Bribe, Swindle or Steal

Latest Episodes:

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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.

"Blood and Oil: Mohammed Bin Salman's Ruthless Quest for Global Power" Aug 03, 2022

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected