Bribe, Swindle or Steal

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.

Bradley Hope, co-founder of Project Brazen, describes his team's in-depth research into Malaysia's 1MDB scandal- and where Leonardo DiCaprio fits in. This episode was originally published on 18 October 2017.

Louise Shelley, founder of the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center, discusses her book about the links between the three international scourges. This episode was originally published on 17 January 2018.

Carrie Cohen of Morrison Foerster explains the regulatory and compliance implications of blockchain-enabled technology, including cryptocurrency. This episode was originally published on 31 October 2018.

Sarah Chayes discusses her book: On Corruption in America and What is at Stake . She takes us from the myth of King Midas through to the present in a lively history of corruption and then leaves listeners with a detailed call to action. This episode was originally published on 25 November 2020.

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.

Bestselling author, Rich Cohen, describes the "missing link" between American pirates and gangsters: underworld legend and notorious criminal, Albert Hicks. Rich also makes clear how far law enforcement has come since the days of Hicks' many gruesome crimes. This episode was originally published on 26 June 2019.

Retired Canadian Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell joins the podcast to describe the review he was commissioned to undertake of Hockey Canada's organizational structure in the aftermath of a sexual assault scandal that shook confidence in the sport in 2018. This episode was originally published on 13 November 2024.

Sebastian Abbot, author of "The Away Game; The Epic Search for Soccer's Next Superstars," talks about Qatar and the biggest soccer talent search in history, as well as the darker side of recruiting for the sport. This episode was originally published on 4 June 2018.

Leah Ambler, Director, Corruption Prevention at the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity and former Legal Analyst at the OECD, joins the podcast—in her personal capacity—to discuss her excellent chapter on Whistleblower Protections. Leah discusses the importance of whistleblower protections to reducing corruption and the challenges inherent in these protections in the absence of comprehensive, harmonized legislation. This episode was originally published on 12 January 2022.

Patrick Alley, co-founder of Global Witness and author of Very Bad People: The Inside Story of the Fight Against the World's Network of Corruption , joins the podcast to discuss the early days of his Global Witness investigations, how their efforts gained momentum and where we should be focusing our attention next. This episode was originally published in 10 August 2022.

Melissa Goldin, a NY-based News Verification Reporter and Editor with The Associated Press analyzes and debunks fake news. This episode was originally published on 24 July 2024.

Listen to the riveting first-hand story of a Unaoil executive who found himself at the center of a bribery scheme. This episode was originally published in 16 August 2017.

Diana Henriques, award-winning journalist and author, discusses the traits of fraudsters and the menace of reputation laundering. This episode was originally published on 3 August 2024.

Shaul Shalvi, Professor of Behavioral Ethics at the University of Amsterdam, describes how people convince themselves that their misconduct is okay. This episode was originally published on 21 June 2017.

Nick McKenzie, award-winning Australian investigative journalist, shares the inside story of his role in exposing the Unaoil scandal. This episode was originally published on 12 July 2017.

Brian Klaas, Associate Professor at University College London and host of the award-winning podcast "Power Corrupts," joins us to discuss his book "Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us". Brian describes research on who is drawn to positions of power and how power impacts us, including potentially re-wiring our brains. This episode was originally published 30 March 2022.

At the 2025 TRACE Annapolis Forum, Chuck Duross, Global Co-Chair of the FCPA and Global Anti-Corruption Practice at Morrison Foerster, discusses the DOJ's evolving voluntary self-disclosure policies and the balance of risks and rewards for companies. From increased incentives under the 2025 Corporate Enforcement Policy to the challenges of parallel investigations, Charles explores what drives the decision to self-disclose and why it remains one of the toughest calls in compliance today. This episode was originally published on 15 October 2025.

Joel Bakan joins the podcast to discuss his books, and the films based on them. He outlines the fundamental conflict inherent in companies ostensibly committed to ESG principles while simultaneously driven by a legal requirement to maximize shareholder value. This episode was originally published on 14 July 2021.

Michael Forsythe, co-author with Walt Bogdanich of "When McKinsey Comes to Town", joins the podcast to talk about McKinsey's work in support of autocratic regimes, its rampant conflicts of interest and the distance between its stated values and its work on the ground. This episode was originally published on 18 January 2023.