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Bribery & Corruption

Over 40 years of articles and reference material

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

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EU Commission launches “TraceMap”, a new AI-powered platform to strengthen EU food-safety monitoring and detect fraud across agri-food supply chains

March 10, 2026

The platform integrates data from systems such as the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) and TRACES to identify links between operators and consignments, enabling authorities to better track products, detect contamination and uncover food-fraud risks across the EU. By improving data analysis and cross-border visibility, TraceMap supports faster recalls, enhanced control of imports and more effective enforcement action against fraud and safety breaches within the EU food system.

OECD’s 2026 Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum (23–27 March, Paris) will unite leaders to tackle corruption and drive transparent, sustainable growth through strong governance and integrity

March 6, 2026

Under the theme “The Integrity Advantage: Powering Competitiveness and Prosperity,” the Forum explores how strong enforcement, sound governance, data‑driven integrity systems and agile anti‑fraud measures can prevent corruption, improve decision‑making, foster ethical business environments and support sustainable investment and innovation. The programme features sessions on enforcement and market stability, compliance as a business advantage, illicit…

CoLP Domestic Corruption Unit arrests the Chief Executive of the Police Federation of England & Wales and 2 senior officials on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position in a financial misconduct probe

March 4, 2026

Krishna, aged 46, was the first civilian to lead the PFEW, which represents over 140,000 rank-and-file police officers. He was taken into custody alongside two other senior figures linked to the federation in coordinated raids across multiple sites, including the PFEW headquarters in Leatherhead, Surrey. The investigation, described by authorities as complex and active, is examining multiple lines of inquiry. While details remain limited due to the ongoing nature of the probe, media reports highlight Krishna’s controversial tenure…

Peer-reviewed study in Trends in Organized Crime argues that corruption evolves over time as enforcement, legal reforms and shifting actors reshape the structure and behaviour of corruption networks

February 28, 2026

Using qualitative network and document analysis of corruption cases in Italy at two different points in time, the research shows that changes in the effectiveness of the criminal-justice system, governance reforms and the roles of key actors can alter how corruption schemes are organised and sustained. The authors propose a conceptual framework viewing corruption as a dynamic network phenomenon, where relationships between public officials, intermediaries and private actors adapt to institutional pressures, meaning anti-corruption policies can unintentionally transform—rather than eliminate—the ways corrupt networks operate.

U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre warns that conflicts of interest, political financing from fossil-fuel industries and weak oversight create major corruption risks that could undermine Indonesia’s energy transition

February 28, 2026

The report finds that close links between political elites, state-owned energy companies and extractive-sector businesses create conditions for state capture, procurement manipulation and preferential treatment for fossil-fuel interests, slowing the shift to renewable energy despite national climate commitments. It also identifies governance weaknesses—such as fragmented conflict-of-interest rules, limited transparency in project selection under initiatives like the Just Energy Transition Partnership, and gaps in beneficial-ownership disclosure—that enable corruption, bribery and illicit financial flows in the energy sector…

European Court of Auditors in a report warns the €650B Recovery and Resilience Facility remains vulnerable to fraud, calling for stronger controls and clearer rules to safeguard EU funds

February 28, 2026

The audit finds that the RRF’s performance-based funding model, which releases payments when Member States meet milestones and targets rather than reimbursing actual project costs, limits the EU’s ability to detect and prevent fraud affecting the €650-billion post-pandemic recovery instrument. ECA recommends clearer guidance on fraud reporting, stronger national anti-fraud frameworks and improved coordination between Member States, the European Commission, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public…

Bureau of Investigative Journalism reveals independent police corruption investigations in UK have plummeted by 70% over 5 years, sparking serious concerns about weakened oversight & accountability

February 26, 2026

According to the data, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) opened 101 corruption investigations in 2020/21, but just 30 in 2024/25, despite ongoing concerns about misconduct within law enforcement. Even when including less‑independent probes conducted by police forces themselves, the total number of corruption investigations has still dropped by roughly one‑third, suggesting that fewer allegations of serious misconduct and corrupt behaviour are being formally examined…

UK SFO appoints Graham McNulty as Interim Director from 6 Apr 2026, bringing a veteran economic crime investigator and former SFO COO to lead the Agency following Nick Ephgrave’s retirement

February 26, 2026

Before becoming interim director of the SFO, Graham McNulty served as the SFO’s Chief Operating Officer, a role he took up in September 2024. In that position, he was responsible for the agency’s operations, strategy, and organisational reform, including improving case management systems and expanding the use of technology in complex fraud investigations. Prior to joining the SFO, McNulty had a 31-year career in policing, holding senior roles focused on serious and organised crime, economic crime, and national investigations…

OLAF reports that an EU-wide enforcement operation has seized over 3.1 million counterfeit or illicit pills and large quantities of illegal medical products

February 25, 2026

Under Operation SHIELD VI, OLAF coordinated customs authorities from 14 EU Member States to target the illegal trade in counterfeit medicines, anabolic steroids, doping substances and unregulated food supplements, leading to the seizure of more than 104,000 packages, 23,014 ampoules and flasks, and over 1,000 kg of illicit substances. The operation, conducted with partners including Europol and national enforcement agencies, aims to disrupt criminal networks supplying dangerous counterfeit medical products and protect consumers from substances that may contain unknown ingredients, incorrect dosages or no active pharmaceutical components.

UK SFO secures a £283,321 confiscation order against a fraudster behind the Harlequin Group £226M Caribbean timeshare scam – the first asset recovery from one of the UK’s largest investment frauds

February 25, 2026

The SFO uncovered a range of concealed assets during its financial investigation, including cash held in hidden bank accounts, suspected overseas property interests in Thailand and Dubai, and funds transferred to relatives as “tainted gifts”. Ames had persuaded thousands of investors—many pensioners and first-time buyers—to invest life savings into Caribbean resort developments that largely never materialised, and authorities say the confiscation order represents an initial step in ensuring he does not retain the financial benefit of the fraud…

U.S SEC updates its Enforcement Manual with standardised Wells procedures, joint settlement-waiver review, and enhanced cooperation and criminal referral rules to streamline investigations

February 24, 2026

The revisions streamline procedures, promote consistency, and enhance effectiveness in protecting investors and maintaining orderly markets. Key changes include standardizing the Wells process with clear timelines and senior-staff involvement, allowing simultaneous consideration of settlements and waiver requests to improve transparency and efficiency, and updating frameworks for cooperation, internal collaboration, criminal referrals, and best practices. Going forward, the manual will undergo annual reviews to ensure it stays current…

UK SFO sentences a fraudster to 4 years for a global scam selling 60,000+ aircraft parts with fake safety certificates, defrauding airlines and threatening aviation safety

February 23, 2026

The individual sold more than 60,000 engine components to airlines and maintenance companies, falsely claiming they met regulatory safety standards. This not only defrauded buyers of millions of pounds but also posed a serious risk to aviation safety, as the parts were unverified and potentially unsafe. For these offences, the court sentenced the defendant to four years in prison, underscoring the SFO’s commitment to tackling complex fraud that endangers both the financial and operational integrity of critical industries…

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