Montesinos is gone, but has Peru recovered all the money he stole?

Posted on by Laila Martin

More than a decade has past since Vladimiro Montesinos, head of Peru’s intelligence service and advisor to President Fujimori, received his first sentence for what would expand to be more than 30 convictions related to corruption. Montesinos, known as President Fujimori’s “Rasputin,” was charged for embezzlement, influence peddling, bribery and involvement in a death squad, Read more about Montesinos is gone, but has Peru recovered all the money he stole?[…]

A model case of public asset theft?

Posted on by Agatino Camarda

One could argue that former Ukrainian president Yanukovych is a model case for major public asset theft, how to profit from the secrecy of the global financial system and on the failures and hurdles in recovering those assets. Money, money, money, money While credible estimates are as always difficult, if not impossible to make, it Read more about A model case of public asset theft?[…]

Karimova, corruption and communications

Posted on by Jackson Oldfield

The ongoing case of asset recovery and Uzbekistan Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of the former President of Uzbekistan and once the international face of her father’s regime, was put under house arrest in 2014 and is now the subject of court cases from the US to the Netherlands and Switzerland over the alleged US $1 Read more about Karimova, corruption and communications[…]

The spoiled kid who loots Equatorial Guinea

Posted on by Laila Martin

Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, better known as Teodorin, is the son of the dictator of Equatorial Guinea, a country with vast oil revenues and endemic poverty. 70% of Equatorial Guinea’s citizens live on just $1 a day Teodorin’s father, President Obiang, not only installed his eldest son as minister of forestry; he also granted him Read more about The spoiled kid who loots Equatorial Guinea[…]

What Civil Society Can Do To Recover Assets

Posted on by Laila Martin

Civil society’s work to recover stolen assets is dominated by technical topics—from mutual legal assistance and secrecy jurisdictions, to beneficial ownership. Due to the complex nature of these technicalities, organisations that lead asset recovery efforts have mostly failed to engage the public and effectively transform angry citizens into an engaged citizenry. Civil society has an Read more about What Civil Society Can Do To Recover Assets[…]

A new framework for asset recovery?

Posted on by Jackson Oldfield

“A robust international framework for quick restitution of stolen assets is long overdue” Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of Nigeria at the OECD, 30 March 2017.   Last week we were at the OECD for the 2017 Global Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum, an event billed as a follow-on to the 2016 London Anti-Corruption Conference and bringing Read more about A new framework for asset recovery?[…]

Beyond Egypt: other people worth sanctioning in MENA

Posted on by Laila Martin

Masses of people flooded the streets to protest the endemic corruption of their governments in Cairo, Tunis and many other Arab cities. Following these uprisings six years ago, sanctions were imposed on public officials for misappropriating public funds. Here’s a look at recent European Union (EU) actions, such as asset freezes and visa restrictions. Egypt Read more about Beyond Egypt: other people worth sanctioning in MENA[…]

Germany, a reluctant commitment to anti-corruption?

Posted on by Jackson Oldfield

As one of the last signatories in Europe to the UN Convention Against Corruption and sitting in 8th place on the 2015 Financial Secrecy Index, the German government has a chequered commitment to anti-corruption. In 2017 Germany has a chance to make a change and become a leader in the anti-corruption field as it passes Read more about Germany, a reluctant commitment to anti-corruption?[…]

Egypt’s (modest) efforts to bring back Mubarak’s billions

Posted on by Agatino Camarda

  It was the anger against the widespread corruption of Mubarak’s regime that brought millions of Egyptians on the streets in early 2011. In the aftermath of the revolution, Egyptians put a lot of hopes that they would get back the billions of Euros stolen by Mubarak and his family to invest them in building Read more about Egypt’s (modest) efforts to bring back Mubarak’s billions[…]