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Bribery & Corruption

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A page dedicated to global, regional, UK and US anti-money laundering developments and initiatives.

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The Africa Report: In August cleared Ghana’s presidential candidate John Mahama of any corruption involving Airbus

Samuel Adam Mahama, the younger brother of Ghana’s former president John Mahama, greeted The Africa Report at his London home on November 1, bearing a striking resemblance to his sibling. Dressed casually, the 61-year-old politician’s brother appeared welcoming but nervous, aware of the high stakes. With the general election just weeks away, it could pave the way for John Mahama’s return to power in Accra after eight years in opposition…

Volkov’s latest podcast examines Telefónica Venezolana’s $85.2m settlement with the DOJ for bribery violations under the FCPA

Michael Volkov explains how the Venezuelan subsidiary exploited a government-controlled currency auction system, paid nearly $29 million in bribes, and concealed the payments through inflated equipment purchases. The case reveals systemic flaws and offers essential lessons on preventing corporate misconduct…

GRECO’s follow-up Compliance Report on Andorra shows that 9 out of 13 anti-corruption recommendations have been fully implemented, 3 are partly implemented, and 1 remains unaddressed

Positive steps include a guide for parliamentarians on the Code of Conduct and the appointment of external ethical advisors. However, asset declarations from parliamentarians are still not public. For judges and prosecutors, ethics training is provided, but a confidential advice system is not yet operational, and the High Council of Justice’s composition remains problematic. The report concludes Andorra’s 4th round compliance procedure.

OECD reviews Azerbaijan Investment Holding and its SOEs in new anti-corruption report

OECD reviews the corporate governance of Azerbaijan Investment Holding and its State-Owned Enterprises

OECD publishes Integrity Review of Jordan

Recognising that corruption hampers public sector modernisation, economic progress and foreign investment, Jordan is undertaking ambitious reforms to tackle it.

GRECO calls on San Marino to strengthen its efforts to prevent corruption for top executive functions and the Police Corps

GRECO’s report on San Marino urges the country to enhance its anti-corruption efforts for top executive functions (PTEFs), including ministers and law enforcement. Recommendations include adopting a specific anti-corruption policy, conducting integrity checks, updating Codes of Conduct, providing regular training, and improving asset transparency. For law enforcement, GRECO calls for better internal oversight, gender balance, and whistleblower protection. San Marino must report on the implementation of these 23 recommendations by May 2026.

EC releases study on ‘High-risk areas of corruption in EU Member States: a mapping and in-depth analysis”, to advance the EU’s Anti-Corruption Strategy 

Six EU-wide sectors emerged as high-risk areas of corruption where the Commission will be prioritising actions: healthcare, finance, public procurement, defence and security, construction and infrastructure, and sports. Corruption in these areas has cross-border implications and necessitates transnational action…

Basel Institute article on ‘Money Dirtying’ explores how clean, legitimate money can be transformed into illicit payments, particularly for corruption

It distinguishes “money dirtying” from money laundering, as it involves a linear flow to bribe recipients. The article uses the Lava Jato (Car Wash) scandal to illustrate these complex schemes and highlights the role of social network analysis in identifying the key actors involved. Understanding these processes…

The 2024 Basel AML Index brings vital updates to its methodology, reflecting the growing complexity of global financial crime prevention

Fraud Indicators Integrated: Fraud is now recognised as a significant predicate offense to money laundering, with related indicators added. Methodology Refined: Outdated indicators, including those on corporate transparency and auditing standards, have been removed…

UNODC reports that opium production remains 93 per cent below pre-drug ban levels in Afghanistan

Finds that the majority of opium cultivation and production has shifted from the southwest provinces to the northeast, where two thirds of opium production was concentrated.  A second report included in the link reviews capacities and resources for the treatment of substance use disorders in Afghanistan.

OECD recent Assessments of Central Asia’s: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan urge stronger actions to combat high-level corruption

The reports show that most of these countries have anti-corruption strategies in place. Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have enhanced the transparency of public procurement; Kazakhstan has implemented measures to improve business integrity, and Mongolia has significantly reformed its judiciary in line with international standards. However, overall progress in fighting corruption in these countries is limited, anti-corruption reforms are stagnating, and some countries, such as Kyrgyzstan, have moved backwards on several aspects.

GRECO welcomes steps taken by Moldova to improve corruption risks associated with the judiciary, but notes frequent use of emergency procedure for adopting legislation

In latest follow-up report to the 2016 mutual evaluation report, GRECO finds that 13 of the 18 Recommendations have now been implemented satisfactorily.