Author: Lucia Cizmaziova

FINANCIAL INVESTIGATIONS AS A FIRST STEP TO RECOVER SANCTIONED ASSETS

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

Is it possible to confiscate sanctioned assets and use them for public good? How to do this quickly and without compromising the rule of law? These are some of the questions that CiFAR has been trying to understand since the freezing of Tunisian, Egyptian and Ukrainian assets under the EU’s misappropriation sanctions. These questions became Read more about <strong>FINANCIAL INVESTIGATIONS AS A FIRST STEP TO RECOVER SANCTIONED ASSETS</strong>[…]

Asset recovery data availability – small steps forward

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

The United Nations World Data Forum which builds a pathway to better data for sustainable development, and which took place in Hangzhou at the end of April, offered a moment to reflect on data availability across the Sustainable Development Goals framework, including SDG 16.4. As we have written before, there is currently no indicator that Read more about Asset recovery data availability – small steps forward[…]

Returning assets indirectly through third-party entities

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

Read our new report – Indirect Asset Return Through Third-Party Entities Indirect return mechanisms describe the practice of returning recovered money across borders indirectly via third-party entities that stand between cooperating governments. These entities might be called in to aid in the negotiations, as well as in the process of the distribution of the returned Read more about Returning assets indirectly through third-party entities[…]

Anti-corruption sanctions: 2022 in numbers

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

While sanctions lists have grown this year primarily due to new listings in connection to individuals linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, anti-corruption sanctions have not been forgotten. As CiFAR launches its updated Sanctions Watch platform today, which tracks individuals sanctioned for reasons related to corruption, this blog takes stock of this year’s changes in Read more about Anti-corruption sanctions: 2022 in numbers[…]

WEBINAR: Enforcing sanctions successfully and using fines for the public good.

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

Online event: 25 January 2023, 16:00 – 17:15 CET Event link Background The successful enforcement of sanctions relies on the action and compliance of a range of actors across cooperating jurisdictions, from financial institutions to the business sector. Several jurisdictions have, or are thinking of introducing, legislative or policy tools to ensure and respond to Read more about WEBINAR: Enforcing sanctions successfully and using fines for the public good.[…]

Unexplained Wealth Orders: A New Tool for Asset Recovery?

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

CiFAR has launched a new report Unexplained Wealth Orders: A New Tool for Asset Recovery? This report assesses the efficiency of Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs), primarily as existing in UK legislation, in advancing asset recovery and the fight against grand corruption. The report introduces the UWO legislation, explores how, when and where UWOs have been Read more about Unexplained Wealth Orders: A New Tool for Asset Recovery?[…]

WEBINAR: Opportunities for the confiscation of sanctioned assets.

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

Online event: 3 November 2022, 16:00 – 17:15 CET Event link Link to the webinar recording Background Sanctions imposed on Russian individuals in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 once again highlighted the issue of the vast amount of assets of illicit origin that are hidden across Western jurisdictions.       One Read more about WEBINAR: Opportunities for the confiscation of sanctioned assets.[…]

Are we making a progress on strengthening the recovery and return of stolen assets (SDG 16.4)?

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

During this year’s 77th Session of the UN General Assembly, the 19th of September was dedicated to the SDG Moment – an opportunity to look back at the incredible progress achieved already on the path towards sustainable development, and to highlight the considerable challenges still lying ahead.  So how does the world fair in its commitment Read more about Are we making a progress on strengthening the recovery and return of stolen assets (SDG 16.4)?[…]

EVENT: From Russian Sanctions to Anti-Corruption Investigations and Asset Recovery

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

Lessons and challenges in sanctions as an anti-corruption tool Online event: 31 May 202218:00 – 19:30 CEST / 17:00 – 18:30 (BST), 12:00 – 13:30 (EDT)Event link The introduction of wide-ranging and extensive sanctions against Russian officials, parliamentarians and business people in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to persistent calls for Read more about EVENT: From Russian Sanctions to Anti-Corruption Investigations and Asset Recovery[…]

The lost potential of Nigeria’s asset recovery: How to counter Nigerian murky politics in asset recovery?

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

This is a guest blog by Vaclav Prusa, independent researcher and asset recovery expert, and Samuel Asimi, programme officer at the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre. For any inquiries, you may contact vaclavprusa@yahoo.com. To read CiFAR’s blog series about Nigerian asset recovery, see here.  In the first part of this blog we analyzed how Nigerian asset recovery effort is sabotaged by Read more about The lost potential of Nigeria’s asset recovery: How to counter Nigerian murky politics in asset recovery?[…]