Bribe, Swindle or Steal

At the 2025 TRACE Annapolis Forum, Nicola Bonucci, Associate Professor at Paris Cité and former General Counsel of the OECD, reflects on 25 years of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and the evolving challenges of global enforcement. From uncertainties around FCPA guidance, political influence, and uneven implementation, to questions about the U.S.'s continued leadership in anti-bribery efforts, Nicola highlights the risks companies face in an increasingly unpredictable landscape—where cross-border investigations, bribe solicitation, and public scrutiny are on the rise.

This episode was originally published on 24 September 2025.

Bradley Hope, co-founder of Project Brazen, describes his team's in-depth research into Malaysia's 1MDB scandal- and where Leonardo DiCaprio fits in.

This episode was originally published on 18 October 2017.

Louise Shelley, founder of the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center, discusses her book about the links between the three international scourges.

Carrie Cohen of Morrison Foerster explains the regulatory and compliance implications of blockchain-enabled technology, including cryptocurrency.

Sarah Chayes discusses her book: On Corruption in America and What is at Stake. She takes us from the myth of King Midas through to the present in a lively history of corruption and then leaves listeners with a detailed call to action.

Duncan Smith of the European Investment Bank joins the podcast to discuss his book: Promoting Integrity in the Work of International Organisations: Minimising Fraud and Corruption in Projects. He discusses the unique role of multinational development banks, the progress that remains and the cost of getting it wrong.

Bestselling author, Rich Cohen, describes the "missing link" between American pirates and gangsters: underworld legend and notorious criminal, Albert Hicks. Rich also makes clear how far law enforcement has come since the days of Hicks' many gruesome crimes.

Retired Canadian Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell joins the podcast to describe the review he was commissioned to undertake of Hockey Canada's organizational structure in the aftermath of a sexual assault scandal that shook confidence in the sport in 2018.

Sebastian Abbot, author of "The Away Game; The Epic Search for Soccer's Next Superstars," talks about Qatar and the biggest soccer talent search in history, as well as the darker side of recruiting for the sport.

This episode was originally published on 4 June 2018.

Leah Ambler, Director, Corruption Prevention at the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity and former Legal Analyst at the OECD, joins the podcast—in her personal capacity—to discuss her excellent chapter on Whistleblower Protections. Leah discusses the importance of whistleblower protections to reducing corruption and the challenges inherent in these protections in the absence of comprehensive, harmonized legislation.

This episode was originally published on 12 January 2022.