Making a Killing

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the US transformed its capacity to wage financial warfare against terrorists, kleptocrats and other dangerous adversaries. Hudson senior fellow David Asher, who played a leading role in that effort, joins Nate and Casey to discuss lessons for contemporary efforts against transnational corruption.

Beijing has poured trillions of dollars into infrastructure development throughout the world since launching the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013. But as CSIS scholar Jonathan Hillman tells Nate Sibley, these investments too often involve opaque deals, corrupt practices, and exploitative political influence.

Jodi Vittori, a military veteran and leading expert on corruption and national security, joins Paul, Casey and Nate to discuss how failure to tackle pervasive graft fatally undermined the US mission over two decades, where stolen funds ended up, and what lessons can be drawn for future operations.

Amid the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, former US Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Marshall Billingslea joins Nate Sibley to discuss how the Taliban funded its 20-year campaign, what kind of economy it will oversee, and what the US and its allies should do to keep its malign activities in check.

Casey, Nate and Paul discuss corruption in international sports on the heel of the Olympics; how more than $2.3 billion was laundered through U.S. real estate in the past five years; Hungary’s descent into crony capitalism; and the legacy of anti-corruption champion Senator Carl Levin.

Tom Keatinge, director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at RUSI, joins Casey and Nate to discuss how the UK can elevate its fight against corruption—and whether Boris will join Biden in treating kleptocracy as a national security threat.

With host Nate Sibley out this week, Casey & Paul invite Ben Schmitt to join the show to discuss, in-depth, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and how its management and implications are benefitting corrupt government officials. The trio details how the project demonstrates the growing trend of corruption, or “Schröderization,” of democratic officials involved with Russian and Chinese interests. (“Schröderization” refers to Gerhard Schröder, former Chancellor of Germany, and his direct involvement with the push for the original Nord Stream pipeline and subsequent work as a Putin crony and involvement in the second iteration of the strategic corruption project)

Paul Massaro, Casey Michel and Nate Sibley discuss corruption in Cuba and Georgia and how Western governments can engage populations suffering under kleptocratic regimes, as well as promising developments in Moldova.

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Paul Massaro, Casey Michel and Nate Sibley discuss corruption in Cuba and Georgia and how Western governments can engage populations suffering under kleptocratic regimes, as well as promising developments in Moldova.

Co-host Casey Michel interviews John Heathershaw, associate professor of international relations at the University of Exeter, about the widespread use of “reputation laundering” by kleptocrats. Just as dirty money must be laundered and cleaned, kleptocrats are working to launder their dirty reputations, often by giving large sums of money to U.S. and U.K. universities.

Read John's report: https://www.ned.org/reputation-laundering-in-the-university-sector-of-open-societies-working-paper/