White Collars, Dirty Hands: A podcast by OCCRP and La No Ficción - TopPodcast.com

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White Collars, Dirty Hands: A podcast by OCCRP and La No Ficción — True Crime
White Collars, Dirty Hands: A podcast by OCCRP and La No Ficción

It’s Madrid, March 2017. A former official in Venezuela’s oil ministry, a lawyer, and three financial advisors are meeting to discuss business. They want to move corruptly-obtained cash without anyone noticing. But little do they know, one of them is wearing a hidden microphone, and records the whole conversation, laying bare the mechanics of a plot to launder millions of dollars embezzled from Venezuela’s state oil company.

From OCCRP and the Colombian production company La No Ficción, this investigative series dissects this secret recording and the broader corruption scheme that siphoned off $1.2 billion from Venezuela’s state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA).

Across five episodes, it follows exiled Venezuelan journalist Laura Weffer as she tries to track down Carmelo Urdaneta, the former oil ministry official who plays a key role in the billion-dollar money laundering conspiracy.

The series also traces the human cost of this corruption, including Laura’s own journey into exile and the voices of other Venezuelans who were battling a severe economic crisis at the same time that their oil money was being “cleaned” by professionals abroad.

To learn more about organized crime and corruption, sign up for our newsletter at occrp.org/newsletter

—

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. But in light of recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this English version, a human-reviewed AI translation. This is our first time using this technology, so minor variations and AI-imperfections may occur. The podcast is available in the original Spanish, at the below links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We would love your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Copyright: © Little Gem

Latest Episodes:

Episode 5: Chao, Carmelo Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

Back in Miami, journalist Laura Weffer observes the ruins of a criminal empire and reflects on the intersection of global power and financial crime, as well as what the future holds for Venezuela.

To learn more about organized crime and corruption, sign up for weekly updates about Venezuela and the rest of the world at occrp.org/newsletter

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. Following recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this human-reviewed AI translation. This is an experiment, so minor imperfections may be present. Original Spanish podcast below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We welcome your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 4: Carmelo, Carmelo… Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

As the country’s oil money is being “cleaned by abroad,” back home, Venezuela is in flames. Tens of thousands of protesters opposing corruption, authoritarianism, and a widespread economic crisis in 2017 are met with bloodshed and repression.

To learn more about organized crime and corruption, sign up now at occrp.org/newsletter

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. Following recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this human-reviewed AI translation. This is an experiment, so minor imperfections may be present. Original Spanish podcast below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We welcome your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 3: There you are, Carmelo Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

A secret recording from a clandestine sting operation reveals the plans of financial experts enlisted to help Urdaneta bypass international banking controls to move the corrupt funds.

To learn more about organized crime and corruption, sign up for weekly updates about Venezuela and the rest of the world at occrp.org/newsletter

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. Following recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this human-reviewed AI translation. This is an experiment, so minor imperfections may be present. Original Spanish podcast below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We welcome your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 2: Carmelo, Where are you? Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

With reporting from Miami to Madrid, Venezuelan journalist Laura Weffer unpacks the mechanics of the corrupt loan schemes that allowed elites to siphon off more than a billion dollars from Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA.

To learn more about organized crime and corruption, sign up for weekly updates about Venezuela and the rest of the world at occrp.org/newsletter

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. Following recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this human-reviewed AI translation. This is an experiment, so minor imperfections may be present. Original Spanish podcast below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We welcome your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 1: Hola, Carmelo Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

Exiled Venezuelan journalist Laura Weffer travels to Florida to look for Carmelo Urdaneta, a former oil ministry official at the center of the $1.2 billion “Money Flight” scandal.

To learn more about organized crime and corruption, sign up for weekly updates about Venezuela and the rest of the world at occrp.org/newsletter

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. Following recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this human-reviewed AI translation. This is an experiment, so minor imperfections may be present. Original Spanish podcast below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We welcome your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trailer: White Collars, Dirty Hands Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

Madrid, March 2017. A Swiss banker, an oil executive from PDVSA—Venezuela's state oil company—and three financial advisors meet to discuss business. They seek to move millions in corrupt funds without anyone noticing. But one of them is wearing a hidden microphone and records this conversation, in which a money laundering operation is structured, part of a scheme that diverted at least $600 million in Venezuelan public funds.

From OCCRP and the Colombian production company La No Ficción, this investigative series follows exiled Venezuelan journalist Laura Weffer as she tracks down Carmelo Urdaneta, a former high-level official in Venezuela's oil ministry who sits at the heart of a billion-dollar money laundering conspiracy.

Over five episodes, the podcast unspools how millions of dollars were embezzled from the state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), between 2014 and 2018 by a circle of insiders who spent the cash on real estate, yachts, and other luxury assets.

Behind these financial tricks lies immense personal suffering; The series also traces the human cost of this corruption, including Laura’s own journey into exile and the voices of other Venezuelans who were battling a severe economic crisis at the same time that their oil money was being “cleaned” by professionals abroad.

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. Following recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this human-reviewed AI translation. This is an experiment, so minor imperfections may be present. Original Spanish podcast below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We welcome your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Did Venezuela’s Oil Riches End up in Swiss Banks? Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

Repressed by Venezuela's government on one side. Muzzled by Swiss banking secrecy laws on the other. Yet against these odds, a team of reporters exposed how corrupt Venezuelan elites stashed stolen oil profits in Credit Suisse accounts.

In this episode, Nick Wallis interviews OCCRP editor Nathan Jaccard and Armando.Info editor-in-chief Valentina Lares on how a leak of Credit Suisse customer data sparked a global investigation revealing how oil officials convicted of corruption stashed their millions in Switzerland’s notoriously secretive banking sector.

We also hear from Latin American financial fraud expert Steven Bodzin about the story’s implications for Venezuela and Swiss banks, how Venezuela’s ongoing crisis could end, and who is to blame for the country’s endemic corruption.

Dirty Deeds is a Little Gem production for OCCRP. The host is Nick Wallis. The producer is Lindsay Riley, with research from Phoebe Adler-Ryan and Riham Moussa, at Rethink Audio.

Read the investigation

Black Gold in Swiss Vaults: Venezuelan Elites Hid Stolen Oil Money in Credit Suisse

This week’s guests

Nathan Jaccard - @NJaccard
Valentina Lares - @valetinalares
Steven Bodzin - @guacamayan

Transcript

Read the transcript on the OCCRP website

More information on OCCRP

Keep up with the latest in global organized crime and corruption with our weekly newsletter
Donate

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. Following recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this human-reviewed AI translation. This is an experiment, so minor imperfections may be present. Original Spanish podcast below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We welcome your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sanctioning an Oligarch is Not an Easy Task: Searching for Usmanov’s Millions Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

As Russian forces escalated their war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022, Western governments scrambled to sanction oligarchs connected to Putin’s war machine. Yet the task is far from simple when Kremlin-connected tycoons hide their billions in offshore trusts and Swiss bank accounts — and even behind the names of their family members.

In this episode, Nick Wallis talks with OCCRP editing duo Miranda Patrucic and Ilya Lozovsky, discussing how billionaire Alisher Usmanov concealed his fortune via secretive companies, business associates and family members — including Swiss bank accounts in his sister’s name despite her seemingly modest trade as a gynecologist.

We also hear from British Member of Parliament Kevin Hollinrake on how Russia’s invasion sparked a campaign to clamp down on dirty money washed through the U.K., as well as how effective Western sanctions have been in choking off the lifelines to Putin’s military campaign.

Dirty Deeds is a Little Gem production for OCCRP. The host is Nick Wallis. The producer is Lindsay Riley at Rethink Audio, with research from Phoebe Adler-Ryan and Riham Moussa.

Read the investigations:

This week’s guests:

Miranda Patrucic
Ilya Lozovsky
Kevin Hollinrake

Transcript:

Read the transcript on the OCCRP website.

More information OCCRP:

Keep up with the latest in global organized crime and corruption with our weekly newsletter
Donate

[00:00] Introduction

[02:04] Miranda Patrucic explains why she is interested in investigating oligarchs — and Alisher Usmanov in particular

[03:50] How did the investigation into Usmanov come about?

[06:16] What are the FinCEN Files — and what did they reveal about Usmanov?

[07:55] An explainer of suspicious activity reports and how they’re supposed to stop financial crime

[10:36] How Usmanov’s family is connected to the story

[13:04] Ilya Lozovsky explains how OCCRP told the story via the Russian Asset Tracker

[15:36] Did Western sanctions against Usmanov work against him — and Vladimir Putin’s war effort in Ukraine?

[19:00] Why have there been so many large-scale data leaks in recent years?

[22:07] Kevin Hollinrake on whether tackling money laundering in the U.K. would harm the nation’s economy

[25:45] Updates on how the U.K. is tackling flows of dirty money

[27:33] What needs to be done to clamp down on dirty money in the U.K.?

[33:55] Kevin Hollinrake on whether Western sanctions have been effective against the Russian invasion of Ukraine

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. Following recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this human-reviewed AI translation. This is an experiment, so minor imperfections may be present. Original Spanish podcast below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We welcome your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russian Meddling in Catalonia: A Playbook In Destabilization Nov 10, 2023

Show notes

A mysterious Russian offers Catalonia’s president $500 billion and 10,000 armed soldiers to make the break from Spain and create a cryptocurrency haven. This in the days running up to an historic vote to declare independence from Spain.

In this episode, Nick Wallis talks with journalists Antonio Baquero, Marc Marginedas and Lorenzo Bagnoli on how they tracked down the man pro-independence leaders called “Putin’s envoy” across Spain, Italy, and Russia — unveiling his past as a Russian diplomat with a history of representing the Kremlin.

We also hear from Institute for Statecraft senior fellow Nico de Pedro on how Russia used Catalonia’s independence movement in an attempt to destabilize Spain, as well as how ordinary Catalans felt when interference from the Kremlin was revealed.

Dirty Deeds is a Little Gem production for OCCRP. The host is Nick Wallis. The producers were Lindsay Riley and Ollie Peart, with research from Phoebe Adler-Ryan and Riham Moussa, at Rethink Audio.

Read the investigation:

https://www.occrp.org/en/investigations/fueling-secession-promising-bitcoins-how-a-russian-operator-urged-catalonian-leaders-to-break-with-madrid

This week’s guests

Antonio Baquero - @antoniobaqueroi
Marc Marginedas - @marcmarginedas
Lorenzo Bagnoli - @Lorenzo_Bagnoli
Nico de Pedro - @nicolasdepedro

Transcript

Read the transcript on the OCCRP website.

More Information on OCCRP

Keep up with the latest in global organized crime and corruption with our weekly newsletter.
Donate.

[00:00] Introduction

[03:40] Antonio Baquera and Marc Marginedas explain how they began investigating Russian interest in Catalonia

[05:26] A profile of Victor Terredellas, key figure in the story

[08:38] How “Putin’s envoy” Nikolai Sadovnikov came to reporters’ attention

[11:52] Why are there ties between Catalonian independence leaders and the Russian government?

[15:36] Lorenzo Bagnoli explains Sadovnikov’s past as a diplomat in Italy

[20:41] A profile of Jordi Sardà Bonvehí, who accompanied Sadovnikov during his meeting with Catalonia’s separatist leader Carles Puigdemont

[23:42] How the reporters managed to interview Sadovnikov

[26:30] The effect of the story on the Catalonian independence movement, Italian mafia and Carlos Puigdemont

[31:23] Nico de Pedro explains why he and others are against Catalonian independence

[34:02] How the Catalonian independence movement is used by the Russian government to destabilize Spain

[36:56] How do ordinary Catalans feel about Russian interference in Catalonian independence?

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. Following recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this human-reviewed AI translation. This is an experiment, so minor imperfections may be present. Original Spanish podcast below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We welcome your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exposing a Former Czech PM’s Offshore Finances Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

Pavla Holcová was greeted with an avalanche of threats when she woke up one morning. Her country’s former prime minister had publicly accused her of being a paid agent to undermine his re-election campaign.

In this episode you’ll hear about the dangers OCCRP’s investigative journalists face when trying to get to the truth, the horrific abuse they face and how the OCCRP helps to protect them and their sources.

Host Nick Wallis talks with Pavla and fellow OCCRP editor Pete Jones about how an investigation exposing ex-Czech PM Andrej Babiš’ undeclared overseas property deals led to a very public attack by the politician and media mogul. Pavla recounts her encounters with Babiš — and what kept her going in the face of horrific abuse from his supporters.

We also hear from Prague-based journalist Will Nattrass on why Babiš is seen as a threat to press freedom, corruption in the Czech Republic, and where the country’s politics could head in the future.

Dirty Deeds is a Little Gem production for OCCRP. The host is Nick Wallis. The producer is Lindsay Riley at Rethink Audio, with research from Phoebe Adler-Ryan and Riham Moussa.

Read the investigation:

Anti-Graft Czech Prime Minister Used Offshores to Disguise Funds for French Chateau

This week’s guests:

Pavla Holcová - @pafak
Pete Jones - @PSJones01
Will Nattrass

Transcript:

Read the transcript on the OCCRP website here

More information on OCCRP:

Keep up with the latest in global organized crime and corruption with our weekly newsletter
Donate

[00:00] Introduction

[02:23] Pavla Holcová and Pete Jones explain how their investigation into Andrej Babiš began

[06:45] Pavla describes a public confrontation with Babiš

[08:03] Pavla describes how Babiš targeted her on social media and what consequences she suffered

[15:18] What kept Pavla going despite abuse from Babiš and his supporters

[18:03] Pete explains what makes OCCRP distinct as a news organization

[23:51] How OCCRP journalists prepare for and respond to threats

[26:08] The consequence of the article for Babiš

[27:11] Will Nattrass on Babiš, corruption and the direction of Czech politics

This podcast was originally produced in Spanish. Following recent events in Venezuela, we are sharing it with a wider audience through this human-reviewed AI translation. This is an experiment, so minor imperfections may be present. Original Spanish podcast below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inyH4WRo1H82KgvmnmUHh
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cuello-blanco-manos-sucias/id1872501127

We welcome your feedback on this experiment at occrp.org/podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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