Interference and influence – whether in politics, national institutions or boardrooms – has long been an objective of adversaries of democracy, who frequently deploy money in pursuit of their goals. This episode spotlights Latvia, a country that is no stranger to corrupt external influences. CFCS’s Tom Keatinge is joined by journalists Sanita Jemberga and Edward Lucas to explore what went wrong in Latvia, why the rest of Europe is not immune to this threat, and what must be done to safeguard democracy.

Originally published 27 January 2023. Transparency will be key to managing Ukraine's reconstruction, both in ensuring the efficient use of resources and in maintaining the trust of the international community.  CFCS Director Tom Keatinge joins Oleksii Dorohan, CEO of the Better Regulation Delivery Office – a leading Ukrainian think tank – to discuss why Ukraine must establish a strong anti-money laundering architecture, and to outline the goals of our joint project, Supervising and Monitoring Ukraine’s Reconstruction Funds (SMURF), which empowers Ukrainian civil society and journalists in this effort.

Originally published on 2 December 2022. Counterterrorist financing (CTF) efforts are a key part of tackling the emerging challenges at the nexus of finance and security. CFCS’s Project CRAAFT team take you behind the scenes of their three-year journey to build stronger, more coordinated CTF capacity across the EU and its neighbourhood. Kinga Redlowska is joined by Tom Keatinge and Stephen Reimer to discuss what they’ve learnt about the past, present and future of CTF.

Originally published 21 October 2022. North Korea uses an array of techniques to evade sanctions. The international focus is often on the country’s exploitation of technology, yet its embassies and missions also provide a valuable support network for sanctions-busting attempts. RUSI Associate Fellow Daniel Salisbury joins host Aaron Arnold to discuss his forthcoming paper on North Korean diplomats, which explores the various ways in which they facilitate sanctions evasion and procurement efforts.

Originally published 7 October 2022. Putting a stop to illicit finance matters for global security. The US and UK are well-positioned to lead this fight, but time is of the essence as dirty money continues to unravel democracy worldwide. CFCS’s Tom Keatinge and Maria Nizzero join host Alanna Putze to discuss RUSI’s latest policy brief, which was inspired by the Taskforce on a Transatlantic Response to Illicit Finance. Together they explore realistic ways that the two countries can strengthen global defences against this rising threat.

Originally published 26 August 2022. How can the UK Financial Conduct Authority be more data-driven and innovative and apply risk-based supervision as it works with its regulated populations? Noémi També joins CFCS’s Kathryn Westmore to discuss her recent paper on Revolutionising Financial Supervision. Together, they identify the challenges that more technologically advanced institutions – such as FinTechs and challenger banks – face regarding supervision.

Originally published 29 July 2022. Independent journalism and civil society are vibrant in the Balkans. Yet kleptocracy and corruption stifle the region’s progress and the prospects for individual EU accession. Leila Bičakčić, executive director of the Centre for Investigative Reporting (CIN) in Sarajevo, joins RUSI Europe’s Kinga Redlowska to discuss the multifaceted challenges of illicit finance in the Balkans, including the region’s complex history, the influence of Russia and China, and the implications for Europe and beyond.

Originally published 1 July 2022. Kleptocracy is one of the foremost financial crimes of our time. The role of grassroots actors in holding governments and corrupt actors to account is vital, particularly when it comes to catching illicit funds before they disappear into the global financial system. Host Alanna Putze is joined by CFCS colleagues Tom Keatinge and Maria Sofia Reiser to discuss a project that aims to strengthen the capabilities of investigative journalists and civil society in ‘the first mile’ of financial crime.

Originally published 17 June 2022. Journalist and author Oliver Bullough delves into his latest book, Butler to the World, which reveals how Britain came to assume its role as the centre of the offshore economy. Oliver joins CFCS’s Tom Keatinge and Helena Wood to discuss how so many elements of modern Britain have been put at the service of the world's oligarchs and kleptocrats with disastrous global consequences, what this means within the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and whether change is realistic.

What stood out for the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies team in 2021? Tune in to the annual festive podcast episode with Isabella Chase, Aaron Arnold, Stephen Reimer and Helena Wood to find out about the financial crime scandals and surprises of 2021 and hear the team’s predictions for the year ahead.

Originally publised 22 October 2021. The US and UK have intensified their focus on tackling money laundering, kleptocracy and corruption. Now, words need to translate into action. RUSI set up a Taskforce on a Transatlantic Response to Illicit Finance (TARIF) to provide urgent input into the policy debate. CFCS’s Tom Keatinge is joined by Taskforce members Moyara Ruehsen of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and Lord Garnier QC to give the scoop on the first meeting and discuss why any solution must start at home.

Originally published 8 October 2021. Around the world, misapplied AML/CFT measures facilitate the politically driven restriction of civic and political freedoms, threatening fundamental human rights. In the final episode of our series, Stephen Reimer looks at the future trajectory of abuse of FATF’s standards, with guests Anietie Ewang of Human Rights Watch, leading law firm Peters & Peters’ Michael O’Kane, Alyssa Yamamoto of the Mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights while Countering Terrorism, and Chapter Four Uganda’s Nicholas Opiyo

Originally published 1 October 2021. How are FATF’s unintended consequences reverberating in the present day? In part two of our series, Isabella Chase speaks to Maha Bahou from Jordan Payments and Clearing Company, Revolut Poland’s Adam Anklewicz, and Cenfri’s Barry Cooper about FATF’s work on financial exclusion, and how the Task Force’s unintended consequences working group could help mitigate negative impacts of FATF’s framework on financial inclusion.

Originally published 24 September 2021. In this first episode of a three-part series, Tom Keatinge is joined by Lia van Broekhoven from Human Security Collective, IAMTN’s Veronica Studsgaard, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri of Spaces for Change, and Wendy Delmar from the Caribbean Association of Banks to assess FATF’s past, delving into the standard-setter’s efforts in relation to Non-Profit Organisations, Money Service Businesses, and correspondent banking.

Originally published 10 September 2021. In June 2020, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) urged countries to increase the use of financial investigations into illegal wildlife trade cases. A year on, in July 2021, it published a further analysis on mineral, waste and timber trafficking. In advance of the FATF’s upcoming October plenary, Tom Keatinge and Alexandria Reid take a deep dive into the thornier aspects of the FATF’s current approach to environmental crime.