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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 Forum, Kirk Foster, Assistant General Counsel and Director of Compliance at HII Mission Technologies, explores how organizations can use Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) alongside compliance to proactively address emerging risks. By leveraging ERM, Kirk discusses how companies can make data-driven decisions, increase efficiency, reduce redundancy, and support business growth.
This episode was originally published on 22 October 2025.
Nicola Bonucci, former Legal Director at the OECD and now a partner at Paul Hastings in Paris, joins the podcast to discuss the 2021 OECD Anti-Bribery Recommendation announced in November. We also chat about the challenge of advancing an international consensus on anti-corruption enforcement amongst Working Group on Bribery (WGB) members hailing from different legal systems.
As part of the many events marking International Anti-Corruption Day this week, The Vancouver Anti-Corruption Institute (VACI) will launch 9 December in Vancouver. Peter German, president of VACI—and of its host organization, the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform & Criminal Justice Policy—joins the podcast to discuss the need for this initiative, its focus and some of its goals.
Prof. Mark Pieth joins the podcast to discuss his recent book: Gold Laundering: The dirty secrets of the gold trade - and how to clean up. He outlines the many problems associated with gold, including child and trafficked labor, environmental degradation, violence and corruption. He also addresses some modest steps forward and how, in spite of the considerable challenges, more progress can be made.
Duncan Smith of the European Investment Bank joins the podcast to discuss his book: Promoting Integrity in the Work of International Organisations: Minimising Fraud and Corruption in Projects. He discusses the unique role of multinational development banks, the progress that remains and the cost of getting it wrong.
This episode was originally published on 24 November 2021.
Acclaimed investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova describes her efforts to uncover corruption in Azerbaijan and the state-sponsored blackmail, and then imprisonment, she suffered. The Caviar Connection, a documentary featuring Khadija, is screening this week in person and online at the DOC NYC Film Festival.
Dan Kahn joins the podcast to discuss his time at the US Department of Justice, including as Chief of the FCPA Unit, and his recent transition back to private practice as a partner in the White Collar Defense and Investigations practice in Davis Polk's Washington office. Dan discusses recent trends, the new guidance announced by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and some approaches to pursuing demand-side bribery.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat joins the podcast to discuss her book Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, which examines 100 years of authoritarian rule. She describes the characteristics of a strongman and the strange virility cult surrounding these leaders before turning to the central role of corruption in the autocrat's playbook.
Etelle Higonnet with the National Wildlife Federation takes us through the complex and intersecting problems raised by the cocoa industry: environmental degradation, child labor and extreme financial disparities that prevent most cocoa farmers from ever tasting the chocolate they grow.
Drago Kos joins the podcast to talk about the work of the OECD Working Group on Bribery, its ambitious Revised Recommendation, what he hopes the group will accomplish in his final year with the WGB and the search to find his replacement.
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.
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