the podcast to discuss audits: what the term means, what assurance they should and should not provide and how they can be used for nefarious purposes.

New Anti-Corruption Messaging from China Jan 19, 2022

Wendy Wysong of Steptoe & Johnson, TRACE’s Partner Law Firm in Hong Kong, joins the podcast to discuss recent new guidance from China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI). Applying only to bribes paid within China’s borders, the guidance highlights some challenges for companies operating in China, particularly with respect to multi-country settlements.

Whistleblower Protections Jan 12, 2022

Leah Ambler, Director, Corruption Prevention at the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity and former Legal Analyst at the OECD, joins the podcast—in her personal capacity—to discuss her excellent chapter on Whistleblower Protections. Leah discusses the importance of whistleblower protections to reducing corruption and the challenges inherent in these protections in the absence of comprehensive, harmonized legislation.

Repression Across Borders Jan 05, 2022

Yana Gorokhovskaia of Freedom House joins the podcast to talk about transnational repression, the increasingly common abuse and intimidation by states of their citizens living abroad. Yana discusses Jamal Khashoggi, murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and Roman Protasevich, whose plane was forced to land in Belarus where he is still being held, but also refers to the hundreds of other cases that don’t make the news. Freedom House has released an excellent report on this problem that can be found at: https://freedomhouse.org/report/transnational-repression

Our Favorite Wine Fraudster Dec 29, 2021

As is holiday tradition, we're revisiting our podcast with Peter Hellman, who describes Rudy Kurniawan’s audacious scheme to defraud wine collectors in his excellent book, In Vino Duplicitas: The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire.

Uighur Forced Labor in Chinese Factories Dec 22, 2021

Penelope Kyritsis, Assistant Director of Research at the Worker Rights Consortium, discusses the detention of China’s Uyghur Moslem minority, in internment camps. Uyghurs have been compelled to work in these camps, primarily in Xinjiang. But they are now also separated from their families and relocated to factories across China, making it difficult for companies to undertake meaningful due diligence on forced labor in their Chinese supply chains.

The OECD Anti-Bribery Recommendation and the Civil Law – Common Law Dilemma Dec 15, 2021

Nicola Bonucci, former Legal Director at the OECD and now a partner at Paul Hastings in Paris, joins the podcast to discuss the 2021 OECD Anti-Bribery Recommendation announced in November. We also chat about the challenge of advancing an international consensus on anti-corruption enforcement amongst Working Group on Bribery (WGB) members hailing from different legal systems.

Announcing VACI: the Vancouver Anti-Corruption Institute Dec 08, 2021

As part of the many events marking International Anti-Corruption Day this week, The Vancouver Anti-Corruption Institute (VACI) will launch 9 December in Vancouver. Peter German, president of VACI—and of its host organization, the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform & Criminal Justice Policy—joins the podcast to discuss the need for this initiative, its focus and some of its goals.

Mark Pieth on the Global Gold Trade Dec 01, 2021

Prof. Mark Pieth joins the podcast to discuss his recent book: Gold Laundering: The dirty secrets of the gold trade - and how to clean up. He outlines the many problems associated with gold, including child and trafficked labor, environmental degradation, violence and corruption. He also addresses some modest steps forward and how, in spite of the considerable challenges, more progress can be made.

“Promoting Integrity in the Work of International Organisations” Nov 24, 2021

Duncan Smith of the European Investment Bank joins the podcast to discuss his book: Promoting Integrity in the Work of International Organisations: Minimising Fraud and Corruption in Projects. He discusses the unique role of multinational development banks, the progress that remains and the cost of getting it wrong.

When Reporting is a Crime Nov 17, 2021

Acclaimed investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova describes her efforts to uncover corruption in Azerbaijan and the state-sponsored blackmail, and then imprisonment, she suffered. The Caviar Connection, a documentary featuring Khadija, is screening this week in person and online at the DOC NYC Film Festival.

Catching Up with Dan Kahn Nov 10, 2021

Dan Kahn joins the podcast to discuss his time at the US Department of Justice, including as Chief of the FCPA Unit, and his recent transition back to private practice as a partner in the White Collar Defense and Investigations practice in Davis Polk’s Washington office. Dan discusses recent trends, the new guidance announced by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and some approaches to pursuing demand-side bribery.

“Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present” Nov 03, 2021

Ruth Ben-Ghiat joins the podcast to discuss her book Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, which examines 100 years of authoritarian rule. She describes the characteristics of a strongman and the strange virility cult surrounding these leaders before turning to the central role of corruption in the autocrat’s playbook.

We Have a Chocolate Problem Oct 27, 2021

Etelle Higonnet with the National Wildlife Federation takes us through the complex and intersecting problems raised by the cocoa industry: environmental degradation, child labor and extreme financial disparities that prevent most cocoa farmers from ever tasting the chocolate they grow.

Drago Kos and the OECD Working Group on Bribery Oct 22, 2021

Drago Kos joins the podcast to talk about the work of the OECD Working Group on Bribery, its ambitious Revised Recommendation, what he hopes the group will accomplish in his final year with the WGB and the search to find his replacement.

“American Kleptocracy” Oct 13, 2021

Casey Michel with the Hudson Institute's Kleptocracy Initiative joins the podcast for a very lively discussion about his new book, American Kleptocracy: How the U.S. Created the World’s Greatest Money Laundering Scheme in History. Casey discusses America’s role in the problem of global kleptocracy and shares some optimism about the path ahead.

Oligarchs in Ohio Oct 06, 2021

Michael Sallah, senior investigations editor with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, joins the podcast to talk about his “Dirty Dollars” investigation into how foreign corruption swamped the very center of America where huge sums were laundered at the expense of the local community.

Note: While the sound quality of this episode isn't ideal, we hope you'll stick with the interview for Michael's extremely important insight.

Episode resources:

Dirty Dollars, by Michael Sallah, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 16 April 2021
Mentioned at (01:00): FinCEN Files, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, 2020

Japan’s “Ghosn Shock” Sep 29, 2021

Hans Greimel and William Sposato join the podcast to discuss their excellent new book: Collision Course: Carlos Ghosn and the Culture Wars That Upended an Auto Empire, published over the summer. The book provides a sweeping review of Ghosn’s rise to executive star status in Japan, his ultimate detention in and escape from Japan, and the cultural and historical context we need to understand the story.

Contagious Dishonesty Sep 22, 2021

Federico Masera with the University of New South Wales and the Resilient Democracy Lab in Sydney joins the podcast to discuss his recent research, together with Giorgio Gulino, "Contagious Dishonesty: Corruption Scandals and Supermarket Theft." Their intriguing research uncovers a trend toward substantially increased customer theft at supermarkets in the immediate aftermath of local corruption scandals involving prominent public officials.

Flags of Convenience Sep 15, 2021

Tom Cardamone, President and CEO of Global Financial Integrity, joins the podcast to discuss the regulatory and enforcement challenges associated with flags of convenience. These range from trafficked labor to environmental violations and Tom highlights the inherent tension between substantial tax incentives on one hand and accountability on the other.

Leonid Volkov, Alexei Navalny’s Chief of Staff Sep 08, 2021

Leonid Volkov joins the podcast to talk about Putin’s obsessive campaign against Navalny, who was first poisoned with Novichok and later imprisoned. Volkov also discusses the deep roots of corruption in Russia and how the west can support Russians determined to end the looting of their country.

After You Pay a Bribe: Lindsey Mitchell Sep 01, 2021

Listen to the riveting first-hand story of a Unaoil executive who found himself at the center of a bribery scheme.

MCI’s Accounting Fraud Aug 25, 2021

Walt Pavlo discusses the accounting fraud at MCI that led to his two-year prison sentence, his book “Stolen Without a Gun: Confessions from inside history’s biggest accounting fraud,”and his second career with Prisonology

The Smartest Guys in the Room Aug 18, 2021

Peter Elkind tells the story of the Enron financial scandal; it’s a timely refresher on that corporate disaster as the Trump Administration rolls back financial regulations.

"Thieves of State": Sarah Chayes on Afghanistan Aug 16, 2021

Sarah Chayes describes her time in Afghanistan and discusses the link between corruption and national security.

The Volkswagen Emissions Scandal Aug 11, 2021

Jack Ewing of the New York Times in Frankfurt discusses his excellent book, “Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal,” and the outrageous fraud and cover-up uncovered by a handful of WVU students.

"Fat Leonard" Aug 04, 2021

Craig Whitlock of the Washington Post describes the sleaze and corruption that compromised the top ranks of the Seventh Fleet.

An Update on the FinCEN Files Jul 28, 2021

Will Fitzgibbon of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) joins the podcast with an update on last year’s FinCEN Files story, including a prison sentence for the whistleblower who leaked the information.

“Madoff Talks” Jul 21, 2021

Author and business radio host Jim Campbell discusses his recent book about Bernie Madoff, his Ponzi scheme and his lack of remorse, based on extraordinary access to Madoff and members of his family and team. Jim's book is "Madoff Talks: Uncovering the Untold Story Behind the Most Notorious Ponzi Scheme in History."

The New Corporation: How Good Corporations are Bad for Democracy Jul 14, 2021

Joel Bakan joins the podcast to discuss his books, and the films based on them. He outlines the fundamental conflict inherent in companies ostensibly committed to ESG principles while simultaneously driven by a legal requirement to maximize shareholder value.

Episode resources:

Mentioned at (03:30): The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power (book), by Joel Bakan, 2003
Mentioned at (03:30): The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power (film), 2004
Mentioned at (03:30): The New Corporation: How "Good" Corporations are Bad for Democracy (book), by Joel Bakan, 2020
Mentioned at (03:30): The New Corporation: The Unfortunately Necessary Sequel (film), by Joel Bakan, 2020
Mentioned at (11:11): Moneyland, by Oliver Bullough, 2019

Learn more about Joel's work here.

“Wilful Blindness: How a Network of Narcos, Tycoons, and CCP Agents Infiltrated the West” Jul 07, 2021

Investigative reporter Sam Cooper describes the waves of drugs and laundered money from China crashing on Canada’s shores. Sam's new book is “Wilful Blindness: How a Network of Narcos, Tycoons, and CCP Agents Infiltrated the West.”

Kleptopia at FraudFest! Jun 30, 2021

Tom Burgis, investigations correspondent at the Financial Times and author of "Kleptopia", discusses the increasingly disturbing influence that kleptocrats exert internationally, who enables them and the flaws in our efforts to contain them.

Golden Passports and Visas Jun 23, 2021

The golden passports and visas industry boomed during the pandemic and attracted the attention of policymakers. This week, we’re reposting our interview with Oliver Bullough, author of “Moneyland”, on this shady industry and how it operates.

Using Universities to Launder Reputations Jun 16, 2021

John Heathershaw of the University of Exeter discusses the working paper he co-authored for the National Endowment for Democracy: “Paying for a World Class Affiliation: Reputation Laundering in the University Sector of Open Societies.” He shows how vulnerable universities are to abuse by kleptocrats seeking to shape the conversation, often quite subtly, about their governments and their legacies.

Episode resources:

Paying for a World Class Affiliation: Reputation Laundering in the University Sector of Open Societies, a working paper by Alexander Cooley, Tena Prelec, John Heathershaw and Tom Mayne for the National Endowment for Democracy’s International Forum for Democratic Studies, 25 May 2021
For related work, visit the Global Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence project.

Profiting From Human Rights Atrocities in Syrian Prisons Jun 09, 2021

Omar Alshogre, refugee, political activist with the Syrian Emergency Task Force, and first year Georgetown University student, shares the wrenching story of his three years as a political prisoner in the worst of Syria’s prisons. He discusses the role that extortion plays there, simultaneously delegitimizing the regime further and propping it up financially.

Episode resources:

Mentioned at (00:33): The Syrian Emergency Task Force
Mentioned at (00:45): Omar's testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 11 March 2020

Treasury’s Role in Confronting Kleptocracy Jun 02, 2021

Josh Rudolph at the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund discusses how we should approach corruption and kleptocracy from a policy perspective and why Treasury needs to ‘get with the program.’

Episode resources:

Mentioned at (00:41): The Fight Against Corruption Needs Economists, by Josh Rudolph, Foreign Affairs, 17 May 2021
Mentioned at (03:06): Investment Funds: Massive Transparency Loopholes with Josh Kirschenbaum, senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund’s Alliance for Securing Democracy, Bribe, Swindle or Steal, 21 April 2021
Mentioned at (04:46): Treasury’s War on Corruption : A U.S. Treasury Department Strategy to Fight Kleptocracy and Root Dirty Money Out of the U.S. Financial System, by Josh Rudolph, Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, 22 December 2020
Mentioned at (10:37): Letter from Sen. Whitehouse and Rep. Malinowski to Secretary Janet Yellen, 3 May 2021
Josh’s latest report: Coordinating the War on Corruption: An Administrative Plan for the White House to Combat Corruption and Kleptocracy, by Josh Rudolph, Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, 17 May 2021

Fraudulent Vaccination Cards May 26, 2021

Hayley Smith with the Los Angeles Times, discusses the story she broke about the sale of phony COVID-19 vaccination cards out of the Old Corner Saloon in California.

Cannabis and Compliance May 19, 2021

Amy McDougal of CLEAResources discusses the rapidly shifting cannabis landscape and how to prepare for the many employment and compliance issues it raises.

Ransomware May 12, 2021

Renee Dudley of ProPublica discusses her fascinating research into the unsettling world of ransomware: how it works, the role that “recovery services” play and where the ransom money ends up.

Madoff and Belfort May 05, 2021

Ike Sorkin, lawyer to both Madoff and Belfort, talks us through their criminal financial schemes and how regulatory safeguards failed.

Moneyland, Kleptopia and On Corruption in America Apr 28, 2021

Oliver Bullough, Tom Burgis and Sarah Chayes, authors of three of the best books on global corruption, gather for a panel at the Annapolis Book Festival for a fascinating discussion about how the corrupt operate, often with impunity, and what can be done to slow the pace of looting.

Investment Funds: Massive Transparency Loopholes Apr 21, 2021

Josh Kirschenbaum is a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund’s Alliance for Securing Democracy and formerly served as acting director of the Office of Special Measures at Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). He joins the podcast to discuss investment funds and the gaping loophole they create through which vast sums of money can move with no accountability.

Bernie Madoff: “The Wizard of Lies” Apr 14, 2021

Diana Henriques drew on her years of financial journalism and extraordinary access to the title character to write the definitive book about Bernie Madoff. It was turned into an HBO movie in early 2017 starring Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Diana, playing herself.

The Expanding Field of ESG Apr 14, 2021

Ariel Meyerstein, Senior Vice President, Sustainability & ESG at Citi, shares his insight into human rights, climate change and social justice challenges and the new momentum propelling ESG in the private sector.

Mercenaries and Money-laundering Apr 07, 2021

Jodi Vittori, with the Democracy, Conflict and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Research, discusses the UN Security Council’s March report on Libya.

Shattered Families, a Refugee Crisis and the United States’ Diminished Reputation as a Beacon to Newcomers Mar 31, 2021

In our last podcast before the US election, Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody describe with passion their work with the International Rescue Committee. They tell us what America as a haven means to them and mourn the news that 545 children separated from their parents on the US southern border cannot be restored to their parents. They conclude with a fervent appeal to Americans to turn out to vote in this election.

Bribery and Other Compliance Considerations in Private Equity and Venture Investing Mar 24, 2021

Jeff Wright, managing partner of Actium Capital, shares a rare private investor perspective on compliance in international deals.

Offsets: What on Earth? Mar 17, 2021

Bill Steinman of Steinman & Rodgers provides a primer on offsets and the compliance challenges they present.

A Bicultural Look at Compliance Mar 10, 2021

Illya Antonenko, TRACE’s Director of Compliance Resources, joins the podcast to talk about his perception of Eastern European corruption through an American lens. Illya grew up in the former Soviet Union and, as an adult, moved to the United States where he began his legal and compliance career.

Surviving a Bribery Investigation and Fostering a Culture of Compliance Mar 03, 2021

Hentie Dirker, Chief Integrity Officer with SNC Lavalin, speaks to Jonathan Drimmer of Paul Hastings about building a culture of compliance in the aftermath of a bribery scandal.

Illicit Gold Feb 24, 2021

Julia Yansura, Program Manager with Global Financial Integrity, joins the podcast to discuss the role that gold plays in illicit financial flows worldwide, exacerbating problems from money laundering to sanctions violations.

Protecting the Pangolin Feb 17, 2021

For World Pangolin Day on Saturday, we’re reposting our podcast about the beleaguered pangolin. Professor Katharine Abernethy discusses the dramatic and illegal overhunting and subsequent smuggling of pangolins, the most trafficked animal in the world, to supply the Asian market with their scales believed—without evidence—to cure cancer.

We Have a Chocolate Problem Feb 12, 2021

Etelle Higonnet with the National Wildlife Federation takes us through the complex and intersecting problems raised by the cocoa industry: environmental degradation, child labor and extreme financial disparities that prevent most cocoa farmers from ever tasting the chocolate they grow.

“Kleptopia” Feb 03, 2021

On today’s podcast, Tom Burgis discusses his latest book: “Kleptopia: How Dirty Money is Conquering the World.” Tom joins me for a webinar hosted by Tom Keating of RUSI, in London.

A Pardon for Duke Cunningham as Former President Trump Leaves Office Jan 27, 2021

We’re reposting the conversation with Marcus Stern, who broke the story about the bribery scheme that landed Congressman Randall “Duke” Cunningham in jail for seven years. Cunningham also pleaded guilty to fraud and tax evasion.

Thirty Years of Anti-Corruption Efforts Jan 20, 2021

Michael Johnston joins the podcast to discuss his new book, with co-author Scott Fritzen: The Conundrum of Corruption. Michael is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Political Science Emeritus at Colgate University and has written extensively on the underlying causes of corruption and how best to tackle it. In this podcast, he urges a new approach to the problem.

The OECD Working Group and the United States’ Phase 4 Review Jan 13, 2021

Nicola Bonucci and Nat Edmonds, in Paul Hastings’ Paris and Washington offices respectively, discuss the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and the Working Group and its recent Phase 4 review of the United States and wrap up with some recommendations for multinational corporations.

Predictions for US Sanctions Policy Under the Biden Administration Jan 06, 2021

Tom Best, a partner in Paul Hastings’ Washington office, joins the podcast to review sanctions policy under the Trump Administration and then makes some predictions about what we should expect from President Biden in 2021.

Jersey Offshore Files Dec 30, 2020

Robert Cribb of the Toronto Star discusses the emails and documents turned over to the media in furtherance of a family feud that spans continents and exposes financial schemes that are both complex and well-documented.

Surprising Bribery Schemes Dec 23, 2020

Rupert Younger of Oxford’s Center for Corporate Reputation and Alexandra discuss some novel bribery schemes at Berkeley’s 2019 “Fraudfest”. (The sound quality reflects the conference setting.)

“Big Dirty Money” Dec 16, 2020

Jennifer Taub, author, legal scholar, professor and advocate, joins the podcast to talk about her latest book: Big Dirty Money: The Shocking Injustice and Unseen Cost of White Collar Crime. Jennifer focuses, in particular, on how much more gently we treat corporate financial crime than we do very petty financial crime, in spite of the fact that the former costs taxpayers far more money.

Assessing Propensity for Bribe Demands Dec 09, 2020

Robert Clark, Manager of Legal Research at TRACE, discusses the TRACE Matrix, a data driven tool that assesses the likelihood—by country—of a company being asked to pay a bribe. This podcast is technical and may be of particular interest to academics and those in civil society seeking new ways to measure risk.

The Outlaw Ocean Dec 02, 2020

New York Times reporter Ian Urbina discusses his excellent but grim series about crime and impunity on the high seas.

“On Corruption in America” Nov 25, 2020

Sarah Chayes joins the podcast to talk about her latest book: On Corruption in America and What is at Stake. She takes us from the myth of King Midas through to the present in a lively history of corruption and then leaves listeners with a detailed call to action.

“Blood and Oil: Mohammed bin Salman’s Ruthless Quest for Global Power” Nov 18, 2020

Bradley Hope discusses his excellent book about the rise of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and key milestones like the “Ritz Carlton Prison”, the kidnapping of Prime Minister Hariri of Lebanon and the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. He also discusses some of MBS’s modernization efforts and what the Kingdom might look like if he hadn’t risen to a position of power.

The FinCEN Files Nov 11, 2020

James Wright of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) discusses the FinCEN files. He describes the coalition of investigative reporters who dug into the leaked documents and what they found as they reviewed over 2000 Suspicious Activity Reports (SARS) spanning more than five years.

Understanding Trump’s Executive Order on the Civil Service (It’s Much More Serious Than It Sounds) Nov 04, 2020

Harvard law professor Matthew Stephenson provides some context for understanding this new EO and then lists the three primary threats it poses for corruption. A more detailed discussion can be found on his Global Anticorruption Blog (GAB).

The 2020 Election: An Anti-Corruption and Compliance Perspective Oct 28, 2020

Today’s podcast is an edited version of a recent George Washington University Law School webinar reviewing the Trump Administration’s impact on anti-corruption efforts and forecasting the likely impact of either a second Trump or a Biden Administration in January.

Buying EU Citizenship: The Cyprus Papers Oct 21, 2020

Alex Crutcher with the Al Jazeera Investigative Unit discusses the sale of “golden passports” to wealthy criminals and high risk individuals. The team pursued the story in the wake of a major data leak and their reporting has resulted in the cancellation of the program and several high level resignations in the Cypriot government.

Murder in Malta Oct 14, 2020

Daphne Caruana Galizia, reporter and anti-corruption activist, was murdered near her home in Malta by a car bomb on 16 October 2017. Today, we’re reposting our conversation with her lawyer to mark the third anniversary of her death. It’s a timely reminder of the risks that investigative reporters take all over the world to provide us with insight into high-level corruption and the violence the powerful brazenly employ to shield themselves.

“White House Inc.: How Donald Trump Turned the Presidency Into a Business” Oct 07, 2020

Dan Alexander, author and senior editor at Forbes, discusses his book about Trump’s business deals with foreign entities, including one very strange deal with the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar.

"White Collar Criminal Law Explained" Sep 30, 2020

Randall Eliason talks about extortion, conspiracy, cover-up crimes and plea bargains – topics covered in his excellent new 24-lecture course available through Great Courses. He also takes us through some examples from recent headlines.

“Rigged: America, Russia and One Hundred Years of Covert Electoral Interference” Sep 23, 2020

David Shimer discusses his fascinating and timely new book, which includes a sweeping review of covert interference with elections by both Russia and the US over the last century. He discusses what we know about Russian interference in the 2016 election and what we need to know about their much greater capacity to interfere this November.

Serenading Despots Sep 16, 2020

Pedro Pizano and Jeffrey Smith, with the McCain Institute and Vanguard Africa respectively, discuss the reputation laundering that musicians, actors and athletes facilitate when they agree to perform for dictators and kleptocrats. They also describe how these same artists can use their platforms for good instead and show support for the citizens living under brutal regimes.

Uighur Forced Labor in Chinese Factories Sep 09, 2020

Penelope Kyritsis, Assistant Director of Research at the Worker Rights Consortium, discusses the detention of China’s Uighur Moslem minority, in internment camps. Uighurs have been compelled to work in these camps, primarily in Xinjiang. But they are now also separated from their families and relocated to factories across China, making it difficult for companies to undertake meaningful due diligence on forced labor in their Chinese supply chains.

Compliance in Canada Sep 02, 2020

Amee Sandhu, founder and CEO of Lex Integra in Toronto, discusses Canada’s history with anti-bribery efforts, some recent developments and where things stand today.

Laundering Looted Funds through African Real Estate Aug 26, 2020

Hilary Mossberg, Director of Illicit Finance Policy at The Sentry, discusses the relatively new trend of African kleptocrats and war criminals laundering money through real estate in African cities, rather than some of the more traditional choices like London, Miami and New York.

The World’s Largest Illegal Fishing Fleet Aug 19, 2020

Ian Urbina joins us to talk about his latest project on the lawless seas. Ian has uncovered and documented a stunning story of criminality: illegal shipping, sanctions violations, devastated squid stocks and the 500 “ghost boats” that have washed up on Japanese shores with the crew dead or missing. Visit Outlaw Ocean for more detail and to follow Ian’s ongoing reporting.

Canada’s WE Charity Scandal Aug 12, 2020

Sandy Garossino of the National Observer discusses the Canadian government’s latest misstep with the award of a massive pandemic-related contract to an ill-equipped charity with ties to key decision-makers.

Rigging the Rules: Unfair Housing Practices Aug 05, 2020

Lisa Rice, president and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance, provides some historical context for discriminatory housing practices, describes how uneven progress has been and, most importantly, the extraordinary and lasting impact it has. Where we live shapes almost every aspect of our lives: education, wealth accumulation – even life expectancy.

1MDB Jul 29, 2020

Bradley Hope of the Wall Street Journal describes his team’s in-depth and on-going research into Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal- and where Leonardo DiCaprio fits in.

The Outlaw Ocean Jul 22, 2020

New York Times reporter Ian Urbina discusses his excellent but grim series about crime and impunity on the high seas.

Primer on Money Laundering Jul 22, 2020

A 22-year veteran of Treasury and consultant to the Dept. of Justice, John Madinger sheds light on some of the money laundering schemes he has uncovered and why the Breaking Bad car wash scheme probably wouldn’t have worked.

Imprisoned in China Jul 08, 2020

Peter Humphrey and his wife were well-respected compliance professionals active in China when they were arrested, tried and imprisoned for two years.

How Criminals Justify Their Conduct Jul 01, 2020

Shaul Shalvi, a professor of behavioral ethics, describes how people convince themselves that their misconduct is OK.

Slave auctions in Libya in 2017 Jun 24, 2020

Nima Elbagir and Raja Razek of CNN go undercover in Libya to expose a hellish, thriving slave trade. Their CNN story

Inspectors General at Risk Jun 17, 2020

Danielle Brian, Executive Director of the Project on Government Oversight—POGO—provides a brief and lively description of the history of US Inspectors General (IGs), their importance in ensuring government accountability and the recent worrying spate of terminations.

An International ATM Skimming Scheme Jun 10, 2020

Paul Radu, co-founder and executive director of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), describes his team’s work in uncovering an international team of cash machine skimmers that ultimately skimmed hundreds of millions of dollars, largely from tourist hot spots.

The Travel Act and Other Angles from the Control Components Inc. Case Jun 03, 2020

TRACE’s Director of Compliance Resources, Illya Antonenko, looks back at the CCI case from 2009. Although a relatively small FCPA resolution financially, there are a number of interesting issues, including a corrupt corporate culture and reaching commercial bribery via the Travel Act.

Art and Antiquities in the Criminal Arsenal May 27, 2020

Tess Davis, Executive Director of the Antiquities Coalition, describes how criminals use art and antiquities for corruption, to launder money and to fund terrorism. She also discusses the current legal state of play and how the public can be part of the solution.

The CROOK Act: Tackling Demand-Side Bribery May 20, 2020

Abigail Bellows with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace describes how a $5 million surcharge could be levied on FCPA enforcement actions and then deployed quickly to support incipient anti-corruption efforts worldwide. This would address, in part, concerns that the victims of corruption rarely benefit from the substantial sums involved in settlements.

Mexico Raises the Stakes for Companies Using False Invoices May 13, 2020

Omar Zuniga of Mexico City’s Creel law firm discusses the tax provisions there that are making companies nervous and prompting a scramble to vet vendors against black lists.

Commercial Intermediaries Are Not the (Only) Problem May 06, 2020

Risk, Telecom and 5G Apr 29, 2020

Barnard College professor Alex Cooley and Wiley partner Kevin Muhlendorf discuss telecommunications scandals and the risk of corruption in 5G telecom implementation. They are the authors of chapters on these two subjects in TRACE’s new book Corrosive: Corruption and its Consequences.

Compliance During COVID-19 Apr 22, 2020

Kara Brockmeyer, a partner in Debevoise & Plimpton’s Washington office and former Chief of the SEC’s FCPA Unit, discusses some changes she’s observed in the implementation of compliance programs with much of the world in lockdown. She also describes the pace of investigations now that DOJ and SEC lawyers are working remotely and she wraps up with a few predictions about what we might see in this field post-pandemic.

US National Security, CFIUS and COVID-19 Apr 15, 2020

Darshak Dholakia, a partner in Dechert’s Washington office, provides a timely overview of the current Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) approach to foreign investment in the US, comparable laws of other countries and how scrutiny of healthcare and biotechnology sectors may increase in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Esquenazi: Defining “Foreign Official” under the FCPA Apr 08, 2020

Bill Steinman--of Steinman & Rodgers--takes us back to 2014 and the Eleventh Circuit’s very fact-specific analysis of what constitutes a “foreign official” under the FCPA.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Movement of Goods Internationally Apr 01, 2020

Melissa Duffy, a partner at Dechert LLP focused on international trade matters, provides an excellent review of the current status of the movement of goods into and out of the United States by air, land and sea. Melissa also addresses relevant tariffs, including recent exemptions, and restrictions by other countries on the export of their own critical medical supplies and equipment. Melissa wraps up with some very practical strategies for companies on managing the movement of goods in these uncertain times.

The Och-Ziff case Mar 25, 2020

Jeff Clark—a partner with Willkie, Farr & Gallagher—discusses the novel aspects of the 2016 Och-Ziff bribery case, including the claim for restitution under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act.

Looking Back: The Siemens Scandal Mar 18, 2020

Jessica Tillipman of George Washington Law School covers the highlights and key points from the Siemens bribery case of 2008. It was a startling case at the time and divided the international enforcement landscape into the world before and after Siemens.

The Cullen Commission: More on Money-laundering and Organized Crime on Canada’s West Coast Mar 11, 2020

Former Crown Prosecutor and current investigative journalist, Sandy Garossino, walks us back through the early days of Vancouver’s money-laundering scandal: how the problem was uncovered, the violence associated with infiltration by organized crime, what has been done to remedy the problem to date and what still remains to be done.

The Sentencing of Roger Stone Mar 04, 2020

Randall Eliason, law professor and former Assistant US Attorney, provides an excellent account of the days leading up to the recent sentencing of political operative Roger Stone. The Department of Justice’s unprecedented interference in--and reversal of--its prosecutorial team’s recommendation led to the resignation from the case of all four prosecutors. Over 2000 former DOJ officials have called on Attorney General Barr to resign in the wake of his interference in the case.

The Massive, Multi-Country Airbus Settlement Feb 19, 2020

Aisling O’Shea of Sullivan & Cromwell describes the Airbus settlement that resulted in penalties totaling almost $4 billion and involved resolutions with U.S., UK and French authorities.

The Luanda Leaks Feb 12, 2020

Investigative reporter Scilla Alecci of the ICIJ describes the excellent work that team did, using more than 715,000 leaked documents, to untangle the vast and often opaque business empire of Isabel dos Santos, Africa’s richest woman and daughter of the former president of Angola.

The Lockheed Bribery Scandal that Prompted the FCPA Feb 05, 2020

Dr. Frank Badua, Associate Professor of Accounting and Business Law at Lamar University College of Business, describes the misconduct from the 1950s through the 1970s by a group of companies that led to widespread support for passage of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

2019 FCPA Year in Review Jan 22, 2020

Jeff Clark, a partner with Willkie Farr & Gallagher and well-known to TRACE members, provides an excellent summary of US foreign anti-bribery activity in 2019.

The French Anti-Corruption Agency Jan 15, 2020

Emmanuel Farhat of the AFA discusses Sapin II and his organization’s role in vetting the implementation of the corporate compliance programs that the law mandates.

“Money Tree: Teak and Conflict in South Sudan” Jan 08, 2020

C4ADS Senior Analysts Stella Cooper and Cecile Neumeister discuss their fantastic report on the little known problem of illegal logging in South Sudan and the environmental, social, financial and security implications. Read the report here.

How Criminals Justify Their Conduct Dec 31, 2019

With the compliance professionals showing increased interest in behavioral ethics and asking not just how employees and others engage in misconduct, but also why, we’re re-posting this podcast with Shaul Shalvi on his research into what motivates criminals.

Our Favorite Wine Fraudster Dec 25, 2019

This podcast has become a bit of a holiday tradition on the podcast. Peter Hellman describes Rudy Kurniawan’s audacious scheme to defraud wine collectors in his excellent book, “In Vino Duplicitas: The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire.”

Key Takeaways from 2019 Dec 18, 2019

Bill Steinman, senior partner at boutique compliance firm Steinman & Rodgers, walks us through some continuing trends—and a few surprises--from 2019.

Company Audits under France’s Sapin II Dec 11, 2019

Olivier Catherine, Group General Counsel of Sonepar in Paris, describes in detail the company’s experience as the first to complete an audit by the French Anticorruption Agency (AFA), from the initial letter launching the review through the Sanctions Committee’s dismissal of all claims.

Protecting Wildlife from Poachers in Africa Dec 04, 2019

Kevin Chapla, a Civil Affairs Officer with the US Army, discusses the work his team has done with foreign governments and civilian populations to reduce the poaching and trafficking of wildlife in Central Africa.

Bad Blood Nov 27, 2019

We’re reposting a popular podcast during the American Thanksgiving holiday. We want to keep the fascinating Theranos story, still to be updated with Elizabeth Holmes’ fraud trial set for August 2020, in front of our listeners.

The GDPR vs Anti-bribery Due Diligence Nov 20, 2019

Paul Lavery of McCann FitzGerald in Dublin discusses the conflict between the GDPR’s emphasis on privacy and the requirement under anti-bribery laws that companies undertake reputational due diligence on their business partners. There is a direct and as yet unreconciled conflict between privacy and transparency.

The Global Impact of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention Nov 13, 2019

Nicola Bonucci, Director of Legal Affairs at the OECD, describes successes and failures of the anti-bribery convention as well as some of the challenges still ahead.

Compliance Advice for Doing Business in India Nov 06, 2019

Priyanka Goswami of Quad Law, TRACE’s partner firm in New Delhi, provides a great overview of the compliance landscape in India, together with a lot of very practical advice for companies operating there.

Anti-Bribery Efforts in Saudi Arabia Oct 30, 2019

Sam Eversman with KsaUsaLegal in Riyadh talks about current anti-bribery efforts in Saudi Arabia, recently relaxed restrictions for women travelers and what, if anything, we can take away from the 2017 incarceration of the Saudi elite at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

A Conversation with SABIC in Riyadh Oct 23, 2019

Danielle Cannata, Senior Counsel, International Trade at SABIC, talks about some of the challenges, surprises and successes arising out of doing business in Saudi Arabia.

The Death of Sergei Magnitsky Oct 11, 2019

We’re not posting a new podcast next week. Our fantastic editor, Brad Shoemaker of Creative Zombie Studios, is getting married this weekend and is busy with more important things! Instead, we’re reposting Brad’s favorite TRACE podcast: "The Death of Sergei Magnitsky".

We’ll be back next week with an interview from Riyadh.

Ransomware Oct 09, 2019

Renee Dudley of ProPublica discusses her fascinating research into the unsettling world of ransomware: how it works, the role that “recovery services” play and where the ransom money ends up.

The U.S. College Admissions Scandal Oct 02, 2019

Jonathan Turner, Vice President, Ethics & Compliance, at Smith & Nephew in Memphis, discusses the admissions scandal that has rattled several top-tier U.S. universities and ties some of the lessons learned back to the work of compliance professionals.

Fraud and Lying in Las Vegas Sep 25, 2019

Author Jim Rossi discusses the widespread, relatively low-dollar cons he uncovered in his book “Cleantech Con Artists” set in Las Vegas.

The Role of AI in Anti-Bribery Efforts Sep 18, 2019

On today’s podcast, we speak with Merritt Smith of TRACE. Merritt has expertise in data science and public policy and the intersection of the two fields. We talk about how AI can support anti-bribery compliance and risk assessments, but also whether the advantages of AI have been overstated and underdelivered.

Imprisoned in China Sep 11, 2019

Peter Humphrey and his wife were well-respected compliance professionals active in China when they were arrested, tried and imprisoned for two years.

Primer on Money Laundering Sep 04, 2019

A 22-year veteran of Treasury and consultant to the Dept. of Justice, John Madinger sheds light on some of the money laundering schemes he has uncovered and why the Breaking Bad car wash scheme probably wouldn’t have worked.

Enron and “The Smartest Guys in the Room” Aug 28, 2019

The China-Canada Financial Web Aug 21, 2019

Bob Mackin, a multimedia journalist based in Vancouver, discusses the extradition case involving Meng Wanzhou of Huawei, the proposed new beneficial ownership registry for real estate in British Columbia and the occasionally shady influence of Chinese money in Canada.

“Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust” Aug 14, 2019

Diana Henriques describes Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, discusses how difficult it is to uncover fraud by those who prey on the trust of others and addresses the simple, consistent controls that saved some investors from losses.

Surviving a Bribery Investigation and Fostering a Culture of Compliance Aug 07, 2019

Hentie Dirker, Chief Integrity Officer with SNC Lavalin, speaks to Jonathan Drimmer of Paul Hastings about building a culture of compliance in the aftermath of a bribery scandal.

The World Bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency Jul 31, 2019

A brief and lively description by Pascale Dubois of the work of INT, including investigations, prevention and the group’s work with the private sector.

Investigating the Volkswagen Emissions Cover-up Jul 24, 2019

Alberto Ayala, Executive Director/Air Pollution Control Officer at Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, speaks to Vasu Muthyala of Kobre & Kim about the tenacious work Alberto did to get to the bottom of the Volkswagen Emissions scandal and cover-up.

Corruption in the U.S. 7th Fleet Jul 17, 2019

Doyle Hodges, Commander, USN, ret., and Stephen Wrage, Professor, US Naval Academy, describe how Leonard Frances of Glenn Defense Marine Asia (“Fat Leonard”) organized and executed a scheme that corrupted at least 30 officers and compromised over 400 others.

Human Trafficking Jul 10, 2019

Martina Vandenberg, Founder and President of the Human Trafficking Legal Center, describes patterns of trafficked labor in supply chains, recent cases and how her organization is holding traffickers accountable through civil litigation and criminal restitution. HT Legal leverages pro bono support from law firms to gain compensation for survivors.

Compliance Minute: Compliance in the #MeToo Era Jul 03, 2019

In this TRACE Compliance Minute, Misti Mukherjee of Extensio Law discusses compliance best practices of the #MeToo Movement.

Compliance Minute: Avoiding Compliance Training Fatigue Jul 03, 2019

In this TRACE Compliance Minute, Karen Benson of Royal Caribbean Cruises provides three tips to avoid compliance training fatigue.

Compliance Minute: Creating a Culture of Compliance Jul 03, 2019

In this TRACE Compliance Minute, Jonathan Drimmer of Paul Hastings describes how to create and sustain a culture of compliance.

The Last Pirate of New York Jun 26, 2019

Bestselling author, Rich Cohen, describes the “missing link” between American pirates and gangsters: underworld legend and notorious criminal, Albert Hicks. Rich also makes clear how far law enforcement has come since the days of Hicks’ many gruesome crimes.

The Chickenshit Club Jun 19, 2019

Pulitzer Prize winning author Jesse Eisinger joins the podcast to talk about his colorfully named and provocative book “The Chickenshit Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives.” We chat about political will, revolving doors and what Jesse calls “compliance theater”.

Bribery and the Opioid Crisis Jun 12, 2019

Brad Bailey, a criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, discusses the Insys Therapeutics case and the expanded use of RICO in white collar criminal cases.

The OECD Working Group on Bribery Jun 05, 2019

Drago Kos, Chair of the OECD Working Group on Bribery, discusses the working group’s successes as well as some challenges. He addresses the current shift away from international cooperation and how a more insular political climate is threatening anti-corruption efforts.

Compliance in the #MeToo Era May 29, 2019

Misti Mukherjee of Extensio Law describes the impact of #MeToo, the seismic shift in our debate and the compliance initiatives and employment best practices that continue to evolve.

Golden Passports and Moneyland May 22, 2019

Oliver Bullough, author and investigative reporter, chats about his great book – Moneyland. He discusses this shady world, adjacent to ours, populated by the super-rich who operate outside of the usual immigration, tax and legal constraints.

Effective Compliance Training May 15, 2019

Karen Benson, Associate VP and Assistant Chief Compliance Officer with Royal Caribbean Cruises, shares a broad range of tips on how to build a targeted, innovative training program that keeps employs interested and engaged.

Promoting a Culture of Compliance May 08, 2019

Jonathan Drimmer, currently the Chief Compliance Officer of Barrick Gold Corporation, describes practical, effective steps toward building and sustaining a culture of compliance.

Legal and Compliance Challenges in Russia May 01, 2019

Thad McBride, an international trade partner with Bass, Berry & Sims, describes corruption and sanctions challenges associated with doing business in Russia and how to enter and exit this challenging market prudently.

Compliance Challenges in Global Development Apr 24, 2019

Lauren Camilli, VP and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at Blumont, talks about some of the challenges that are specific to the global aid and development world, as well as some that are universal.

Surprising Bribery Schemes Apr 17, 2019

Rupert Younger of Oxford’s Center for Corporate Reputation and Alexandra discuss some novel bribery schemes at Berkeley’s 2019 “Fraudfest”. (The sound quality reflects the conference setting.)

Compliance Minute: The Biggest Mistakes After a Bribe has been Paid Apr 10, 2019

In this TRACE Compliance Minute, Nathaniel Edmonds of Paul Hastings discusses the biggest mistakes companies make after discovering a bribe has been paid.

Compliance Minute: Sub-Agents and Sub-Distributors Apr 10, 2019

In this Compliance Minute, Bill Steinman of Steinman & Rodgers discusses challenges associated with sub-agents and sub-distributors.

Compliance Minute: FCPA Books and Records Apr 10, 2019

In this Compliance Minute, Richard Grime of Gibson Dunn discusses risks associated with the FCPA books and records provision.

Compliance Minute: Due Diligence Non-Negotiables Apr 10, 2019

In this Compliance Minute, Pia Vining of TRACE describes non-negotiable components of any due diligence exercise.

Compliance Minute: GDPR Apr 10, 2019

In this Compliance Minute, Illya Antonenko of TRACE hits the highlights of the GDPR.

Enhancing Internal Controls Apr 03, 2019

Richard Grime of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and formerly with the SEC, provides an overview of the internal controls provision, recent enforcement actions and tips on tailoring controls to your risk environment.

Compliance and Enforcement Predictions Mar 27, 2019

A panel of former prosecutors discusses trends and makes predictions about FCPA compliance and prosecutions over the next few years.

Addressing Doping in Sport Mar 20, 2019

Paul Massaro of the Helsinki Commission discusses the scope of doping in international sport, the foreign policy implications and the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act (RADA) offered in response.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Mar 13, 2019

On today’s podcast, we have what might be Rod Rosenstein’s last speech while in office—given at the TRACE Forum last week—ranging broadly across his career, the work of the Department of Justice and the FCPA.

The First 48 Hours Mar 06, 2019

Nathaniel Edmonds of Paul Hastings describes the key steps to take in the first 48 hours after you learn a bribe may have been paid.

Weddings, Funerals and Little Red Envelopes Feb 27, 2019

Barbara Tsai, APAC Head--and Deputy Global Head--of Anti-bribery for UBS, talks us through three compliance challenges associated with her region: weddings, funerals and hong bao envelopes for the Lunar New Year.

Conflicts of Interest Feb 20, 2019

Stephanie Davis, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer for Volkswagen Group of America, discusses how to uncover and address conflicts of interest in the workplace.

Board Support for the Compliance Function Feb 13, 2019

Jeff Cottle of Norton Rose Fulbright discusses how to secure and maintain board support, what ideal communications patterns look like and when and how to leave if the board refuses to hear bad news.

Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund: Prioritizing Corporate Ethics Feb 06, 2019

Johan H. Andresen chairs the Council on Ethics for the largest sovereign wealth fund on earth. With over US$1 trillion in assets, Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global holds 1.3% of the world’s stocks, including investments in over 9000 companies across 70 countries. Andresen explains how the Council works to ensure that this vast array of investments reflects the values of the people of Norway.

The Oil-for-Food Scheme Jan 30, 2019

David Montero discusses his new book "Kickback" and tells the story of how Saddam Hussein found collaborators willing to help him thwart the purpose of the Oil-for-food program and prop up his thuggish regime.

Brexit! Jan 23, 2019

Michelle de Kluyver of Addleshaw Goddard provides an overview of Brexit and then drills down on its potential impact on specific compliance issues, including anti-bribery, AML and sanctions.

TRACE on Common Due Diligence Challenges Jan 16, 2019

Pia Vining of TRACE discusses the five most common due diligence challenges her team sees and the growing sophistication of the international community of third party intermediaries.

2018 FCPA Year in Review Jan 09, 2019

Kara Brockmeyer, former Chief of the SEC’s FCPA Unit and now with Debevoise & Plimpton, discusses key enforcement actions, the shifting legal landscape and compliance trends from 2018, together with a few predictions for 2019.

The World Bank: Working with SMEs after Misconduct Jan 02, 2019

Lisa Miller, Integrity Compliance Officer with the World Bank Group, describes the work her team does to help bring small-to-medium sized enterprises back into the fold after sanctions.

Wine Forger Extraordinaire Dec 26, 2018

For today’s holiday podcast, we’re re-posting the amazing story of wine fraudster, Rudy Kurniawan, who duped so many experts with his counterfeits. Peter Hellman of the Wine Spectator tells the story in his excellent book: In Vino Duplicitas

Lottery Fraud Dec 19, 2018

Tax evasion, money-laundering and fraud: Jeff Kelly Lowenstein describes his research--and that of colleagues--into the surprising forms of financial crime associated with lotteries. (Their research was supported by the Fund for Investigative Journalism)

Spotlight on Ecuador Dec 17, 2018

Bruce Horowitz of TRACE Partner Firm Paz Horowitz Abogados in Quito talks about current anti-bribery challenges and enforcement trends in Ecuador.

Measuring Corruption Dec 12, 2018

Robert Clark, Manager of Legal Research at TRACE, discusses the challenges associated with measuring something as widespread and varied as corruption and refinements to the 2018 TRACE Bribery Risk Matrix after another year of research.

Update: the UK Bribery Act and Enforcement Trends Dec 05, 2018

Speaking at the TRACE European Forum, Michelle de Kluyver of Addleshaw Goddard provides a comprehensive and insightful update on the UKBA and recent enforcement trends in the UK.

Belt and Road Challenges Across Central Asia Nov 28, 2018

Alexander Cooley, political science professor at Columbia University and author of Dictators Without Borders, describes the corruption climate across Central Asia.

Russian Troll Farms Nov 21, 2018

Finnish journalist Jessikka Aro has investigated pro-Russia Internet trolls, their disinformation efforts and related financial crimes since 2014. She has continued in spite of the barrage of death and rape threats designed to silence her. Now, a recent verdict has brought some relief and vindication with sentences for three of the worst offenders for aggravated defamation and stalking.

Lisa Osofsky: New Director of the SFO Nov 14, 2018

In her first podcast, Lisa Osofsky discusses her goals for the Serious Fraud Office and how her professional background will make her a “different kind of Director”.

Do We Need an International Anti-Corruption Court? Nov 07, 2018

Judge Mark Wolf of Integrity Initiatives International and Matthew Stephenson of Harvard Law School debate the pros and cons of an International Anti-Corruption Court.

Spotlight on New Zealand Nov 05, 2018

Gary Hughes of Ākarana Chambers in Auckland discusses corruption and other financial crimes in New Zealand and whether the country deserves its rankings on the various bribery indices.

Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Oct 31, 2018

Carrie Cohen of Morrison Foerster explains the regulatory and compliance implications of blockchain-enabled technology, including cryptocurrency.

The Abramoff Lobbying Scandal and Beyond Oct 24, 2018

Nat Edmonds of Paul Hastings describes his work as a prosecutor on the Jack Abramoff corruption cases and then provides broader insight into the compliance risks and schemes he sees worldwide.

Spotlight on Brazil Oct 22, 2018

Rafael Gomes with Petrobras discusses all that has been going on in Brazil recently on the anticorruption front, the current outlook there and the upcoming run-off election.

Prosperity Theology: “Spiritual Pickpockets” Oct 17, 2018

Jonathan Walton, Harvard professor and ethicist, discusses prosperity theology and the role it plays in both power and poverty.

Spotlight on Denmark Oct 15, 2018

Anders Worsøe of the Magnusson firm in Copenhagen discusses Danish attitudes toward corruption and then looks at compliance and enforcement in Denmark.

Fifteen Years of the UNCAC Oct 10, 2018

Candice Welsch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime describes the work, progress and goals of the UN Convention Against Corruption.

Spotlight on the UAE Oct 08, 2018

Charles Laubach of Afridi & Angell’s Dubai office discusses the compliance and enforcement landscape there, as well as some common misperceptions and his advice for companies operating in the UAE.

Chinese Criminal Gangs Oct 03, 2018

John Langdale, a professor at Macquarie University in Sydney, discusses his research into Chinese criminal gangs, their method of attaching to legitimate business and trade routes, and some implications for Belt and Road projects.

A Year in Prison for Insider Trading Sep 26, 2018

Roomy Khan, “Tipper A” in the Galleon Group insider trading case, discusses the many small decisions that lead to catastrophic consequences in the world of financial crime.

Spotlight on Panama Sep 24, 2018

David Mizrachi of Panamanian law firm MDU Legal discusses recent AML enforcement in Panama and living under the cloud of the “Panama Papers”.

The Alarming World of Insurance Fraud Sep 19, 2018

Jim Quiggle, of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, joins us to discuss the many grisly shapes that insurance fraud takes including, astonishingly, parachute sabotage.

Massive Binary Options Con Sep 12, 2018

Simona Weinglass, a reporter with the Times of Israel, describes the US$10 billion global binary options scam that she and her colleagues exposed. Far from being a sophisticated scheme, it was simply unchecked fraud on a massive scale.

Antitrust: Price-Fixing and Collusion Sep 05, 2018

Lisa Phelan, who until very recently was responsible for criminal enforcement of US antitrust laws and is now a partner with Morrison & Foerster, explains the world of anti-trust violations.

Benched: Impeaching West Virginia’s Entire Supreme Court Aug 29, 2018

Lacie Pierson of the Charleston Gazette-Mail discusses the startling and controversial removal of all sitting justices in West Virginia.

“Secrets in the Sky” Aug 22, 2018

Kelly Carr discusses her investigation, with Jaimi Dowdell, into gaps in US oversight of private planes that make the country more vulnerable to terrorists and drug lords.

Tackling Financial Crime Aug 15, 2018

David Eby, Attorney General of British Columbia, discusses comprehensive measures being taken to address financial crime in that province.

Peter German Report: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Gaming_Final_Report.pdf

Money-laundering in Casinos: the Vancouver Model Aug 08, 2018

Peter German, author of the comprehensive German Report, discusses the unique and unsettling “Vancouver Model” of financial crime, which includes both money-laundering and drug trafficking using casinos as the way station.

Read Peter German’s full report: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Gaming_Final_Report.pdf

Video footage: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/AML_video.mp4 https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/2018-06-27-Anti-Money-Laundering.mp4

Harmonizing Global Settlements Aug 01, 2018

Tina Søreide discusses her work, through the IBA, to bring consistency and predictability to bribery settlements worldwide.

Spotlight on France Jul 30, 2018

Dominique Mondoloni with TRACE’s partner firm in France, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, discusses the new Sapin II law and its implications for both compliance and enforcement there.

Duke Cunningham and the Bribe Menu Jul 25, 2018

Marcus Stern, the Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter who broke the story, describes the bribery scheme that landed then Congressman “Duke” Cunningham in jail for seven years.

UN Office on Drugs and Crime Jul 18, 2018

Neil Walsh, Chief of Cybercrime, AML and Counter-Financing of Terrorism at the UNODC in Vienna, discusses the work that his department does to coordinate and advance international initiatives.

“Bad Blood” – the Theranos Scandal Jul 11, 2018

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner John Carreyrou discusses his excellent book about the Theranos scandal, “Bad Blood”, and how Elizabeth Holmes conned everyone.

Spotlight on Canada Jul 09, 2018

James Klotz with TRACE’s partner firm, Miller Thomson, discusses anti-bribery efforts in Canada, the patchy enforcement of the CFPOA and last year’s repeal of the facilitation payment exception.

Buying Fakes Jul 03, 2018

Valerie Salembier, former publisher of Harper’s Bazaar and founder of The Authentics Foundation, discusses the true cost of counterfeit luxury items: child labor, trafficked labor and organized crime.

FIFA’s Red Card Jun 27, 2018

Ken Bensinger discusses his fascinating book, Red Card, and the decades of misconduct by FIFA eventually uncovered by the FBI. We play “violation bingo” as Ken describes the bribery, self-dealing, conflicts of interest and money-laundering that were business as usual at FIFA.

Spotlight on the Netherlands Jun 25, 2018

Marike Bakker, with TRACE partner firm NautaDutilh in Amsterdam, discusses recent Dutch anti-bribery enforcement efforts.

Debating ISO 37001 Jun 20, 2018

Judd Hesselroth and Alexandra debate the merits of the ISO anti-bribery standard and the associated accreditation process.

Where GDPR and Due Diligence Collide Jun 13, 2018

Illya Antonenko, privacy counsel with TRACE, discusses the direct conflict between the GDPR and robust anti-bribery due diligence and TRACE’s efforts to press for revisions to laws for a carve-out for due diligence.

Spotlight on Germany Jun 11, 2018

Christian Schefold, with TRACE partner firm Dentons in Berlin, discusses anti-bribery enforcement and compliance developments in Germany.

Problems with Campaign Finance Jun 06, 2018

Senator Russ Feingold discusses McCain-Feingold, Citizens United and the vast, opaque sums involved in US politics today.

Football Dreams Jun 04, 2018

Sebastian Abbot, author of “The Away Game; The Epic Search for Soccer’s Next Superstars,” talks about Qatar and the biggest soccer talent search in history, as well as the darker side of recruiting for the sport.

Sanctions Update: Turbulent Times May 30, 2018

Amanda DeBusk, sanctions expert with Dechert LLP, provides an update on Iran, China’s ZTE and North Korea.

All About RICO May 23, 2018

Jim Trusty, previously responsible for the RICO review unit at the US Department of Justice, talks about the US racketeering law and how it has been used against the Mafia, MS13 and, more recently, FIFA.

Weighing Red Flags May 16, 2018

Carolyn Lindsey and Alexandra discuss a series of “red flags” relating to a problematic fictional agent, Tan, and the relevance of each.

Spotlight on Switzerland May 14, 2018

Daniel Bühr, with TRACE’s Swiss partner firm LALIVE, discusses recent cases in Switzerland and the country’s uneasy relationship to transparency and financial crime.

Corruption, Rule of Law and Legitimacy in War Zones May 09, 2018

Aaron O’Connell, a Marine colonel, author and history professor discusses his research on, and personal experience in, Afghanistan and his excellent book: Our Latest Longest War: Losing Hearts and Minds In Afghanistan.

FCPA Enforcement at the SEC May 07, 2018

Kara Brockmeyer, former Chief of the SEC Enforcement Division’s FCPA Unit, describes the Unit’s role in the joint enforcement of the US anti-bribery law

Anonymous Shell Companies May 02, 2018

Gary Kalman of the FACT Coalition argues for transparency in corporate ownership and an end to the use of anonymous shell companies in this timely discussion about offshore accounts.

The Plight of Pangolins Apr 25, 2018

Prof. Katharine Abernethy discusses the dramatic and illegal overhunting and subsequent smuggling of pangolins, the most trafficked animal in the world, to supply the Asian market with their scales believed—without evidence—to cure cancer.

Spotlight on the UK Apr 23, 2018

Michelle de Kluyver of Addleshaw Goddard discusses the UK Bribery Act in a lively, informative interview.

Cost Effective Internal Investigations Apr 18, 2018

Jeff Clark of Willkie Farr & Gallagher provides comprehensive guidance for planning and executing internal investigations and leveraging resources.

Kenya and It’s Our Turn to Eat Apr 11, 2018

Michela Wrong discusses her excellent book about Kenyan whistleblower John Githongo, the corruption he uncovered and what has--and hasn’t--changed.

Corruption in the Caucasus Apr 09, 2018

Alexander Kupatadze discusses corruption and smuggling in his native Georgia and neighboring post-Soviet states.

Insider Trading: The Galleon Hedge Fund Apr 04, 2018

Anita Raghavan discusses Raj Rajaratnam and her book, “The Billionaire’s Apprentice, The Rise of the Indian-American Elite and Fall of the Galleon Hedge Fund”

Spotlight on Argentina Apr 02, 2018

Guillermo Jorge, a partner at Governance Latam in Buenos Aires, discusses the new Argentinian law that creates corporate liability for bribery that came into effect on March 1.

When Reporting is a Crime Mar 28, 2018

Acclaimed investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova describes her efforts to uncover corruption in Azerbaijan and the state-sponsored blackmail, and then imprisonment, she suffered.

Offsets: What on Earth? Mar 21, 2018

Bill Steinman of Steinman & Rodgers provides a primer on offsets and the compliance challenges they present.

"The Despot's Guide to Wealth Management" Mar 19, 2018

Prof. Jason Sharman at King's College, Cambridge, discusses his book about how kleptocrats operate and advocates for a controversial "bounty hunter" model for asset recovery.

When Companies Negotiate with Terrorists Mar 14, 2018

Investigative journalist Dorothee Myriam Kellou tells the story of the Lafarge plant in Syria that was ultimately taken over by ISIS

Virtuous Circles of Anticorruption Mar 12, 2018

Michael Johnston talks about the research for his book “Transitions to Good Governance: Creating Virtuous Circles of Anticorruption”. He provides some cause for optimism as he describes lessons we can learn from modest success stories like Botswana and Georgia.

How Companies Get Caught Mar 07, 2018

Chuck Duross, partner with Morrison Foerster and former head of the DOJ’s FCPA unit, discusses lures, stings, wiretaps and INTERPOL Red Notices.

White House Ethics Czar Feb 28, 2018

Norm Eisen, former White House Ethics Czar and then Ambassador to Prague and current Chairman of CREW, talks about his work at the White House and the importance of setting the right tone. Norm also previews his new book: “The Last Palace.”

Spotlight on Lebanon Feb 26, 2018

Colonel Bashar Khatib, head of Lebanon’s financial crimes and money-laundering division, discusses his organization and mandate and some successes and ongoing challenges.

“Illicit” and the Underside of Globalization Feb 21, 2018

Moisés Naím, author, public intellectual at Carnegie Endowment and former Minister of Trade and Industry for Venezuela discusses his book, Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats are Hijacking the Global Economy

Spotlight on India Feb 19, 2018

Vasu Muthyala of Kobre & Kim discusses some of the challenges facing companies doing business in India, and some recent improvements there.

From Russia with Cash Feb 14, 2018

Roman Borisovich of ClampK discusses going undercover to film his documentary, “From Russia with Cash”, which exposes exploitation of the London real estate market by kleptocrats and money-launderers. He is also the architect of London’s “Kleptocracy Tours”.

Doping at the Olympics Feb 07, 2018

Richard Conway of BBC Sports describes the vast state-sponsored Russian doping scandal and how the credibility of global sports is being undermined.

Hong Kong’s ICAC Jan 31, 2018

Commissioner Simon Peh of Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption discusses its mandate, tools, successes and future challenges.

Spotlight on Hong Kong Jan 29, 2018

Wendy Wysong of Clifford Chance describes the aspects of Hong Kong's anti-bribery law and enforcement regime that set it apart from most others.

Understanding Suspension, Debarment and Blacklisting Jan 24, 2018

Jessica Tillipman provides a comprehensive and fast-paced explanation of how the government and others use suspension, debarment and blacklisting for punishment or deterrence.

Spotlight on Mexico Jan 22, 2018

Daniel Maldonado discusses Mexico’s ramped-up anti-bribery enforcement efforts, where problems still linger and how the WalMart case is perceived there.

Dirty Entanglements: Corruption, Crime and Terrorism Jan 17, 2018

Louise Shelley, founder of the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center, discusses her book about the links between the three international scourges.

Bonus podcast: US Soccer Federation Election Jan 15, 2018

Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated discusses power, governance and the upcoming election at US Soccer as Sunil Gulati steps down.

2017 FCPA Year in Review Jan 10, 2018

Billy Jacobson describes the key FCPA enforcement actions of 2017, what surprised him last year and his assessment of enforcement under Trump.

Spotlight on Nigeria Jan 08, 2018

Olukayode Dada of Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie in Lagos discusses the compliance climate and corruption in Nigeria.

The Brooklyn FIFA Trial Jan 03, 2018

International sports expert, Declan Hill, returns to the podcast to discuss the FIFA trial that concluded in late December and the outlook for meaningful reform.

Primer on Money-laundering Dec 27, 2017

A 22-year veteran of Treasury and consultant to the Dept of Justice, John Madinger sheds light on some of the money-laundering schemes he has uncovered and why the Breaking Bad car wash scheme probably wouldn’t have worked.

Wine Forger Extraordinaire Dec 20, 2017

Peter Hellman, Wine Spectator regular and author of In Vino Duplicitas, tells the almost unbelievable story of wine fraudster, Rudy Kurniawan.

Magnitsky Update: Canada Dec 18, 2017

Bill Browder discusses Canada’s new Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act and which country he hopes will be the 6th to adopt a similar law.

Slave auctions in Libya in 2017 Dec 13, 2017

Nima Elbagir and Raja Razek of CNN go undercover in Libya to expose a hellish, thriving slave trade.

Their CNN story: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/14/africa/libya-migrant-auctions/index.html

Spotlight on Israel Dec 11, 2017

Chaim Gelfand of Israeli law firm Shibolet & Co talks us through the corruption scandals involving two Israeli Prime Ministers and discusses the current compliance environment in Israel.

Menendez, McDonnell and Anti-Bribery Efforts in the US Dec 06, 2017

Randall Eliason discusses the recent Menendez trial, the impact of the Supreme Court’s McDonnell decision and the current state of domestic anti-bribery enforcement in the US.

Spotlight on Italy Dec 04, 2017

Andrea Lo Gaglio, a Partner at Studio Legale Biamonti in Rome, describes corruption, compliance and the role of the mafia in Italy.

Twenty Years of the OECD’s Anti-Corruption Campaign Nov 29, 2017

Nicola Bonucci, Director for Legal Affairs at the OECD, reflects on 20 years of the OECD’s Anti-Bribery Convention.

David Green and the UK Serious Fraud Office Nov 22, 2017

David Green, the Director of the SFO, talks about the SFO’s priorities, changes he has made as Director and what’s next for him.

Spotlight on South Africa Nov 20, 2017

Our “spotlight” series takes a closer look at one country. Today, Paul Holden of Corruption Watch talks about Zuma’s presidency, the Gupta family and the bribery scandal in South Africa.

The Paradise Papers Nov 15, 2017

Will Fitzgibbon, an ICIJ reporter on the Paradise Papers team, describes this latest tranche of documents. He discusses the corrosive nature of offshore accounts, even in those cases where they are technically legal.

Murder in Malta Nov 13, 2017

Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb while reporting on corruption in Malta. Roberto Montalto, her lawyer, describes her courage, her work and the loss of a Maltese institution.

The Volkswagen Emissions Scandal Nov 08, 2017

Jack Ewing of the New York Times in Frankfurt discusses his excellent book, “Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal,” and the outrageous fraud and cover-up uncovered by a handful of WVU students.

Preparing for Prison Nov 02, 2017

Walt Pavlo describes how his organization helps offenders prepare for their incarceration and discusses challenges—and a few surprises--within the prison system.

MCI’s Accounting Fraud Nov 01, 2017

Walt Pavlo discusses the accounting fraud at MCI that led to his two-year prison sentence, his book “Stolen Without a Gun: Confessions from inside history’s biggest accounting fraud,”and his second career with Prisonology

The Outlaw Ocean Oct 25, 2017

New York Times reporter Ian Urbina discusses his excellent but grim series about crime and impunity on the high seas.

1MDB Oct 18, 2017

Bradley Hope of the Wall Street Journal describes his team’s in-depth and on-going research into Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal- and where Leonardo DiCaprio fits in.

Human Trafficking Oct 11, 2017

Martina Vandenberg discusses the misery caused by trafficking and slavery, including in our own neighborhoods, and describes the work her organization is doing to support those able to break free.

Imprisoned in China Oct 04, 2017

Peter Humphrey and his wife were well-respected compliance professionals active in China when they were arrested, tried and imprisoned for two years.

Bernie Madoff: “The Wizard of Lies” Sep 27, 2017

Diana Henriques drew on her years of financial journalism and extraordinary access to the title character to write the definitive book about Bernie Madoff. It was turned into an HBO movie earlier this year starring Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Diana, playing herself.

Fujimori, Montesinos and TI Sep 20, 2017

Before becoming chairman of Transparency International, Jose Ugaz was the “ad hoc state attorney” (special prosecutor) who brought down Peruvian President Fujimori and his head of intelligence, Vladimiro Montesinos.

The Compliance Whisperer Sep 13, 2017

Hui Chen describes her role as the DOJ’s Compliance Consultant, what companies should focus on and why she resigned.

@HuiChenEthics

Spoiling Their Shopping Trips Sep 06, 2017

Rob Leventhal of the US State Department discusses the tools available to the US Government to make the lives of kleptocrats more difficult.

“Why They Do It” Aug 30, 2017

Eugene Soltes describes his fascinating research into what motivates white collar criminals and how distance from their victims makes it easier.

The Smartest Guys in the Room Aug 23, 2017

Peter Elkind tells the story of the Enron financial scandal; it’s a timely refresher on that corporate disaster as the Trump Administration rolls back financial regulations.

After You Pay a Bribe… Aug 16, 2017

Listen to the riveting first-hand story of a Unaoil executive who found himself at the center of a bribery scheme.

Compliance Challenges in China Aug 09, 2017

Join two legal experts for a conversation about compliance challenges in China.

The Corrupt Underbelly of Sport Aug 02, 2017

Declan Hill discusses the pervasive and sinister nature of match-fixing and how we can prevent sport from being turned into theater.

Understanding Sanctions Jul 26, 2017

Amanda DeBusk walks us through the goal and nature of US sanctions, and the penalties for getting this important issue wrong.

The Congo: A Family-Owned Business Jul 19, 2017

Bloomberg’s Michael Kavanagh describes his research into the extensive holdings of the Kabila family in the DRC.

The Unaoil Story Jul 12, 2017

Nick McKenzie tells the exciting story of his role in the investigation into Unaoil.

Corruption’s Toll on Africa Jul 05, 2017

Michelle Gavin, formerly on the NSC and ambassador to Botswana, discusses corruption on the continent and how the west is perceived.

“Thieves of State” Jun 28, 2017

Sarah Chayes describes her time in Afghanistan and discusses the link between corruption and national security.

How Criminals Justify Their Conduct Jun 21, 2017

Shaul Shalvi, a professor of behavorial ethics, describes how people convince themselves that their misconduct is OK.

Trump Hotel - Baku Jun 14, 2017

Adam Davidson of the New Yorker joins the podcast to talk about his research into the baffling Trump Hotel deal in Baku.

Madoff and Belfort Jun 07, 2017

Ike Sorkin, lawyer to both Madoff and Belfort, talks us through their criminal financial schemes and how regulatory safeguards failed.

The Death of Sergei Magnitsky May 31, 2017

Bill Browder of Hermitage Capital describes the brazen fraud and violence of Putin’s Russia.

The FIFA Swamp May 24, 2017

Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated discusses how decades of FIFA corruption and self-dealing have undermined the world's favorite sport.

Siemens’ Bribery Scandal May 17, 2017

Peter Solmssen, former GC of Siemens tells the story. “They didn’t need to pay bribes. We were perplexed.”

"Fat Leonard" May 10, 2017

Craig Whitlock of the Washington Post describes the sleaze and corruption that compromised the top ranks of the Seventh Fleet.

Bribe, Swindle or Steal Promo Apr 28, 2017

Alexandra Wrage, president of TRACE, interviews luminaries in the field of financial crime, including bribery, fraud, money-laundering, insider trading and sanctions. Each week, Alexandra and her guests will discuss who commits “white collar crime”, how it works and what is being done to stop it.

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