While the podcast team is taking a Radical Sabbatical, Kim is interviewing authors of the books that have had a big impact on her in the past two years. 

In this episode, Kim speaks with Oliver Bullough, journalist and author of the highly acclaimed books: Butler to the World: How Britain Helps the World's Worst People Launder Money, Commit Crimes, and Get Away with Anything and Moneyland: Why Thieves and Crooks Now Rule the World and How To Take It Back.  Oliver’s new book is called Everybody Loves Our Dollars - How Money Laundering Won.

Oliver describes a moment in his life that shaped each of these books. He was touring the palace of Yanukovych, the corrupt pro-Russian ex-President of Ukraine, horrified at the extravagant opulence, all stolen from the Ukrainian people. “How did you let him get away with this?” Oliver asked his friend. “Well, actually you’re technically in London, not Ukraine, right now,” his friend responded. Who is corrupt, the people who stole the money, or the lawyers, bankers, and accountants in countries that tout their lack of corruption? Oliver describes the systems in place to help the wealthy dodge taxes and the deeply corrupt to hide their theft. Kim and Oliver talk about the corrosive effect on our political institutions and our economy; and how we got here in the post-WWII era.   

Guest Background: Oliver Bullough is a journalist and author from Wales who writes about financial crime, the former Soviet Union, and offshore skulduggery.

He lives near Hay-on-Wye, and has previously lived in London, Moscow, St Petersburg and Bishkek.  When not working, he likes watching rugby, cooking pizzas, swimming in the river and walking in the hills.  You can find him on Twitter at @oliverbullough.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Introduction to Oliver Bullough and His Works

(03:03) The Evolution of Offshore Finance

(06:06) Naughty Money vs. Evil Money

(09:01) Exploring Yanukovych's Palace and Corruption

(12:11) Understanding Modern Corruption and Kleptocracy

(15:03) The Role of Cryptocurrency in Financial Crime

(18:14) The Dark World of Scams and Trafficking

(21:03) The Banality of Evil in Financial Crimes

(24:03) Legal Challenges in Exposing Corruption

(27:04) Personal Fascination with Eastern Europe and Russia

(29:42) The Allure of Russia: A Personal Journey

(32:06) Putin's Rise: Observations from the Ground

(34:17) The Impact of Neoliberalism on Eastern Europe

(35:22) Bretton Woods: Lessons from History

(40:21) The Corruption of Wealth: Offshore Finance's Role

(44:22) AI and Corruption: A New Era

(48:19) Reputation Laundering: The Case of Dmitry Firtash

(55:19) The Future of Money Laundering: Insights from 'Everybody Loves Our Dollars'

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