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Join host Alexandra Addison, President & Founder of TRACE, on Bribe, Swindle or Steal as she explores the world of financial crime—corruption, fraud, money laundering and sanctions—and what motivates people to break the law, how wrongdoers cover their tracks and what can be done to put a stop to the looting through interviews with experts in the field.
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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.
Casey Michel with the Hudson Institute's Kleptocracy Initiative joins the podcast for a very lively discussion about his new book, American Kleptocracy: How the U.S. Created the World's Greatest Money Laundering Scheme in History. Casey discusses America's role in the problem of global kleptocracy and shares some optimism about the path ahead.
Michael Sallah, senior investigations editor with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, joins the podcast to talk about his "Dirty Dollars" investigation into how foreign corruption swamped the very center of America where huge sums were laundered at the expense of the local community.
Note: While the sound quality of this episode isn't ideal, we hope you'll stick with the interview for Michael's extremely important insight.
Episode resources:
Hans Greimel and William Sposato join the podcast to discuss their excellent new book: Collision Course: Carlos Ghosn and the Culture Wars That Upended an Auto Empire, published over the summer. The book provides a sweeping review of Ghosn's rise to executive star status in Japan, his ultimate detention in and escape from Japan, and the cultural and historical context we need to understand the story.
Federico Masera with the University of New South Wales and the Resilient Democracy Lab in Sydney joins the podcast to discuss his recent research, together with Giorgio Gulino, "Contagious Dishonesty: Corruption Scandals and Supermarket Theft." Their intriguing research uncovers a trend toward substantially increased customer theft at supermarkets in the immediate aftermath of local corruption scandals involving prominent public officials.
Tom Cardamone, President and CEO of Global Financial Integrity, joins the podcast to discuss the regulatory and enforcement challenges associated with flags of convenience. These range from trafficked labor to environmental violations and Tom highlights the inherent tension between substantial tax incentives on one hand and accountability on the other.
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