[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":304},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-qampa-why-safeguarding-is-mission-critical-to-our-anti-corruption-work-2962":3,"news-qampa-why-safeguarding-is-mission-critical-to-our-anti-corruption-work-2962-similar":71,"i-heroicons:arrow-left-20-solid":299},[4],{"id":5,"status":6,"date_created":7,"date_updated":7,"title":8,"type":9,"body":10,"date":11,"topic":12,"slug":14,"activity":15,"nid":17,"topics":18,"activities":19,"programme":20,"area":20,"websites":20,"language":21,"image":22,"translation_of":20,"countries":32,"tags":33,"authors":34,"images":68,"translations":69,"content":70},10619,"published","2026-06-04T21:13:48.000Z","Q&A: Why safeguarding is mission-critical to our anti-corruption work","Blog","_Teresa Paonessa talks with Anna Peyre about what \"safeguarding\" means in practice and why it is fundamental to credible, trusted and effective anti-corruption work. Teresa is Team Lead for Human Resources and the Basel Institute’s Safeguarding Officer; Anna Peyre is Human Resources Specialist and is helping to advance efforts around gender, equality, diversity and inclusion at the Institute._\n\n### Anna Peyre: Safeguarding is often seen as a compliance exercise – so why do we treat it as mission-critical?\n\nTeresa Paonessa: Safeguarding means ensuring that no one is harmed through our work. This includes preventing abuse, harassment, sexual exploitation, discrimination or neglect of staff, partners, beneficiaries and host communities. More broadly, it is about addressing any abuse of power, the exploitation of vulnerability and otherwise unsafe or hostile environments.\n\nFor me, safeguarding is more than following rules. In anti-corruption work, trust is essential. People must feel safe sharing information with us. If they don’t, our credibility and impact are at risk. We often operate in sensitive environments and hold significant influence through our expertise, so safeguarding is crucial to ensure this influence is used responsibly.\n\nBy creating a safe, ethical environment, we build the trust that makes our work effective and meaningful.\n\n### When does anti-corruption work itself create safeguarding risks?\n\nTeresa Paonessa: Our work involves close interaction with people across countries. We provide training, mentoring and advisory support – activities that can create situations of power imbalance. For example, training participants may feel dependent on our expertise and may hesitate to speak up. Travel and fieldwork can also involve less structured environments where boundaries are unclear.\n\nGiven our globally dispersed teams, we need to stay aware of these dynamics. Safeguarding means recognising risks early and taking steps to reduce them, even in routine situations.\n\n### What does safeguarding look like on a \"normal\" day in our work?\n\nTeresa Paonessa: It’s reflected in small, consistent actions: in the way we communicate, work with and treat one another, and in our awareness of our role, influence and responsibilities.\n\nIn practice, this means creating a respectful, open atmosphere in meetings and trainings where everyone feels able to contribute. It’s about being attentive to colleagues’ or participants’ responses, noticing changes in behaviour and checking in if something feels off.\n\nSafeguarding also involves ensuring that concerns – no matter how small – can be raised openly and without fear of judgement or retaliation.\n\nUltimately, safeguarding is about building trust over time. Consistent, respectful behaviour creates an environment where people feel safe and confident they will receive support if needed.\n\n### How do safeguarding standards translate across different cultural and legal contexts?\n\nTeresa Paonessa: We work in many different countries and are aware that cultural norms and working practices vary. However, respect, safety and appropriate behaviour apply everywhere, regardless of cultural or legal differences and local context.\n\nWe communicate these standards clearly, with sensitivity to local environments to ensure they are understood and taken seriously.\n\n### Can you share an example of how safeguarding has made a real difference – and what a \"safe\" organisation feels like in practice?\n\nTeresa Paonessa: A moment that stayed with me was after the conclusion of a safeguarding case. The reporting person told me they felt heard and valued throughout the investigation. I couldn’t ask for better feedback. It shows that the way we handle concerns really matters.\n\nIn my view, a psychologically safe organisation is one where concerns are raised openly and regularly. Raising an issue shouldn’t feel intimidating. My role is not to reduce the number of reports but to lower the barriers so people feel free to come forward and confident their concerns will be handled with care, fairness and respect.\n\n### What does meaningful safeguarding implementation require in practice?\n\nTeresa Paonessa: Meaningful safeguarding is an ongoing commitment. It requires constant visibility: people must hear about it, see it and experience it regularly.\n\nIt starts at the top. Leadership must demonstrate that safeguarding is a genuine priority, not a tick-box exercise. Ultimately, all staff need to understand what safeguarding means for their role, and what to do if an incident arises. This is why regular training and open communication are essential.\n\nFurthermore, trusted reporting channels are critical to ensure people feel safe to speak up. Organisations must also learn from past experiences and continuously improve.\n\nIn short, safeguarding works best when it’s visible, lived and constantly evolving.\n\n### What would you say to someone hesitant to report a concern?\n\nTeresa Paonessa: It’s understandable to feel hesitant. People may worry their issue isn’t “serious enough” or fear consequences. The truth is, you don’t need to be certain that something is wrong. If something feels uncomfortable, that’s a valid reason to speak up.\n\nAs Safeguarding Officer, I am bound by the highest degree of confidentiality. Anyone raising a concern – whether openly by email or anonymously through our whistleblowing hotline – can be assured their privacy will be fully protected.\n\n### If there’s one thing we want people to understand about safeguarding at the Basel Institute, what is it?\n\nTeresa Paonessa: Safeguarding is integral to everything we do. When people feel protected, we not only prevent harm but also strengthen the integrity, credibility and impact of our anti-corruption work.","2026-05-07",[13],"","qampa-why-safeguarding-is-mission-critical-to-our-anti-corruption-work-2962",[16],"Insights",2962,[],[16],null,"English",{"id":23,"storage":24,"filename_disk":25,"filename_download":26,"title":8,"type":27,"created_on":7,"modified_on":7,"charset":20,"filesize":28,"width":29,"height":30,"duration":20,"embed":20,"description":20,"location":20,"tags":20,"metadata":31,"focal_point_x":20,"focal_point_y":20,"tus_id":20,"tus_data":20,"uploaded_on":7},"a37673fd-758d-44e9-bc1e-6a2056103405","local","a37673fd-758d-44e9-bc1e-6a2056103405.webp","tmp.webp","image\u002Fwebp",56992,800,533,{},[],[],[35,53],{"id":36,"news_id":37,"authors_id":50},1375,{"id":5,"status":6,"user_created":38,"date_created":7,"user_updated":38,"date_updated":7,"title":8,"type":9,"body":10,"image":23,"date":11,"topic":39,"slug":14,"activity":40,"nid":17,"topics":41,"activities":42,"programme":20,"area":20,"websites":20,"translation_of":20,"language":21,"countries":43,"tags":44,"authors":45,"images":47,"translations":48,"content":49},"03bebfd8-0b40-4a2a-820d-b9d9c13b9de6",[13],[16],[],[16],[],[],[36,46],1376,[],[],[],{"id":51,"name":52,"position":20,"image":20},594,"Anna Peyre",{"id":46,"news_id":54,"authors_id":65},{"id":5,"status":6,"user_created":38,"date_created":7,"user_updated":38,"date_updated":7,"title":8,"type":9,"body":10,"image":23,"date":11,"topic":55,"slug":14,"activity":56,"nid":17,"topics":57,"activities":58,"programme":20,"area":20,"websites":20,"translation_of":20,"language":21,"countries":59,"tags":60,"authors":61,"images":62,"translations":63,"content":64},[13],[16],[],[16],[],[],[36,46],[],[],[],{"id":66,"name":67,"position":20,"image":20},595,"Teresa Paonessa",[],[],[],[72,99,120,149,180,203,226,251,275],{"id":73,"body":74,"status":6,"type":9,"date":75,"slug":76,"title":77,"image":78,"countries":79,"topic":81,"activity":84,"tags":85,"nid":86,"topics":87,"activities":88,"authors":89,"images":90,"websites":91,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":93,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":94,"user_updated":95,"date_updated":96,"content":97,"link":98},10490,"_By Salifu Koray, Chief Revenue Officer, Ghana Revenue Authority_\n\n_Speaking at the Basel Institute’s International Collective Action Conference on 25–26 June 2024, Salifu Koray explained how the Ghana Revenue Authority was engaging in Collective Action through a World Customs Organization programme. The Anti-Corruption and Integrity Programme aims to restrict corrupt behaviour and promote good governance in customs operations and administration in Ghana and seven other countries._\n\n_In a short interview, he highlighted the strong benefits of engaging with other stakeholders in this Collective Action programme, saying:_\n\n\u003Ciframe frameborder=\"0\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fvideos.baselgovernance.org\u002Fvideos\u002Fembed\u002Fc50c7bff-dbf3-445e-bfb0-64e3ac347603?title=0&warningTitle=0&peertubeLink=0&p2p=0\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\n> The Collective Action initiative within the Ghana Revenue Authority is yielding dividends. The stakeholder coalition has built a strong force in support of integrity.\n> \n> Stakeholders include the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Integrity Initiative, the Office of the Head of Civil Service, the Committee of Freight Forwarders and the University of Ghana Business School. In other words, key representatives from the public sector, the private sector, civil society organisations and academia.\n> \n> Specifically, some of the benefits that we have derived so far include:\n> \n> *   increasing revenue generation for the development of the nation;\n> *   enhanced image of the Ghana Revenue Authority;\n> *   a reduction in the perception of corruption;\n> *   an increase in voluntary compliance.\n> \n> Collective Action impacts positively on organisations, employees and stakeholders.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   See more Q&As with leading voices in promoting anti-corruption Collective Action, together with photos and videos, on the web page of our [2024 International Collective Action Conference](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2024).\n*   Learn more about Collective Action and how to engage on the [B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002F).","2024-09-25","how-can-tax-authorities-benefit-from-engaging-in-anti-corruption-collective-action-initiatives-2694","How can tax authorities benefit from engaging in anti-corruption Collective Action initiatives?","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F4041bd55-a8d6-4da1-9cf8-15522d383a9a?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[80],7094,[82,83],"Collective Action","Private Sector",[16],[],2694,[82,83],[16],[],[],[92,82],"Main page",[],"2024-09-25T10:01:40.000Z","dfef11db-1bc6-47e9-a61d-93443995484b","2026-05-08T21:11:12.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fhow-can-tax-authorities-benefit-from-engaging-in-anti-corruption-collective-action-initiatives-2694",{"id":100,"body":101,"status":6,"type":9,"date":102,"slug":103,"title":104,"image":105,"countries":106,"topic":107,"activity":108,"tags":109,"nid":110,"topics":111,"activities":112,"authors":113,"images":114,"websites":115,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":116,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":117,"user_updated":95,"date_updated":96,"content":118,"link":119},10496,"Shawn Teixeira became Head of the Siemens Integrity Initiative in 2024, having worked tirelessly together with Sabine Zindera over many years in the oversight of 85 projects in over 50 countries with around USD 120 million in committed funding. Under their leadership, the Siemens Integrity Initiative has been a driving force in the growth and evolution of anti-corruption Collective Action.\n\nSpeaking at the 5th International Collective Action Conference in Basel, held with the support of Siemens, Shawn reflects on what has made him most proud of the Collective Action community that has arisen over the last 15 years:\n\n\u003Ciframe frameborder=\"0\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fvideos.baselgovernance.org\u002Fvideos\u002Fembed\u002F6703f0bf-2cb6-4694-95a5-30294dc44230?title=0&warningTitle=0&peertubeLink=0&p2p=0\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\n> The Siemens Integrity Initiative over the last 15 years has engaged and capacitated a global community of passionate and committed anti-corruption experts.\n> \n> Through Collective Action, these have significantly advanced the anti-corruption agenda by raising awareness, creating guidelines and instruments, promoting policy reforms, and educating and training champions.\n> \n> The accomplishments are far reaching. But in an ever-changing global context, there is much still to be done and the work is not over.\n> \n> I very much look forward to continuing the engagement with this anti-corruption community through Collective Action and particularly through the Siemens Integrity Initiative.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   See more Q&As with leading voices in promoting anti-corruption Collective Action, together with photos and videos, on the web page of our [2024 International Collective Action Conference](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2024).\n*   Learn more about Collective Action and how to engage on the [B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002F).\n*   Learn more about Collective Action and the [Siemens Integrity Initiative](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.siemens.com\u002Fglobal\u002Fen\u002Fcompany\u002Fabout\u002Fcompliance\u002Fcollective-action.html).","2024-10-09","sustaining-the-momentum-of-the-siemens-integrity-initiative-2699","Sustaining the momentum of the Siemens Integrity Initiative","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Ff5feed47-8788-4f5a-8d33-40d2e7dceaa5?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[82,83],[16],[],2699,[82,83],[16],[],[],[92,82],[],"2024-10-09T16:01:37.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fsustaining-the-momentum-of-the-siemens-integrity-initiative-2699",{"id":121,"body":122,"status":6,"type":9,"date":123,"slug":124,"title":125,"image":126,"countries":127,"topic":129,"activity":131,"tags":134,"nid":135,"topics":136,"activities":138,"authors":139,"images":141,"websites":142,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":143,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":144,"user_updated":145,"date_updated":146,"content":147,"link":148},10357,"_A Q&A with Mary Muthoni, who led a novel court monitoring project of our International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) in Kenya during 2022._ _The aim was to identify reasons for delays in major corruption trials, as a basis for developing reforms to streamline and speed up the court process. The Court Users Committee has been highly receptive to the findings, which the team presented in March 2023._\n\n### Why monitor corruption cases in court – in Kenya or elsewhere?\n\nCorruption is a crime with a huge negative impact on society. Those who abuse public office and steal public funds should feel the full force of the justice system. Yet all too often, the adjudication processes drag on for years.\n\nCourt monitoring can be a powerful tool to stimulate improvements in the justice system and help bring an end to impunity for the corrupt.\n\nCourt monitoring for corruption cases can identify systemic challenges in adjudicating such cases and provide targeted recommendations to address them. In the longer term, court monitoring can also be the basis for bringing stakeholders together to jointly develop important legislative and procedural reforms.\n\n### How did you approach the court monitoring project?\n\nThe purpose of a court monitoring activity depends on the specific issue one wants to address. In this instance, our objective was to understand what causes delays in adjudicating corruption cases.\n\nOpen-source materials already indicated challenges in concluding corruption cases. But there was no specific data to back this up. When designing our project, we took into account realities on the ground that could lead to these delays, like IT hitches and inadequate case or diary management procedures. Some cases are also just really complex, involving multiple proceedings both at the lower court and high court.\n\nWith limited resources and time, we sampled a variety of cases based on points like the amount of funds involved, the number of accused persons and their profiles, the specific charges and the use of plea bargaining. To measure delays, we looked not only at adjournments but also at the length of time needed for different phases of a case, the number of witnesses and the number of accused individuals.\n\nWe also kept in mind the Judiciary’s performance indicators, policies and frameworks, so that our final recommendations would fit those frameworks.\n\n### What role did the multi-stakeholder Court Users Committee play?\n\nMembers of the Court Users Committee were our main stakeholders in this activity. The Court Users Committee is a forum to improve stakeholder engagement and promote effective and coordinated justice sector partnerships. Similar models exist in other jurisdictions including the UK, Uganda and Somalia.\n\nIn the Kenyan context, the anti-corruption Court Users Committee brings different actors together to share concerns, best practices, activities and actions required for a smoother adjudication process for corruption cases. Among others, the Committee includes representatives from the Anti-Corruption Courts, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Law Society of Kenya.\n\nThe Court Users Committee members were highly receptive of our findings. The report has given them a solid basis to discuss their concerns about delays in corruption cases in depth and try to implement recommendations that are within their powers.\n\n### What kind of data and statistics did you seek to capture, and how?\n\nAs I explained in my [quick guide to court monitoring](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fquick-guide-27-court-monitoring), before capturing data you need to be clear about what your objective is and what type of court monitoring you are doing.\n\nIn our case, looking at delays meant looking at what factors play a role in promoting these delays.\n\n*   Some factors can be inferred from open-access reports published by the Judiciary or other government institutions.\n*   Case files indicate the number of times a case did not proceed, alongside variables like the type of documentation filed and whether it is relevant to the case or not. These variables are harder to quantify but are important to record as they contribute significantly to delays.\n*   Attending court proceedings provides valuable additional insights that you can’t get from paperwork.\n\n### What best practices and recommendations did the court monitoring highlight?\n\nAmong the best practices we noted was the Judiciary providing directions on how the case will progress. For example, the court may provide timelines for serving documents, or directions on whether an application will be heard orally or through written submissions. We also highlighted the use of sanctions in cases where a litigant continuously delays the process, and prompt rulings on each objection raised.\n\nOur recommendations included a significant focus on case management – especially on the type of documentation and witnesses, and more generally the discovery and pre-trial processes. For example, we encourage dealing swiftly with matters on which parties agree in order to focus more efficiently on contentious (disputed) issues.\n\nBetter coordination with the judiciary’s planning department could reduce the number of vacated trials and therefore overall timelines.\n\nThe court monitoring also provided evidence to support investments in technology and in training for younger lawyers, to reduce the number of ineffective trials.\n\n### The bottom line?\n\nCourt delays cost time and money, and can give the impression that justice is not being done. Kenya has the foundations in place for an efficient adjudication process of corruption cases and many dedicated prosecutors, judges and court staff.\n\nEfficient coordination among the relevant agencies and the Bar will be crucial in applying the recommendations to reduce unnecessary delays. Ideally, this will be a process of continuous improvement – monitoring the effectiveness of measures and finding new opportunities to speed up the process and bring the corrupt more quickly to justice.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   Read Mary Muthoni’s [quick guide to court monitoring](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fquick-guide-27-court-monitoring).\n*   The court monitoring project was funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) as part of a long-running programme of support to Kenya’s anti-corruption efforts. The UK is also core donor to the [International Centre for Asset Recovery.](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery)","2023-03-31","qampa-monitoring-corruption-cases-in-kenyan-courts-2426","Q&A: Monitoring corruption cases in Kenyan courts","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F3fba3403-1a80-477a-9b11-be30a72e21ca?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[128],6924,[130],"Asset Recovery",[132,133],"Research","Reports",[],2426,[137],"Asset Recovery and Enforcement",[132,133],[140],998,[],[92],[],"2023-03-31T16:01:28.000Z","3d9ff205-1640-4f34-b5b6-86977f51bbd6","2026-05-29T22:22:25.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fqampa-monitoring-corruption-cases-in-kenyan-courts-2426",{"id":150,"body":151,"status":6,"type":9,"date":152,"slug":153,"title":154,"image":155,"countries":156,"topic":157,"activity":158,"tags":159,"nid":168,"topics":169,"activities":170,"authors":171,"images":173,"websites":174,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":175,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":176,"user_updated":145,"date_updated":177,"content":178,"link":179},9528,"_A guest interview with_ [_Aidan Larkin_](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.assetreality.com\u002Fteam\u002Faidan-larkin)_, CEO of_ [_Asset Reality_](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.assetreality.com\u002F)_. Aidan presented on_ [_Demystifying crypto asset recovery_](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=GnuTcu1BHJo) _at the_ [_5th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies_](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002F5CrC\u002F)_, a joint conference of the Basel Institute on Governance, Europol and INTERPOL on 8-9 December 2021. This interview expands on the second of seven_ [_Recommendations_](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcombating-virtual-assets-based-money-laundering-and-crypto-enabled-crime) _issued following the conference – for more countries to take advantage of their possibilities to recover virtual assets involved in crime and money laundering._\n\n_Part 1 below covers the scope of illicit activity involving crypto assets and why some States are recovering far more crypto assets than others, plus issues around international and public-private cooperation. [Part 2](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Fcrypto-asset-recovery-part-2-defi-auctions-cryptocurrency-bans-and-capacity) deals with the challenges of DeFi platforms for confiscating illicit virtual assets, how and when States should convert the assets to fiat currency, and the one thing that will significantly boost States's ability to recover illicit assets in virtual form._   \n\n### How much illicit activity involves crypto assets?\n\nIllicit cryptocurrency addresses received the equivalent of USD 14 billion in 2021, according to blockchain analysis company [Chainalysis](https:\u002F\u002Fblog.chainalysis.com\u002Freports\u002F2022-crypto-crime-report-introduction\u002F). This is a nearly 80 percent increase from the previous year.\n\nIt sounds a like a frightening rise in illicit activity. In fact, it is a decrease in relation to the total value of cryptocurrency transactions in 2021, which hovers around USD 15.8 trillion. Illicit activity accounts for only 0.15 percent of those transactions.\n\nThe virtual assets industry as a whole covers not only cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum but other digital assets like [non-fungible tokens](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FKD98ni7xuzI) (NFTs). All of these are exploding. This massive growth means there will inevitably be a lot more crypto-enabled crime and virtual assets-based money laundering in the coming years.\n\nAnd that means governments should be using all available powers to recover illicit digital assets and ensure crime doesn’t pay, even when it takes place in cyberspace. Yet only a few are taking advantage of these possibilities so far.\n\n### How many crypto assets linked to crime and money laundering are being recovered?\n\nSome countries are recovering astonishing amounts of virtual assets.\n\nThe US is in the lead, following its takedown of the [Silk Road market in 2013](https:\u002F\u002Ffortune.com\u002F2017\u002F10\u002F02\u002Fbitcoin-sale-silk-road\u002F). Its Internal Revenue Service [seized USD 3.5 billion in cryptocurrencies](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nbcnews.com\u002Ftech\u002Fsecurity\u002Firs-seized-35-billion-cryptocurrency-year-agency-says-rcna6157) in the last fiscal year, which is a staggering 93 percent of their total seizures. This week alone they announced a  [USD 3.6 billion crypto seizure](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.justice.gov\u002Fopa\u002Fpr\u002Ftwo-arrested-alleged-conspiracy-launder-45-billion-stolen-cryptocurrency) – possibly the biggest single proceeds of crime seizure of all time. The UK has announced regular [seizures of cryptocurrencies](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Fuk-england-london-57816644) in the millions of pounds. [Australia](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Ftechnology\u002F2016\u002Fmay\u002F31\u002Faustralian-police-to-auction-13m-in-confiscated-bitcoins), [Belgium](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.irishtimes.com\u002Fbusiness\u002Ffinancial-services\u002Fonline-auction-of-seized-belgian-bitcoin-begins-next-week-1.3800266), [France](\u002Feconomictimes.indiatimes.com\u002Fmagazines\u002Fpanache\u002Fcashing-in-on-bitcoins-french-government-to-pocket-30-mn-from-first-ever-cryptocurrency-auction\u002Farticleshow\u002F81581150.cms) and other EU member states are also now regularly confiscating and auctioning off crypto assets.\n\nBut some countries have not yet seized or recovered any crypto assets at all. The African continent is number 1 on the cryptocurrency adoption charts, with a [rise of 1,200%](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.weforum.org\u002Fagenda\u002F2021\u002F09\u002Fwhat-are-the-implications-of-widespread-cryptocurrency-adoption-in-africa\u002F) between July 2020–July 2021 alone, for example. But as yet, I am not aware of any significant crypto asset seizures on the continent.\n\n### What is stopping countries from recovering illicit assets held in crypto formats?\n\nOn the legal side, nothing. Any country with basic asset recovery legislation and systems to seize, manage, recover and realise illicit assets can do this. Virtual assets are a store of value, like any other tangible asset (such as gold or art) or intangible asset (such as stocks and shares).\n\nSome confusion arises from the term “cryptocurrencies”, which implies that crypto assets are like cash held in another currency. One might assume that specific cash seizure legislation needs to be amended to cover crypto.\n\nIn fact, in most countries, virtual assets including cryptocurrencies do not function like currencies but like other investments or stores of value, such as gold, art, race horses or yachts. In the context of asset seizure and recovery, they should therefore be regarded like any other such asset. Separate legislation is generally not needed. The same processes to seize, recover and manage the assets apply.\n\nIt would be unusual for a country to not have legislation that allows the freezing of intangible property. So legislation isn’t the barrier. Enabling investigators with the tools and skills to track and trace crypto is key. It’s the equivalent of Customs officers not using intelligence packages and detection techniques to find illegal items. If you’re not looking, you’ll not find it.\n\n### Are there differences in international cooperation when it comes to seizing and confiscating crypto assets?\n\nIn theory, no. In practice, yes.\n\nThe same systems of international cooperation – agreements, legislation, processes, informal communication networks– all apply. And so do the same weaknesses. As those involved in international asset recovery cases well know, [formal channels of cooperation](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fquick-guide-9-international-cooperation-asset-recovery) can be frustratingly slow and ineffective, for reasons outside officers’ control. As for asset recovery in general, informal mechanisms of international cooperation such as the [Egmont Group](https:\u002F\u002Fegmontgroup.org\u002Fen) or [CARIN network](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.carin.network\u002F) are extremely helpful in obtaining information or supporting efforts to advance an investigation.\n\nOn the positive side, the nature of cryptocurrency means much more can be done virtually without the need for international cooperation at all. Transactions are recorded on public blockchains accessible from anywhere in the world. Investigating officers can obtain information and evidence by analysing the blockchain from the comfort of their own office.\n\nNot everyone is aware or has the skills to do this, so we often see requests for cooperation asking for information easily available to the requesting party Officers who do not fully understand the mechanics of crypto assets may also send requests that are impossible to carry out, or “machine gun” requests for lots of data that they in fact do not need.\n\nCapacity and understanding are a problem for the requested party too. If officers who receive requests for assistance are not trained in the basics of virtual assets, they will naturally put it at the bottom of the pile. Too often we witness smaller jurisdictions that house many of the world’s largest virtual currency exchanges being bombarded with requests for assistance that could be dealt with remotely.\n\nAnother factor affecting international cooperation for crypto asset recovery is the vastly increased time pressure. Virtual assets can be transacted around the world and change hands multiple times in minutes. In the context of restraining or freezing assets, this is significantly different to, say, luxury villas or even money in bank accounts, which could take several hours or days to transfer.\n\nSo time is of the essence at the freezing stage, to prevent assets from disappearing or being dissipated while the investigation is underway. This is where effective public-private cooperation comes in.\n\n### How does public-private cooperation work, and is it working?\n\nIt works pretty well – in many senses, much better than in non-crypto cases.\n\nFirst, many of the major virtual asset service providers (VASPs), such as cryptocurrency exchanges, are being encouragingly proactive in supporting law enforcement. For example:\n\n*   Some have dedicated departments for dealing with authorities’ requests for information and cooperation.\n*   We have seen some VASPs restricting suspects’ access to assets upon receiving a foreign court order, rather than waiting for a local one to be issued by the domestic courts. This is similar to how banks may treat a regular bank account containing suspected illicit funds.\n*   VASPS may also place “soft blocks” on suspect assets, if the requesting authority can demonstrate the assets are linked to criminality. This prevents them being dissipated before official freezing orders make their way through the system.\n\nSecond, private blockchain analytics and investigation companies are an essential partner to law enforcement when it comes to analysing the blockchain for information and gathering evidence, or developing tools and infrastructure to help them enable more seizures.\n\nThe [takedown of the Welcome to Video child exploitation site](https:\u002F\u002Fblog.chainalysis.com\u002Freports\u002Fchainalysis-doj-welcome-to-video-shutdown\u002F), and multiple international arrests, which had 1.3 million Bitcoin addresses registered and received thousands of Bitcoin payments, would not have happened as effectively if it weren’t for those levels of cooperation.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   View [Part 2](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Fcrypto-asset-recovery-part-2-defi-auctions-cryptocurrency-bans-and-capacity) of this interview, which deals with the challenges of DeFi platforms for confiscating illicit virtual assets, how and when States should convert the assets to fiat currency, and the one thing that will significantly boost States's ability to recover illicit assets in virtual form.\n*   View the [5th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002F5CrC) landing page and post-conference [Recommendations on combating virtual assets-based money laundering and crypto-enabled crime](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcombating-virtual-assets-based-money-laundering-and-crypto-enabled-crime).\n*   View Aidan Larkin's conference presentation on [Demystifying crypto asset recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FGnuTcu1BHJo) or download the [slides](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002F2021-12\u002F5CRC%20Aidan%20Larkin_small.pdf).","2022-02-21","crypto-asset-recovery-qampa-part-1-scope-laws-and-cooperation-2185","Crypto asset recovery Q&A part 1 – Scope, laws and cooperation","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F90a0e304-0258-4c7e-92aa-086a98a75096?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[130],[16],[160,164],{"tags_id":161},{"id":162,"name":163},818,"Anti-money laundering",{"tags_id":165},{"id":166,"name":167},854,"Virtual assets",2185,[137],[16],[172],1173,[],[92],[],"2022-05-26T22:52:02.000Z","2026-05-29T22:21:40.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fcrypto-asset-recovery-qampa-part-1-scope-laws-and-cooperation-2185",{"id":181,"body":182,"status":6,"type":9,"date":183,"slug":184,"title":185,"image":186,"countries":187,"topic":188,"activity":189,"tags":190,"nid":191,"topics":192,"activities":193,"authors":194,"images":196,"websites":197,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":198,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":199,"user_updated":145,"date_updated":200,"content":201,"link":202},10082,"_The Basel Institute’s head of compliance, corporate governance and collective action talks to Ruth Green of the International Bar Association about anti-corruption programmes, the Panama Papers leaks, and what companies can do to better manage and mitigate risks. This article is posted with the permission of the International Bar Association and can be found in its entirety [here](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ibanet.org\u002FArticle\u002FDetail.aspx?ArticleUid=d71b88b3-f35a-4ebb-b8a4-fab265433c75)._\n\nRuth Green: What does your current role at the Basel Institute on Governance involve and what legal issues fall under your remit?\n\nGemma Aiolfi: In the corporate compliance and governance function, my work involves advising medium-sized companies as well as multi-nationals based here in Switzerland on managing their compliance risks. This involves listening to the business, asking the right questions to ascertain how it really functions in practice, and hearing the client’s view.\n\nFinding ways to change long-standing practices in a company in so-called ‘grey areas’ relating to anti-corruption compliance means working to find pragmatic solutions and changing attitudes in a sustainable way.\n\nCompanies have to ensure their code of conduct and anti-corruption standards are implemented beyond their corporate headquarters in Europe. I often have to deal with the transformation of how the business has been organised.\n\nRuth Green: And your role also includes collective action – tell us more.\n\nGemma Aiolfi: My work in anti-corruption collective action is complementary to internal compliance programmes. There are still many countries where corruption is a feature of daily life and also affects the conduct of business.\n\nFor example, so-called facilitation payments are widespread in relation to many government services, and the ability of individual companies to solve those issues on their own is extremely difficult. Public procurement is another area where companies often cite bribery by competitors as distorting chances to win the tender, or corrupt practices including solicitation. The actions of a single company to stop such behaviours can be hard.\n\nI believe that engaging in anti-corruption collective action can provide an alternative approach to addressing systemic bribery. Companies that believe they have robust internal programmes may still face issues relating to competitors that don’t have the same standards, or their employees may still be confronted with demands for payments. In such situations, it can be more effective to address the problem together with others – peers from the same sector, other industries, stakeholders such as government and civil society. Collective action offers an additional approach for companies to strengthen their compliance programmes and be proactive in some markets.\n\nRuth Green: You originally trained as a barrister. How has this experience helped you throughout your in-house career, and have you ever considered going back to practising at the bar?\n\n_Read the rest of this interview on the website of the [International Bar Association.](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ibanet.org\u002FArticle\u002FDetail.aspx?ArticleUid=d71b88b3-f35a-4ebb-b8a4-fab265433c75)_","2016-09-05","international-bar-association-qampa-with-gemma-aiolfi-basel-institute-on-governance-259","International Bar Association Q&A with Gemma Aiolfi, Basel Institute on Governance","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F961e28c4-207a-4be0-9e4e-f81b0548f77d?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[82,83],[16],[],259,[82,83],[16],[195],1302,[],[92,82],[],"2022-05-26T22:58:45.000Z","2026-04-15T22:28:49.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Finternational-bar-association-qampa-with-gemma-aiolfi-basel-institute-on-governance-259",{"id":204,"body":205,"status":6,"type":9,"date":206,"slug":207,"title":208,"image":209,"countries":210,"topic":211,"activity":212,"tags":214,"nid":215,"topics":216,"activities":217,"authors":218,"images":219,"websites":220,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":221,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":222,"user_updated":145,"date_updated":223,"content":224,"link":225},9720,"The recently published [Global Mapping of Anti-Corruption Authorities](https:\u002F\u002Frm.coe.int\u002Fncpa-analysis-report-global-mapping-acas\u002F16809e790b) fills a critical gap in information about national anti-corruption authorities (ACAs) around the world. ACAs are key institutions to prevent and combat corruption, but until now centralised data on their mandates, activities and even existence has been lacking.\n\nThe survey is a project of the French Anti-Corruption Agency ([AFA](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.agence-francaise-anticorruption.gouv.fr\u002Ffr)) in partnership with the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption ([GRECO](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.coe.int\u002Fen\u002Fweb\u002Fgreco)), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ([OECD](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.oecd.org\u002F)) and the Network of Corruption Prevention Authorities ([NCPA](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.coe.int\u002Fen\u002Fweb\u002Fcorruption\u002Fncpa-network)).\n\nIzadora Zubek, International Affairs Officer at the AFA, explores some of the report’s key findings and their implications for anti-corruption practice and cooperation.\n\n### 1\\. You launched the survey because \"...information about anti-corruption authorities (ACAs) is rather hard to find.\" What problems does this cause?\n\nFirst and foremost, this lack of information may hinder international cooperation on anti-corruption. We believe that, in order to design and implement efficient cooperation activities, it is crucial to know three basic things:\n\n*   who the competent actors are in a given country;\n*   what can be asked from them in light of their mandates;\n*   how to contact them.\n\nNot having this information may cause problems for a vast array of actors involved in cooperation projects: international organisations, donor agencies, civil society organisations, other ACAs… We think that knowing your potential partners is key to building meaningful partnerships.\n\nSecondly, this lack of information can be a problem for companies operating far from home. When these companies are confronted with dubious situations in a foreign country, it might be useful to know who they can turn to. ACAs are central institutional actors that can help companies to understand the applicable anti-corruption standards, and navigate through the relevant channels for reporting misconduct. Lack of information can entail a risky lack of guidance and clarity about the existent rules. This can also affect national companies and citizens: in some cases, it is not clear who are the contact points for anti-corruption in one’s own country.\n\nFinally, this lack of information can be a problem for anti-corruption experts and researchers. ACAs often play a pivotal role in coordinating anti-corruption efforts in their countries. It might be difficult to grasp the intricacies of national anti-corruption systems when one has no or little information about the pillars of such systems.\n\n### 2\\. Why is it so hard to find this information? Should ACAs communicate more about their work?\n\nThis information is hard to find because, as far as we know, there is no single, up-to-date platform centralising all the relevant data about ACAs. While drafting the report, we have found a very interesting [portal](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.acauthorities.org\u002F) dedicated to ACAs, with plenty of valuable resources. However, this portal, which was created by the World Bank in collaboration with the United Nation Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the U.S. State Department, and the European Commission, does not seem to have been updated in recent years.\n\nWe do encourage ACAs to communicate about their work, but we do not think that more communication by ACAs alone can solve this issue. Almost 200 national authorities contributed to our study. It would be quite difficult to keep track of the activities of all these ACAs if we had to check each and every organisation’s website.\n\nMoreover, there is the language barrier: ACAs may not have the necessary resources to translate the content they produce, thus limiting their ability to communicate with their foreign counterparts.  \n\nConsequently, we consider that information needs to be compiled and made easily accessible to an international audience. In this sense, the [Network of Corruption Prevention Authorities](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.coe.int\u002Fen\u002Fweb\u002Fcorruption\u002Fncpa-network) can be especially useful. The Network provides a forum to connect ACAs, and help them gather and share information about their work regardless of national frontiers.\n\n### 3\\. Did you find out anything surprising about the characteristics and needs of ACAs – or anything that will change the strategy of the NCPA?\n\nIt was surprising to observe that a majority of ACAs have investigative powers. Given this characteristic, it might be interesting to develop more exchange of good practices and experiences on corruption detection, and examine its linkages with prevention.\n\nIn addition, the study has shown that, in most countries, mandatory anti-corruption standards only concern the public sector. Therefore, few ACAs actually seem to monitor or support the private sector’s compliance with anti-corruption requirements. We could direct our efforts to close this gap.\n\nFinally, thanks to the survey, we have noticed that many Supreme Audit Institutions were closely involved in preventing corruption. We are currently exploring ways to enhance collaboration between the NCPA and these institutions to pursue our common goals.\n\n### 4\\. GRECO and the OECD have already published recommendations on establishing and operating ACAs. What is the added value of connecting the key contact points in ACAs in different countries?\n\nThe added value of such connections lies in their potential to foster peer-to-peer cooperation regarding concrete issues encountered by ACA staff in their daily work. The NCPA is a network of practitioners, for practitioners: our focus is to support operational exchanges in the specific field of corruption prevention.\n\nFurthermore, in order to promote anti-corruption globally, it can be particularly valuable to reach out to ACAs that are not from GRECO or OECD Member States, to share our experience in implementing the recommendations of these bodies, and to learn from their experience with different evaluation mechanisms.\n\nAs a matter of fact, this global mapping project gave us a good occasion to contact and exchange with ACAs that we do not usually meet because they are seldom involved in GRECO or the OECD’s activities.\n\n### 5\\. Is there already appetite among ACAs to exchange more with their peers? If so, what aspects are people most interested in learning about?\n\nYes, we have been contacted by several ACAs following the publication of our study. They have expressed their interest in exchanging more with their peers and in joining or partnering with the NCPA. In a certain way, this study seemed to have reminded them that they are not alone. By focusing on the common characteristics and expectations of authorities tasked with fighting corruption, the study contributed to shedding light on the global community of ACAs.\n\nPeople are interested in learning about corruption prevention, which is at the heart of the NCPA. In the context of the covid-19 pandemic, preventive measures are vital to mitigate rising corruption risks, and to restore trust in public institutions and decision-makers. We need to stop corruption before it occurs because, when faced with an unprecedented crisis, the stakes are even higher, and the consequences of any lack of vigilance even worse. For this reason, the NCPA released a special [statement](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.coe.int\u002Fen\u002Fweb\u002Fcorruption\u002Fncpa\u002Fevents) about the key role of corruption prevention in the global response to covid-19.\n\nIn addition, following covid-19 lockdowns and other movement restrictions, we have noted a growing interest in modern technologies and digital tools to prevent and detect corruption. The NCPA is currently carrying out a project about this topic.\n\n### 6\\. Are there any concrete examples of peer learning and cooperation between ACAs that demonstrate the value of a stronger network?\n\nThe process of drafting the NCPA’s [technical guide](https:\u002F\u002Frm.coe.int\u002Ftechnical-guide-to-corruption-prevention-instruments\u002F168098d06a) on codes of conduct can be considered as a concrete example of peer learning and cooperation between ACAs. Coordinated by the Italian Anti-Corruption Authority, this project was a great opportunity to organise a collective discussion about codes of conduct. Together, we asked ourselves what constitutes an effective code of conduct, shared experiences, challenges, and lessons learnt, in order to eventually publish a single guidance document.\n\nLikewise, we are producing guidance on small facilitation payments, a form of bribery that can vary depending on context and country. Addressing this issue between ACAs is helpful to find a common ground and, through enhanced cooperation, formulate harmonised recommendations. By pooling our diverse capacities and knowledge in a stronger network, we hope to maximize our efforts to protect our societies from corruption.\n\n### 7\\. A directory of contact details is necessary but not sufficient to \"facilitate operational exchanges\". How will you go from contact details to meaningful contact and cooperation?\n\nWe are designing an outreach strategy to go from the identification of counterparts to the development of fruitful partnerships, and are working to include new ACAs in the NCPA’s activities. The directory of contact details is not an end in itself, but rather a tool to improve cooperation.\n\nNevertheless, meaningful cooperation cannot be achieved overnight, and thus we are adopting a step-by-step approach. We have recently published the results of the global mapping of ACAs, which was a lot of work. Now we are looking for ways to establish the international directory of ACAs. Then, we will propose further activities to support this new community of ACAs. In other words, this is still a work in progress.\n\n_As International Affairs Officer at the French Anti-Corruption Agency (AFA), Izadora Zubek is in charge of developing the AFA’s bilateral and multilateral international relations, including activities related to the Network of Corruption Prevention Authorities (NCPA). [Profile](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Fizadora-zubek)._\n\n### Find out more\n\n*   Learn why the Basel Institute on Governance has recently [become an affiliated partner](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fstopping-corruption-it-occurs-why-basel-institute-has-become-partner-network-corruption) to the NCPA.\n*   Find out more about the [NCPA and its partners.](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.coe.int\u002Fen\u002Fweb\u002Fcorruption\u002Fncpa-network)\n*   Download the [Global Mapping of Anti-Corruption Authorities](https:\u002F\u002Frm.coe.int\u002Fncpa-analysis-report-global-mapping-acas\u002F16809e790b) report.","2020-06-22","mapping-anti-corruption-authorities-around-the-world-qampa-with-the-french-anti-corruption-agency-1776","Mapping anti-corruption authorities around the world – Q&A with the French Anti-Corruption Agency","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F1e12a34f-179f-4586-8d81-70f0023ed254?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[82,83],[132,133,213],"Partnerships",[],1776,[82,83],[132,133,213],[],[],[92,82],[],"2022-05-26T22:54:46.000Z","2026-04-27T21:01:51.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fmapping-anti-corruption-authorities-around-the-world-qampa-with-the-french-anti-corruption-agency-1776",{"id":227,"body":228,"status":6,"type":9,"date":229,"slug":230,"title":231,"image":232,"countries":233,"topic":234,"activity":236,"tags":239,"nid":240,"topics":241,"activities":242,"authors":243,"images":244,"websites":245,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":246,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":247,"user_updated":145,"date_updated":248,"content":249,"link":250},9871,"The third meeting of the [International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.financialcrimelitigators.org\u002F) in Basel this March brought together some of the world’s top academic and litigation professionals in the field of financial crime.\n\nThe Academy was established in 2018 by [Stéphane Bonifassi](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Fst%C3%A9phane-bonifassi\u002F) of Bonifassi Avocats (Paris), [Lincoln Caylor](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Fcaylorlincoln\u002F) of Bennett Jones (Toronto) and [Elizabeth Ortega](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Fecortega\u002F) of ECO Strategic Communications (Miami).\n\nHow and why did this high-level group come about? Elizabeth Ortega explains in this quick Q&A:\n\n### Why was it necessary to launch The Academy?\n\nThe Academy was founded in 2018 in direct response to the large number of financial crime matters being handled out of court and the clear need to unite litigation professionals with academic theorists. The Basel Institute on Governance is a crucial collaborator. The Academy’s mandate is to drive international cooperation in the interest of both the victim and the accused and to develop skills and best practices for application in this highly specialised field.\n\n### Who are its members?\n\nProfessionals at the top of their game. Membership is by invitation only, extended to litigation professionals with over 20 years of experience, to professors in relevant disciplines, and to advocates for one and all.\n\nWhy bring both sides, victims and the accused, to the table?\n\nThis is the best way to promote the open exchange of ideas and information. There’s an inherent, beneficial tension in differing opinions, applications and overall goals. This forum for discussion informs practitioners and academics as they wrestle intellectually to a draw: The Academy, where theory meets practice.\n\n### How does this vision unfold at meetings?\n\nAbout twice a year, we meet for a full day in a university setting. We want to absorb the full experience of collegiality and openness to learning, debating and honing opinions. For example, at our most recent meeting at the Basel Institute, [Professor Mark Pieth](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pieth.ch\u002F) stirred up interest by speaking on how to start cleaning \"dirty gold\". He listed findings from his extensive investigations in Peru together with analysis of compliance levels of major gold refineries and high-end jewellery retailers. \n\n[Litigator Fred Davis](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.debevoise.com\u002Ffrederickdavis) led a lively and interactive discussion on nations’ various professional rules that apply to lawyers conducting cross-border criminal investigations. He linked them to the ultimate impacts on investigations and defence. His probing questions inspired a discussion topic for our next meeting at New York University School of Law: Does a corporation have the right to defend itself? \n\n[Professor Bruce Zagaris](http:\u002F\u002Fbcr.tv\u002Fattorney\u002Fbruce-zagaris) spoke on the revival of the United States’ disclosure statute, Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), pertaining to lobbying regulation.\n\n[Gretta Fenner](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Fgretta-fenner), Managing Director of the Basel Institute on Governance, said, “the discussions were really rich and enriching.”\n\nFenner’s sentiments sum up our hands-on classroom dynamic. We experienced sheer zeal inspired by presenters and delegates. The high level of critical thinking driven by discussion leaders brought out candid and provocative responses. All found it easy to engage.\n\n### Read more\n\nThe IAFCL website hosts recent [news and articles by Academy members](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.financialcrimelitigators.org\u002Fmembers-news) – happy reading.","2019-04-10","the-international-academy-of-financial-crime-litigators-qampa-with-co-founder-elizabeth-ortega-887","The International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators: Q&A with co-founder Elizabeth Ortega","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F9023e68e-9fb2-42c5-815c-71745ca14b97?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[235,130],"Anti-Money Laundering",[237,213,238],"Events","International cooperation",[],887,[235,137],[237,213,238],[],[],[92],[],"2022-05-26T22:56:53.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:01.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fthe-international-academy-of-financial-crime-litigators-qampa-with-co-founder-elizabeth-ortega-887",{"id":252,"body":253,"status":6,"type":9,"date":254,"slug":255,"title":256,"image":257,"countries":258,"topic":259,"activity":260,"tags":262,"nid":263,"topics":264,"activities":265,"authors":266,"images":268,"websites":269,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":270,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":271,"user_updated":145,"date_updated":272,"content":273,"link":274},10365,"[_Phyllis Atkinson_](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Fphyllis-atkinson) _has led the training team of our International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) since 2010, having joined ICAR in 2009. The team’s work is essential to ICAR’s mission to support partner countries in developing their capabilities to investigate corruption and recover stolen assets._\n\n_The_ [_training programmes_](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery\u002Ftraining-programmes) _are widely acknowledged as unique in their methodology, which emphasises collaborative learning and involves simulated investigations tailored to local contexts._\n\n_Phyllis has herself trained over 4,000 investigators, prosecutors, judges and others in more than 40 countries, often travelling more than six months of each year. As she prepares to hand over the reins to her long-standing colleague_ [_Thierry Ravalomanda_](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Fthierry-ravalomanda) _in July, she reflects on the evolution and impact of ICAR training over the years._\n\n### How did it all begin?\n\nFor me, it began in 2008 while I was working for Deloitte Forensic & Disputes Services in Cape Town as a forensic specialist investigating white-collar crime and participating in anti-fraud and corruption training initiatives. Daniel Thelesklaf and Tom Lasich, then at the Basel Institute and its newly established ICAR, supported a training initiative on a project I was supervising in Tanzania.\n\nAs a former prosecutor and investigator in South Africa for 23 years, focusing on economic crime for much of the time, I was immediately struck by the uniqueness of their training approach. I could see its potential to make a difference in developing and transition countries.\n\nI joined ICAR in 2009 as a Senior Asset Recovery Specialist, succeeding Tom Lasich as Head of Training in 2010. I can only describe Tom as the mastermind behind the ICAR training methodology. He has been an experienced and trusted mentor, advisor and friend throughout the years.\n\nThe Basel Institute’s Managing Directors, Daniel Thelesklaf and later Gretta Fenner, have also played a pivotal role in nurturing our training offer as our Institute and asset recovery work expanded.\n\n### What makes the approach unique and successful?\n\nOf all the many things that make our training unique, I want to highlight that we don’t offer an “off-the-shelf” product. Rather, both the theory and the extensive practical exercise – a simulated investigation – are customised to the specific needs of a country and adapted to its legal and institutional context.\n\nWe achieve this by closely liaising with relevant national authorities and working onsite in the concerned country, including during the preparatory stages of a training programme. This is because we are seeking to build the technical skills of trainees in handling concrete cases within the constraints of their own legal system and proceedings.\n\nIt takes time and effort to customise the training programmes. But the reward is that it results in training that is credible, tailored and relevant to participants.\n\n### What role does the simulated investigation play?\n\nAs I explain in my [quick guide to effective training](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fquick-guide-6-effective-training-financial-investigations), a simulated corruption and money laundering investigation is the centrepiece of all our training programmes. Participants work together in groups to “follow the money” and gather evidence for use in court. “Learn by doing” is something I repeat and encourage over and over again.\n\nThe exercise is interspersed with short sessions on theory – laws, procedural aspects, etc. – to enable them to advance to the next stage of the investigation.\n\nThis not only helps participants immediately put their new skills and knowledge into practice.  It also fosters peer learning and networking among participants from different agencies and institutions along the criminal justice chain. Investigators, prosecutors and analysts often need to work together in real life on corruption investigations, yet usually work in silos.\n\nOur recent training programme in [Zambia](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fboosting-zambias-fight-against-corruption-cross-agency-financial-investigations-training) is an example: the 34 participants came from eight different institutions, from law enforcement to prosecutors, the procurement authority and the Central Bank.\n\nOur regional training programmes foster similar peer learning and cooperation among counterparts across borders, aiding in and supporting international co-operation in transnational investigations.\n\n### How has ICAR training evolved under your leadership?\n\nThe core principles have remained, but we have developed additional modules on [topics](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery\u002Ftraining-programmes) like mutual legal assistance, dealing with offshore structures such as the Common Law trust, cryptocurrencies, and most recently non-conviction based asset forfeiture.\n\nWe introduced a blended learning element a few years ago. Participants take our self-paced [Operational Analysis eLearning course](https:\u002F\u002Flearn.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcourse\u002Fview.php?id=3), developed in collaboration with the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, before attending our onsite Advanced Operational Analysis training. Gaining the foundational skills in advance through eLearning maximises the amount of time participants can spend putting theory into practice in the classroom.\n\nWe have also become more digital, for example providing the course materials through our Basel LEARN platform rather than paper. This has not only reduced the environmental impact of printing but also followed the welcome wave of digitalisation that has taken place globally, including in law enforcement agencies.\n\nSince the coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions on travel and meetings, we have been offering adapted versions of some of our training programmes virtually via video conferencing and the Basel [LEARN](https:\u002F\u002Flearn.baselgovernance.org\u002F) platform. Our programmes feature intensive, hands-on group work and are designed to be delivered in person. However, we are open to virtual delivery whenever it makes sense.\n\n### What about sustainability?\n\nUltimately our goal is to build long-term capabilities in our partner countries.\n\nOne way we do this is our train-the-trainer programme, which aims to result in four or five ICAR Certified Trainers while simultaneously training other local participants in the process.\n\nIn [Kosovo](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Ftrain-trainer-programme-financial-investigations-and-asset-recovery-gets-underway-kosovo), where we delivered a five-part train-the-trainer programme from 2022–2023, we collaborated with the Academy of Justice and helped their staff to integrate the ICAR customised training material onto their own online platform for professional development. This will help the certified trainers to continue training their peers efficiently and independently in the future.\n\nOur remarkable in-country teams and external partners, including development agencies, international organisations and multilateral development banks, often have a continued presence in our partner countries. This also helps maintain momentum in between training programmes and make sure new skills are put into practice.\n\n### Does the training really make a difference?\n\nYes. First, there are the statistics. Alongside pre- and post-tests, we started conducting impact surveys some years ago to assess the effectiveness of our training in the short and long term. We measure whether the training led participants to:\n\n*   Significantly change their approach to work\n*   Use new tools or procedures\n*   Use professional contacts\u002Fnetworking to facilitate work\n*   Replicate learning with peers \n\nIn 2022, for example, 79 percent of impact survey respondents reported a significant change to their way of working as a result of the training, including the application of new investigative tools or procedures. 93 percent of those who took our core financial investigations and asset recovery module said they had had an opportunity to apply their new knowledge and skills in their work. Over half indicated a case success or significant milestone that they could attribute to something learned during the training.\n\nBeyond statistics, I would like to point to the many wonderful people we have helped to achieve their dreams of fighting corruption effectively in their countries. Many trace their first successes back to an ICAR training course.\n\nPeople like [Martin Chipofya](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Fworking-together-against-common-enemy-how-icar-training-promotes-inter-agency-relations), for example, a Senior Resident Magistrate in Malawi who has testified to the impact of our training on inter-agency cooperation. The multi-agency group work is _“crucial for getting to know each other and understanding the challenges that our counterparts face”_ and a _“platform for getting feedback on how our agencies are performing and how we are complementing or assisting the work of officers in other agencies,”_ he said.\n\nOr Phillip Kagucia, now Head of Asset Recovery at Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, who has explained how a specific financial analysis method acquired during our training led to a successful prosecution and _“paved the way for the use of unexplained wealth legislation in Kenya.”_\n\n### Passion and commitment to drive change\n\nOf course, individually our training programmes are a small contribution to the wider fight against corruption. But as I have said for over 20 years:\n\n> The biggest mistake of all is to do nothing because you can only do a little.\n\nHence my determination to continue doing what I could to assist developing and transition countries to fight corruption and money laundering and to recover stolen assets.\n\nAll those I have been lucky enough to work with and to meet over the last 14 years will doubtless attest to my passionate belief in the relevance and effectiveness of our training.\n\nThat is because I see its capacity to bring about a paradigm shift in how our trainees behave in their work and how they work with each other. Achieving quality takes time and effort. I have never allowed shortcuts and never compromised on quality, because bad training is a waste of money and a waste of the participants’ time.\n\nAnd in the fight against corruption, I truly believe the stakes are too high.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   Read Phyllis Atkinson’s [quick guide to effective training on financial investigations](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fquick-guide-6-effective-training-financial-investigations).\n*   Learn more about [ICAR training programmes](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery\u002Ftraining-programmes) and download a brochure in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.","2023-05-11","a-personal-history-of-icar-training-qampa-with-phyllis-atkinson-2436","A personal history of ICAR training – Q&A with Phyllis Atkinson","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F81bba212-7719-4eae-9b4e-131ec083c993?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[130],[261,16],"Training",[],2436,[137],[261,16],[267],1140,[],[92],[],"2023-05-29T10:01:26.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:26.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fa-personal-history-of-icar-training-qampa-with-phyllis-atkinson-2436",{"id":276,"body":277,"status":6,"type":9,"date":278,"slug":279,"title":280,"image":281,"countries":282,"topic":283,"activity":284,"tags":285,"nid":288,"topics":289,"activities":290,"authors":291,"images":292,"websites":293,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":294,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":295,"user_updated":145,"date_updated":296,"content":297,"link":298},10494,"Shenaz Muzaffer, General Counsel of the [International Association of Prosecutors](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.iap-association.org\u002F), spoke at the [8th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fcryptocurrencies-and-financial-crime-strategic-approach-ensure-security) in a panel on “practical challenges in the investigation and prosecution of crypto-related financial crimes.” The two-day conference was co-organised by Europol and the Basel Institute on Governance and hosted by UNODC.\n\nThis Q&A takes up the main points of her intervention on prosecuting crypto-related cases.\n\n### Where do you see the main challenge for prosecutors in cases involving cryptocurrencies?\n\nCriminals are increasingly using crypto assets to facilitate the commission of their offences and to launder the proceeds of crime. Cryptocurrencies are being used to commit traditional crimes in new and innovative ways, as well as to commit new types of offences.\n\nTo continue to be able to meet those challenges, we – as prosecutors – have to evolve and adapt too. But we face a number of challenges, relating to both the investigation and the prosecution of crypto-related financial crimes.\n\nThe first challenge relates to the legislative framework in the jurisdictions in which we work. In many of our jurisdictions, if not in all, the relevant legislation was drafted prior to the invention of cryptocurrencies. We know that the first cryptocurrency was launched in 2009. But in the UK, for instance, the Fraud Act dates back to 2006, while the Proceeds of Crime Act is from 2002.\n\nThis means that, because of the way the legislation is drafted, it can’t always be readily applied to the prosecution of crypto-related financial crimes. We need to ask, for example, whether the definition of “property” within existing legislation is broad enough to encompass crypto assets. It’s not only a challenge for the prosecution, but also for when we are looking to recover assets.\n\nWe have to consider whether our legislative frameworks need to be revised or adapted to make sure that they are framed in a way which is broad and permissive enough so that we can capture these new types of offences and assets that we're dealing with. We must also ensure that we are cognisant of potential further changes that may arise in future and try, insofar as possible, to ensure that the legislation is sufficiently capable of encompassing them as well.\n\nEarlier this year, the UK introduced [legislation](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gov.uk\u002Fgovernment\u002Fpublications\u002Feconomic-crime-and-corporate-transparency-act-2023-factsheets\u002Feconomic-crime-and-corporate-transparency-act-cryptoassets-legislation) that enables law enforcement to seize items such as memory sticks or written passwords, and also to transfer illegal crypto assets into a law enforcement wallet.\n\n### Crypto-related crimes are often transnational in nature – how does this affect investigators and prosecutors?\n\nWe all know that criminals don't respect jurisdictional boundaries and that crime is becoming increasingly international. So the second challenge from a prosecution point of view relates to jurisdictional issues.\n\nWe also all know that coordination between law enforcement agencies and prosecutors can be slow and cumbersome, and that the formal process of seeking mutual legal assistance (MLA) comes with its own set of challenges.\n\nAll these challenges reinforce the need for effective networks, both at a law enforcement and a prosecutorial level. It makes no sense for us to work in silos when we have to work across so many jurisdictions.\n\nThat is why organisations such as the [International Association of Prosecutors](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.iap-association.org\u002F) are absolutely critical. They enable prosecutors to build these necessary networks and facilitate formal and informal international cooperation.\n\n### How can law enforcement officers and prosecutors keep up with this fast-evolving topic?\n\nBlockchain technology is inherently complex and new innovations such as non-fungible tokens (NTFs) are going to make things even more complex and complicated. The technical complexity of the subject matter is a very practical challenge.\n\nConsequently, it can be very challenging for prosecutors to properly understand the evidence that is presented to them by law enforcement. It's often even more difficult for those working within the courts, where judges and juries responsible for deciding on the facts of a case may never have come across crypto assets before. As a result, it can be incredibly hard for them to properly understand the relevance and the importance of evidence that's put before them.\n\nThe solution, I would suggest, is twofold:\n\n*   For the prosecutors, there is an enhanced need for specialised training, so that we can properly understand the evidence we're presented with by investigators.\n*   For judges and juries, there’s a need to rely on experts that guide them through the process and help them understand the relevance of the evidence before them.\n\n### Does digital evidence pose particular challenges?\n\nYes, there are specific difficulties around the collection and preservation of the evidence. Digital evidence can be more easily altered. It can be encrypted. It can be deleted much more easily than other tangible forms of evidence.\n\nEstablishing a chain of custody – a chronological documentation or paper trail that records when, how and by whom a piece of evidence was collected, analysed, controlled, transferred or disposed during an investigation – can be challenging itself, not to mention the added complexity caused by the sheer volume of the material that we have to deal with.\n\nDeveloping standard operating procedures or guidelines for the identification, collection and extraction of digital evidence, in my view, is absolutely vital. The same goes for using new technology to understand the evidence that is presented to us. Of course, artificial intelligence or AI plays an important role in this.\n\nThe flipside is that we, as prosecutors, have to make sure that when we're using AI to interpret evidence, we are always cognisant of the need for transparency and accountability, and make sure that we are using AI responsibly.\n\n### What challenges do crypto-related financial crimes pose for asset recovery?\n\nAs practitioners we know that a case does not stop at the point of conviction. In fact, the investigation into the money side of things can often take longer than the investigation into the substantive crime itself.\n\nCrypto assets in particular can be moved very quickly at the touch of a button, which means that these assets can be very hard to trace and restrain. That also has a knock-on effect on public confidence because, if digital assets cannot be recovered and victims are not getting restitution, that impacts negatively on how they view the criminal justice system as a whole.\n\nOne potential mitigation relates to the point I previously made about legislative frameworks –what they permit us to do and the need for revision. Let’s take another example from the new UK legislation I mentioned. This allows us to authorise the sale of crypto assets in the same way as more tangible forms of evidence. It also gives the police the power to destroy crypto assets, where returning them to circulation is not conducive to the public good.\n\n### There’s no digital silver bullet, then?\n\nUnfortunately, there's no single solution that will address all the multiple challenges we’ve identified in both the investigation and prosecution of crypto-related financial crimes.\n\nInstead, we need a multi-pronged approach that includes enhanced training, the use of experts, expanded legislation, robust frameworks for evidence collection and, of course, more effective international cooperation.","2024-10-08","challenges-in-prosecuting-crypto-related-crimes-qampa-with-shenaz-muzaffer-2703","Challenges in prosecuting crypto-related crimes – Q&A with Shenaz Muzaffer","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F0f668f60-8e44-4f92-b77d-83812d6a5960?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[130],[237,16],[286],{"tags_id":287},{"id":166,"name":167},2703,[137],[237,16],[],[],[92],[],"2024-10-08T10:01:37.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:33.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fchallenges-in-prosecuting-crypto-related-crimes-qampa-with-shenaz-muzaffer-2703",{"left":300,"top":300,"width":301,"height":301,"rotate":300,"vFlip":302,"hFlip":302,"body":303},0,20,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M17 10a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75H5.612l4.158 3.96a.75.75 0 1 1-1.04 1.08l-5.5-5.25a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.08l5.5-5.25a.75.75 0 1 1 1.04 1.08L5.612 9.25H16.25A.75.75 0 0 1 17 10\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\u002F>",1780676520192]