Category: Asset Recovery

What are the EU misappropriation sanctions and what are we doing about them?

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

With the help of their corrupt networks, kleptocrats steal billions from their citizens every year. One of the tools the European Union has at its disposal to fight kleptocrats are sanctions that freeze their assets. On 6th of March, at a Brussels event co-organised by our partners at Transparency International EU, CiFAR launched EU Sanctions Watch – Read more about What are the EU misappropriation sanctions and what are we doing about them?[…]

Written by:
Lucia Cizmaziova on 19/03/2019.

Recovering the Moldovan billion

Posted on by Agatino Camarda

              Photo: Accent TV In our last post on Moldova, we talked about how in 2014 Moldovan kleptocrats allegedly stole over a billion dollars through a sophisticated bank fraud scheme. Things do not seem to be going in the right direction since then: the mastermind behind the fraud – Read more about Recovering the Moldovan billion[…]

Written by:
Agatino Camarda on 01/03/2019.

Investigating cross-border corruption 101

Posted on by Jackson Oldfield

One and a half years ago, CiFAR launched its first project with young, investigative journalists – Investigate the Mediterranean – supported by GIZ. This project was ambitious: to train young journalists who might have had no experience in investigations, let alone financial crime investigations, to bring them together with peers from North Africa and Europe, Read more about Investigating cross-border corruption 101[…]

Written by:
Jackson Oldfield on 15/02/2019.

Europe’s forgotten corruption heaven: Moldova

Posted on by Agatino Camarda

Moldova – Europe’s tiny, little known and poorest country – has arguably become a giant of corruption and money laundering in the past ten years. Research indicates that the country landed in the hands of powerful kleptocrats – above all, Vladimir Plahotniuc – who were able to take control of most public institutions, making the Read more about Europe’s forgotten corruption heaven: Moldova[…]

Written by:
Agatino Camarda on 25/01/2019.

The Nigeria “Cash Transfer Programme” and the $322 million return: More shadows than lights?

Posted on by CiFAR

This blog is part of a series monitoring the utilisation of Nigeria’s recovered assets and was prepared by Oluwatosin Fatoyinbo. Read Oluwatosin’s previous article on Nigeria here. As CiFAR reported, Nigerian civil society is fighting hard to make the re-use of returned assets transparent and accountable, especially since the recent return of $322 million from Read more about The Nigeria “Cash Transfer Programme” and the $322 million return: More shadows than lights?[…]

Written by:
CiFAR on 11/01/2019.

The role of civil society in asset recovery and fighting corruption in Ukraine

Posted on by CiFAR

This blog is a part of our Ukraine series – written and researched by Michael Howard. You can read the previous post here.  On 4 November, media reported the passing of 33-year-old anti-corruption activist Kateryna Handzyuk, who three months earlier had been horrifically injured in an acid attack in the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine. Read more about The role of civil society in asset recovery and fighting corruption in Ukraine[…]

Written by:
CiFAR on 01/12/2018.

1MDB is moving forward, but it’s far from the end of the story

Posted on by Jackson Oldfield

The 1MDB scandal is the principle asset recovery case in Malaysia at the moment and for good reason: it involves a lot of money: potentially up to US $4.5 billion, it alleges wrongdoing at the highest levels, with former Prime Minister Najib at the centre of the allegations, and it involves multiple jurisdictions. The scope Read more about 1MDB is moving forward, but it’s far from the end of the story[…]

Written by:
Jackson Oldfield on 23/11/2018.

Tracking Nigeria’s Recovered Assets

Posted on by CiFAR

This blog is part of a series monitoring the utilisation of Nigeria’s recovered assets. The series is a follow-up to our latest article on Nigeria. This blog was prepared by Oluwatosin Fatoyinbo.   The recent return of $322 million to Nigeria from Switzerland have led to new fears among citizens and reignited the debate on Read more about Tracking Nigeria’s Recovered Assets[…]

Written by:
CiFAR on 09/11/2018.

The NeverEnding Story: the Yanukovych asset recovery

Posted on by Lucia Cizmaziova

This blog is a part of our Ukraine series – written and researched by Michael Howard. The day Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia in 2014 the entire Ukrainian treasury had a few thousand dollars. During 4 years in power, he and his cronies allegedly looted billions from the country (some say as much as Read more about The NeverEnding Story: the Yanukovych asset recovery[…]

Written by:
Lucia Cizmaziova on 17/10/2018.

Returning to Germany: East German cash and Swiss Banks

Posted on by Jackson Oldfield

Asset recovery is often between rich Western states that harbour illicit wealth and poorer countries rebuilding after a change in regime or dealing with a large corruption scandal whose former leaders have stolen public funds. It is not always the case though, with recovery taking place regularly on the basis of organized crime between different Read more about Returning to Germany: East German cash and Swiss Banks[…]

Written by:
Jackson Oldfield on 20/09/2018.