Take Action Donate

Corruption

Thanks, Paul Manafort — for showing that the U.S. needs to crack down on dirty money

Over the past two weeks, Americans have been treated to one of the most astonishing tales of grand corruption in our republic’s history. The trial of Paul Manafort – former Trump campaign chairman and lobbyist for some of the sleaziest regimes of the past quarter-century – has given us a remarkable look at the tools, the tactics and the trade craft of kleptocratic overseas regimes, and how their Western enablers have abetted America’s transformation into a thriving offshore haven.
The trial, of course, is about much more than Manafort. As the Atlantic’s Franklin Foer has written, the proceedings against the ex-lobbyist, who made tens of millions from his consulting work for then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, have offered “an occasion for the United States to awaken from its collective slumber about the creeping dangers of kleptocracy.”

Are we getting the message?

Read More

Bipartisan Bill Targets Foreign Government Corruption

The Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Rewards Act Would Establish a Rewards Program for Whistleblowers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation Tuesday afternoon to combat terror finance and foreign government corruption in a move that was welcomed by the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition.

Read More

Encouraging Signs for a Possible U.S. Legislative Crackdown on Anonymous Companies

A little over a year ago, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released the Panama Papers, a treasure trove of information and a window into the world of financial secrecy. In some ways, much of what the Panama Papers revealed was already well known. Previous estimates put the amount of money hidden in offshore secrecy havens somewhere between $8 trillion and $32 trillion. In 2015, The New York Times published an impressive five-part series on the use of anonymous shell companies to purchase prime real estate in New York City. Prior to that, the U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit (which they just won on June 29th) to force the forfeiture of New York property secretly owned by the government of Iran in direct violation of economic sanctions. And so on. Yet it is hard to deny the captivating intrigue of the specific stories in the Panama Papers involving Russian kleptocrats, world leaders, athletes, movie stars, and others.

Read More

Letter to Reps. Maloney, King, Royce, Waters, and Moore Supporting Corporate Transparency Act (H.R. 3089)

The Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency Coalition (FACT Coalition) sent a letter to Reps. Maloney, King, Royce, Waters, and Moore supporting the Corporate Transparency Act (H.R. 3089),  which would enable law enforcement to more effectively and efficiently conduct investigations, enhancing safety by saving time and resources in pursuing complex money laundering operations. The full letter can be read below or downloaded here.

Read More