[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":642},["ShallowReactive",2],{"publication-cs-13":3,"related-cs-13":240},[4],{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"date_created":8,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":7,"year":15,"publisher":16,"date_published":17,"external":18,"topic":7,"link_internal":19,"link_external":26,"featured":18,"topics":33,"languages":35,"type":37,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":7,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":39,"short_version":7,"subtitle":40,"image":41,"countries":53,"tags":86,"pdf":177,"authors":202},2441,"published",null,"2026-06-01T22:10:26.000Z","2026-06-02T14:22:13.000Z",2937,"cs-13","Case Study 13: The Beauty Queen case: non-conviction based forfeiture across borders","This Case Study analyses how Colombian authorities recovered assets linked to drug trafficking and held in a trust in Guernsey. It sets out the legal tools and procedures in Colombia and in Guernsey that enabled Colombia’s first international recovery under its non-conviction based forfeiture model _Extinción de dominio_. The Case Study highlights lessons for international cooperation between jurisdictions with different forfeiture systems or even legal traditions.\n\nThe International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) at the Basel Institute on Governance provided technical assistance as part of a Memorandum of Understanding with the General Prosecutor’s Office of Colombia.\n\n[**Download Case Study here**](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002F2026-05\u002FCase-Study-13_Beauty-Queen.pdf)\n\nOn 30 November 2023, the Fourth Court of the Specialised Extinción de Dominio Circuit of Colombia ordered the non-conviction based forfeiture of a Guernsey trust account issued by Northern Trust Fiduciary Services (Guernsey) Limited. The beneficiary was María Marcela Serrano Camacho, a Colombian model and former beauty queen.\n\nThe Colombian forfeiture order extinguished property rights over the account – amounting to GBP 361,146 – on the grounds that the funds were the proceeds of drug trafficking offences committed by Efraín Antonio Hernández Ramírez (“Don Efra”), a well-known Colombian drug trafficker, and his former spouse María Serrano in the 1990s.\n\nOn 30 January 2025, following successful mutual legal assistance proceedings between Colombia and the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the two jurisdictions concluded an asset sharing agreement for the repatriation of the confiscated assets.\n\nThis marked Colombia’s first successful international recovery through non-conviction based forfeiture.\n\nThis Case Study examines how early and effective coordination between Colombia and Guernsey enabled the identification, freezing, forfeiture and repatriation of the assets. It analyses the legal framework underpinning Colombia's Extinción de dominio regime and how it was applied, leading to the forfeiture of the Guernsey acccount. It also describes the procedural mechanisms used in Guernsey to execute foreign non-conviction based forfeiture orders.\n\nThe interaction between the authorities in both jurisdictions offers valuable lessons and examples of good practices.\n\n**Main takeaways of the case:**\n\n- Early and trust-based international cooperation is decisive\n- Non-conviction based forfeiture is indispensable when criminal routes are closed\n- Identifying beneficial ownership is central to effective asset recovery\n- Direct enforcement of foreign forfeiture orders increases efficiency and legal certainty\n- Asset sharing agreements strengthen cooperation incentives\n\nThe Case Study can be read alongside [Policy Brief 16](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fpb-16): \"Enforcing foreign non-conviction based forfeiture orders: FATF standards and asset recovery practice in Latin America and financial centres\".\n\n### About this Case Study\n\nThis publication is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Case Study series, [ISSN 2813-3900](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fcase-studies). It is licensed for sharing under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License ([CC BYNC-ND 4.0](https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-nc-nd\u002F4.0\u002F)).\n\nThe Case Study series offers practitioners insights into interesting and precedent-setting cases involving corruption and asset recovery.\n\nThis is a publication of the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) at the Basel Institute on Governance. ICAR receives core funding from the Governments of Jersey, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the UK.\n\n**Disclaimer**: This Case Study is intended for general informational purposes and does not constitute and\u002For substitute legal or other professional advice. The contents are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or the official position of the Basel Institute on Governance, its donors and partners, or the University of Basel.\n","Solórzano, Oscar, and Diana Cordero. 2026. ‘The Beauty Queen case: non-conviction based forfeiture of criminal assets across borders. Lessons learned from Colombia–Guernsey cooperation.’ Case Study 13, Basel Institute on Governance. Available at: [baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcs-13](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcs-13).",2026,"Basel Institute on Governance","2026-03-31",false,[20,23],{"url":21,"caption":22},"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fcolombiaguernsey-cooperation-leads-to-successful-non-conviction-based-forfeiture-of-illicit-assets-2716","Read related blog",{"url":24,"caption":25},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications","Read related Policy Brief 16",[27,30],{"url":28,"caption":29},"https:\u002F\u002Flearn.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcourse\u002Fview.php?id=368","View online on Basel LEARN",{"url":31,"caption":32},"https:\u002F\u002Flearn.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcourse\u002Fview.php?id=72","eLearning course: International Cooperation and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters",[34],"Asset Recovery and Enforcement",[36],"English",[38],"Case Study","- Early and trust-based international cooperation is decisive\n- Non-conviction based forfeiture is indispensable when criminal routes are closed\n- Identifying beneficial ownership is central to effective asset recovery\n- Direct enforcement of foreign forfeiture orders increases efficiency and legal certainty\n- Asset sharing agreements strengthen cooperation incentives","Lessons learned from Colombia–Guernsey cooperation",{"id":42,"storage":43,"filename_disk":44,"filename_download":45,"title":46,"type":47,"created_on":48,"modified_on":48,"charset":7,"filesize":49,"width":50,"height":51,"duration":7,"embed":7,"description":7,"location":7,"tags":7,"metadata":52,"focal_point_x":7,"focal_point_y":7,"tus_id":7,"tus_data":7,"uploaded_on":48},"6f1661b8-eab6-4ce0-902d-f6c97f85dd29","local","6f1661b8-eab6-4ce0-902d-f6c97f85dd29.jpg","Case-Study-13_Beauty-Queen_Cover.jpg","Case Study 13_Beauty Queen_Colombia-Guernsey_Cover","image\u002Fjpeg","2026-06-01T22:18:29.000Z",133433,1389,1965,{},[54],{"id":55,"publications_id":56,"countries_id":80},1160,{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":57,"date_created":8,"user_updated":58,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":42,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":7,"year":15,"publisher":16,"date_published":17,"external":18,"topic":7,"link_internal":59,"link_external":62,"featured":18,"topics":65,"languages":66,"type":67,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":7,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":39,"short_version":7,"subtitle":40,"countries":68,"tags":69,"pdf":75,"authors":77},"3d9ff205-1640-4f34-b5b6-86977f51bbd6","b0662e2a-864d-4888-a1b7-4342b7570b30",[60,61],{"url":21,"caption":22},{"url":24,"caption":25},[63,64],{"url":28,"caption":29},{"url":31,"caption":32},[34],[36],[38],[55],[70,71,72,73,74],5218,5219,5220,5221,5222,[76],2495,[78,79],2639,2640,{"id":81,"name":82,"code":83,"latitude":84,"longitude":85},47,"Colombia","CO",4.57087,-74.29733,[87,105,123,141,159],{"id":70,"publications_id":88,"tags_id":102},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":57,"date_created":8,"user_updated":58,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":42,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":7,"year":15,"publisher":16,"date_published":17,"external":18,"topic":7,"link_internal":89,"link_external":92,"featured":18,"topics":95,"languages":96,"type":97,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":7,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":39,"short_version":7,"subtitle":40,"countries":98,"tags":99,"pdf":100,"authors":101},[90,91],{"url":21,"caption":22},{"url":24,"caption":25},[93,94],{"url":28,"caption":29},{"url":31,"caption":32},[34],[36],[38],[55],[70,71,72,73,74],[76],[78,79],{"id":103,"name":104},1379,"Non-conviction based forfeiture",{"id":71,"publications_id":106,"tags_id":120},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":57,"date_created":8,"user_updated":58,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":42,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":7,"year":15,"publisher":16,"date_published":17,"external":18,"topic":7,"link_internal":107,"link_external":110,"featured":18,"topics":113,"languages":114,"type":115,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":7,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":39,"short_version":7,"subtitle":40,"countries":116,"tags":117,"pdf":118,"authors":119},[108,109],{"url":21,"caption":22},{"url":24,"caption":25},[111,112],{"url":28,"caption":29},{"url":31,"caption":32},[34],[36],[38],[55],[70,71,72,73,74],[76],[78,79],{"id":121,"name":122},822,"International cooperation",{"id":72,"publications_id":124,"tags_id":138},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":57,"date_created":8,"user_updated":58,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":42,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":7,"year":15,"publisher":16,"date_published":17,"external":18,"topic":7,"link_internal":125,"link_external":128,"featured":18,"topics":131,"languages":132,"type":133,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":7,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":39,"short_version":7,"subtitle":40,"countries":134,"tags":135,"pdf":136,"authors":137},[126,127],{"url":21,"caption":22},{"url":24,"caption":25},[129,130],{"url":28,"caption":29},{"url":31,"caption":32},[34],[36],[38],[55],[70,71,72,73,74],[76],[78,79],{"id":139,"name":140},818,"Anti-money laundering",{"id":73,"publications_id":142,"tags_id":156},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":57,"date_created":8,"user_updated":58,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":42,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":7,"year":15,"publisher":16,"date_published":17,"external":18,"topic":7,"link_internal":143,"link_external":146,"featured":18,"topics":149,"languages":150,"type":151,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":7,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":39,"short_version":7,"subtitle":40,"countries":152,"tags":153,"pdf":154,"authors":155},[144,145],{"url":21,"caption":22},{"url":24,"caption":25},[147,148],{"url":28,"caption":29},{"url":31,"caption":32},[34],[36],[38],[55],[70,71,72,73,74],[76],[78,79],{"id":157,"name":158},1374,"Law enforcement",{"id":74,"publications_id":160,"tags_id":174},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":57,"date_created":8,"user_updated":58,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":42,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":7,"year":15,"publisher":16,"date_published":17,"external":18,"topic":7,"link_internal":161,"link_external":164,"featured":18,"topics":167,"languages":168,"type":169,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":7,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":39,"short_version":7,"subtitle":40,"countries":170,"tags":171,"pdf":172,"authors":173},[162,163],{"url":21,"caption":22},{"url":24,"caption":25},[165,166],{"url":28,"caption":29},{"url":31,"caption":32},[34],[36],[38],[55],[70,71,72,73,74],[76],[78,79],{"id":175,"name":176},843,"Asset recovery",[178],{"id":76,"publications_id":179,"directus_files_id":193},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":57,"date_created":8,"user_updated":58,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":42,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":7,"year":15,"publisher":16,"date_published":17,"external":18,"topic":7,"link_internal":180,"link_external":183,"featured":18,"topics":186,"languages":187,"type":188,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":7,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":39,"short_version":7,"subtitle":40,"countries":189,"tags":190,"pdf":191,"authors":192},[181,182],{"url":21,"caption":22},{"url":24,"caption":25},[184,185],{"url":28,"caption":29},{"url":31,"caption":32},[34],[36],[38],[55],[70,71,72,73,74],[76],[78,79],{"id":194,"storage":43,"filename_disk":195,"filename_download":196,"title":197,"type":198,"folder":199,"uploaded_by":57,"created_on":200,"modified_by":7,"modified_on":200,"charset":7,"filesize":201,"width":7,"height":7,"duration":7,"embed":7,"description":197,"location":7,"tags":7,"metadata":7,"focal_point_x":7,"focal_point_y":7,"tus_id":7,"tus_data":7,"uploaded_on":200},"e9314e72-6324-4a13-a0c3-9166983487c7","e9314e72-6324-4a13-a0c3-9166983487c7.pdf","Case-Study-13-Beauty-Queen.pdf","Download PDF","application\u002Fpdf","67f22e04-d26f-4baa-b91f-acc5f89d87f5","2026-06-01T22:34:26.000Z",3343696,[203,222],{"id":78,"publications_id":204,"authors_id":218},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":57,"date_created":8,"user_updated":58,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":42,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":7,"year":15,"publisher":16,"date_published":17,"external":18,"topic":7,"link_internal":205,"link_external":208,"featured":18,"topics":211,"languages":212,"type":213,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":7,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":39,"short_version":7,"subtitle":40,"countries":214,"tags":215,"pdf":216,"authors":217},[206,207],{"url":21,"caption":22},{"url":24,"caption":25},[209,210],{"url":28,"caption":29},{"url":31,"caption":32},[34],[36],[38],[55],[70,71,72,73,74],[76],[78,79],{"id":219,"name":220,"position":7,"image":221},294,"Oscar Solorzano","bb78436c-969e-40ca-9f3e-5e37ec0a95f9",{"id":79,"publications_id":223,"authors_id":237},{"id":5,"status":6,"sort":7,"user_created":57,"date_created":8,"user_updated":58,"date_updated":9,"nid":10,"slug":11,"image":42,"title":12,"body":13,"citation":14,"language":7,"year":15,"publisher":16,"date_published":17,"external":18,"topic":7,"link_internal":224,"link_external":227,"featured":18,"topics":230,"languages":231,"type":232,"area":7,"programme":7,"websites":7,"summary":7,"pdf_text":7,"main_points":39,"short_version":7,"subtitle":40,"countries":233,"tags":234,"pdf":235,"authors":236},[225,226],{"url":21,"caption":22},{"url":24,"caption":25},[228,229],{"url":28,"caption":29},{"url":31,"caption":32},[34],[36],[38],[55],[70,71,72,73,74],[76],[78,79],{"id":238,"name":239,"position":7,"image":7},591,"Diana Cordero",[241,275,321,361,398,454,486,519,563,605],{"id":242,"slug":243,"title":244,"status":6,"nid":245,"year":15,"body":246,"external":18,"topic":7,"language":7,"type":247,"date_published":17,"image":249,"citation":7,"publisher":16,"link_internal":250,"link_external":253,"authors":255,"countries":258,"tags":259,"pdf":268,"topics":270,"featured":18,"languages":271,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":57,"date_created":8,"user_updated":57,"date_updated":272,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":273,"link":274},2442,"pb-16","Policy Brief 16: Enforcing foreign non-conviction based forfeiture orders",2947,"This Policy Brief analyses emerging international standards aimed at addressing recurring challenges in judicial practice with regard to the enforcement of non-conviction based forfeiture orders issued by foreign states. It focuses in particular on the historical absence of a binding obligation on requested states to cooperate in such cases and, where cooperation is available, on the structural tension between direct and indirect enforcement models.\n\n[**Download Policy Brief here**](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002F2026-03\u002FPolicy-Brief-16_Enforcing-foreign-NCBF-orders.pdf)\n\nRevisions in 2023 to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations 4 and 38 seek to clarify and strengthen states’ cooperation in the enforcement of foreign forfeiture orders. In this context, the recognition and execution of foreign non-conviction based forfeiture orders are central components of the evolving international asset recovery framework.\n\nThrough analysis and case studies involving Latin American states and international financial centres, this Policy Brief demonstrates that the choice of procedural model for enforcing foreign forfeiture orders – direct or indirect – has significant implications, while acknowledging the competing legal and institutional interests involved.\n\nIn line with FATF Recommendation 38, the Policy Brief argues in favour of direct enforcement in the requested state, based on the facts established by the foreign authority. This promotes efficiency, legal certainty and mutual trust. Indirect enforcement models that may require domestic investigations by the requested state, on the other hand, often lead to delays, duplication and increased costs, which hinders international asset recovery efforts.\n\nThe analysis provides empirical insight into how the revised FATF standards address practical deficiencies and the implications for judicial practice in requested states. For the Latin American context, the Policy Brief suggests to go beyond technical compliance of domestic non-conviction based forfeiture regimes with the FATF standards to strengthen the effectiveness of cross-border enforcement in practice.\n\nThis Policy Brief can be read alongside [Case Study 13](http:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcs-13): “The Beauty Queen case: non-conviction based forfeiture across borders. Lessons learned from Colombia–Guernsey cooperation.”\n\n### About this Policy Brief\n\nThis publication is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Policy Brief series [ISSN 2624-9669](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications?type\\[]=257). You may freely share or republish it under a Creative Commons [BY-NC-ND 4.0](https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-nc-nd\u002F4.0\u002F) licence.\n\nIt is a publication of the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) at the Basel Institute on Governance. ICAR receives core funding from the Governments of Jersey, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the UK.\n\n**Disclaimer**: This Policy Brief is intended for general informational purposes and does not constitute and\u002For substitute legal or other professional advice. The contents are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Basel Institute on Governance, its donors and partners, or the University of Basel.\n\n**Suggested citation**: Solórzano, Oscar. 2026. \"Enforcing foreign non-conviction based forfeiture orders: FATF standards and asset recovery practice in Latin America and financial centres.\" Policy Brief 16, Basel Institute on Governance. Available at: [baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fpb-16](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fpb-16).",[248],"Policy Brief","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Ff866220c-dddd-41b3-a45e-c2d7992d39e1?width=600&height=840",[251],{"url":24,"caption":252},"Read related Case Study 13",[254],{"url":31,"caption":32},[256],{"authors_id":257},{"id":219,"name":220},[],[260,262,264,266],{"tags_id":261},{"id":103,"name":104},{"tags_id":263},{"id":121,"name":122},{"tags_id":265},{"id":139,"name":140},{"tags_id":267},{"id":157,"name":158},[269],2496,[34],[36],"2026-06-02T14:16:22.000Z","FATF standards and asset recovery practice in Latin America and financial centres","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fpb-16",{"id":276,"slug":277,"title":278,"status":6,"nid":279,"year":280,"body":281,"external":18,"topic":282,"language":36,"type":284,"date_published":285,"image":286,"citation":287,"publisher":16,"link_internal":288,"link_external":292,"authors":293,"countries":298,"tags":307,"pdf":312,"topics":314,"featured":18,"languages":315,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":316,"date_created":317,"user_updated":58,"date_updated":318,"main_points":319,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":320},2265,"case-study-10-using-full-legal-means-confiscate-illicit-assets-time-war","Case Study 10: Using full legal means to confiscate illicit assets in a time of war",2390,2023,"This case study describes how Switzerland is putting to test a rarely used but powerful law in order to confiscate assets connected to Ukraine’s 2014 Revolution of Dignity, with the aim of returning these to Ukraine.\n\n### Open-access licence and acknowledgements\n\nThis publication is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Case Study series, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fcase-studies\">ISSN 2813-3900\u003C\u002Fa>. It is licensed for sharing under a Creative Commons \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-nc-nd\u002F4.0\u002F\">BY-NC-ND 4.0\u003C\u002Fa> licence.\n\nThe Case Study series offers practitioners insights into interesting and precedent-setting cases involving corruption and asset recovery. Many such cases are drawn from partner countries of the Basel Institute's \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery\">International Centre for Asset Recovery\u003C\u002Fa>.\n\nSuggested citation: International Centre for Asset Recovery. 2023. “Using full legal means to confiscate illicit assets in a time of war.\" *Case Study* 10, Basel Institute on Governance. Available at: baselgovernance.org\u002Fcase-studies.",[283],"Asset Recovery",[38],"2023-02-20","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fbc1ae384-869c-4342-b438-53bbe4e5c6f6?width=600&height=840","",[289],{"url":290,"caption":291},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications?type=Case%20Study"," View all Case Studies",[],[294],{"authors_id":295},{"id":296,"name":297},363,"International Centre for Asset Recovery",[299,303],{"countries_id":300},{"id":301,"name":302},225,"Ukraine",{"countries_id":304},{"id":305,"name":306},41,"Switzerland",[308,310],{"tags_id":309},{"id":175,"name":176},{"tags_id":311},{"id":121,"name":122},[313],2305,[34],[36],"03bebfd8-0b40-4a2a-820d-b9d9c13b9de6","2023-02-20T17:04:16.000Z","2026-06-02T21:19:57.000Z","- Switzerland is in the midst of administrative proceedings to confiscate around CHF 130 million in assets linked to the regime of former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych. \n- This case study examines the first of a series of cases concerned by these proceedings. Announced in May 2022, it involves over CHF 100 million in assets held by a close associate of the former president, Yuriy Ivanyushchenko and his family. They have been frozen in Switzerland since Yanukovych was deposed in Ukraine’s 2014 Revolution of Dignity.\n- These efforts are significant as they may allow the return of assets to the people of Ukraine at a time of immense need.\n- Just as importantly though, the move demonstrates how states can proactively seek ways to use their full legal toolkit to confiscate illicit assets linked to political exposed persons and ensure they are put to good use.\n- It also demonstrates how states have opportunities to strengthen their adoption and use of established asset recovery mechanisms to interrupt the type of kleptocracies that have enabled the war in Ukraine in the first place. ","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fcase-study-10-using-full-legal-means-confiscate-illicit-assets-time-war",{"id":322,"slug":323,"title":324,"status":6,"nid":325,"year":326,"body":327,"external":18,"topic":328,"language":36,"type":329,"date_published":331,"image":332,"citation":287,"publisher":333,"link_internal":334,"link_external":335,"authors":339,"countries":344,"tags":347,"pdf":356,"topics":357,"featured":18,"languages":7,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":316,"date_created":358,"user_updated":57,"date_updated":359,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":360},2424,"back-action-how-uk-reviving-unexplained-wealth-orders-academy-bulletin","Back in Action: How the UK is reviving unexplained wealth orders (The Academy Bulletin)",2864,2025,"In an article published in the Fall 2025 issue of the Bulletin of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffinancialcrimelitigators.org\u002F\">International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators\u003C\u002Fa>, Andrew Dornbierer explores the revival of unexplained wealth orders (UWOs) in the United Kingdom.\n\nIntroduced in 2017 as a tool to combat the abuse of UK's markets to launder criminal proceeds, the UWO mechanism suffered a severe setback in 2020. After only a handful of attempts to use it, a decision by the High Court effectively left it sprawled on the canvas.\n\nIn the last year or so, however, the mechanism has slowly started to prove itself. Most recently, the UK's Serious Fraud Office – in its first use of the UK's UWO mechanism – secured GBP 1.1 million from the sale of a property belonging to the ex-wife of a convicted fraudster.\n\nThis article offers a short history of UWOs in the UK. It examines how, after a turbulent start and subsequent amendments to the mechanism, UWOs are now back to being used by UK authorities to tackle illicit financial flows. If applied responsibly, proportionately and in harmony with established legal rights, unexplained wealth orders promise to be a powerful tool in the UK’s fight to recover criminal assets.\n\nThis is the fifth issue of The Academy's Bulletin. It has been established to transmit the work of Academy Fellows, draw attention to matters of importance to the legal community and provide high-level analysis of cutting-edge issues in global financial crime investigations and litigation. The Basel Institute on Governance acts as Secretariat to the Academy.",[283],[330],"Article","2025-11-03","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fc313d2fa-3e1c-43ab-b40e-3e418d819df1?width=600&height=840","International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators",[],[336],{"url":337,"caption":338},"https:\u002F\u002Fedit.financialcrimelitigators.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fb401d6c9-b0e4-4ab9-ad1f-948c567c6ab3.pdf","Fall 2025 Bulletin of the International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators",[340],{"authors_id":341},{"id":342,"name":343},306,"Andrew Dornbierer",[345],{"countries_id":346},{"id":301,"name":302},[348,350,352],{"tags_id":349},{"id":175,"name":176},{"tags_id":351},{"id":139,"name":140},{"tags_id":353},{"id":354,"name":355},821,"Unexplained wealth",[],[34],"2025-11-03T11:05:50.000Z","2026-05-29T22:23:01.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fback-action-how-uk-reviving-unexplained-wealth-orders-academy-bulletin",{"id":362,"slug":363,"title":364,"status":6,"nid":365,"year":366,"body":367,"external":18,"topic":368,"language":36,"type":370,"date_published":372,"image":373,"citation":287,"publisher":16,"link_internal":374,"link_external":375,"authors":376,"countries":381,"tags":382,"pdf":391,"topics":393,"featured":18,"languages":394,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":316,"date_created":395,"user_updated":57,"date_updated":396,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":397},2378,"qg34","Quick Guide 34: Public-private partnerships for financial intelligence sharing",2724,2024,"Financial intelligence is the staple food of investigations into corruption, money laundering and other financial crimes.\n\nMuch financial intelligence is held by private-sector institutions such as banks and other financial service providers. How does that get into the hands of law enforcement, where it can trigger or inform investigations? And how can we improve the system?\n\nThis Quick Guide gives a brief introduction to public-private partnerships or platforms for financial intelligence sharing. It sets out how they work in practice, and how they can improve the sharing of targeted, useful information between law enforcement and financial institutions.\n\n### About this Quick Guide\n\nYou are free to share and republish this work under a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-nc-nd\u002F4.0\u002F\">Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 Licence\u003C\u002Fa>. It is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Quick Guide series, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications?type=2428\">ISSN 2673-5229\u003C\u002Fa>.",[369,283],"Anti-Money Laundering",[371],"Quick Guide","2024-11-25","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F01dea28f-22b8-47cd-bf86-ddee24683c2b?width=600&height=840",[],[],[377],{"authors_id":378},{"id":379,"name":380},327,"Simon Marsh",[],[383,387,389],{"tags_id":384},{"id":385,"name":386},1193,"Financial investigations",{"tags_id":388},{"id":139,"name":140},{"tags_id":390},{"id":157,"name":158},[392],2416,[369,34],[36],"2024-12-05T14:06:47.000Z","2026-05-31T22:51:55.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fqg34",{"id":399,"slug":400,"title":401,"status":6,"nid":402,"year":366,"body":403,"external":18,"topic":404,"language":36,"type":405,"date_published":407,"image":408,"citation":287,"publisher":16,"link_internal":409,"link_external":413,"authors":417,"countries":420,"tags":425,"pdf":446,"topics":448,"featured":449,"languages":450,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":316,"date_created":451,"user_updated":57,"date_updated":452,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":453},2366,"wp-54","Working Paper 54: Targeting illicit wealth through non-conviction based forfeiture: Identifying human rights and other standards for Latin America",2701,"This Working Paper explores the wide variety of non-conviction based (NCB) forfeiture laws in Latin America, with a special focus on the region’s predominant model, *Extinción de dominio*.\n\nIt argues that NCB forfeiture legislation, which allows for the recovery of stolen assets outside of criminal proceedings, can contribute significantly to a state’s criminal policy response to rampant economic and organised crime.\n\nThe paper emphasises the importance of critically reviewing and harmonising domestic practices of NCB forfeiture around emerging standards, so that they can reach their large potential in asset recovery. Ensuring their alignment with international human rights and other recognised norms and procedural rules ultimately builds trust, lends legitimacy and fosters judicial cooperation in international NCB forfeiture cases.\n\n### About this report\n\nThe paper is based on experience gained through the Basel Institute’s \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery\">International Centre for Asset Recovery\u003C\u002Fa> (ICAR), which since 2006 has supported partner countries in investigating, prosecuting and recovering assets arising from grand corruption and other crimes.\n\nThis paper is published as part of the Basel Institute on Governance Working Paper series, ISSN: 2624-9650. You may share or republish the Working Paper under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-nc-nd\u002F4.0\u002Fdeed.en\">CC BY-NC-ND 4.0\u003C\u002Fa>).\n\nSuggested citation: Solórzano, Oscar. 2024. ‘Targeting illicit wealth through non-conviction based forfeiture: Identifying human rights and other standards for Latin America.’ Working Paper 54, Basel Institute on Governance. Available at: baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-54.",[283],[406],"Working Paper","2024-09-30","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F37616510-2f1f-4ab6-9405-845433d6fa3b?width=600&height=840",[410],{"url":411,"caption":412},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications?type=Working%20Paper"," View all Working Papers",[414],{"url":415,"caption":416},"route:\u003Cnolink>"," Download PDF (Spanish - forthcoming)",[418],{"authors_id":419},{"id":219,"name":220},[421],{"countries_id":422},{"id":423,"name":424},171,"Peru",[426,428,432,436,440,442],{"tags_id":427},{"id":175,"name":176},{"tags_id":429},{"id":430,"name":431},932,"Human rights",{"tags_id":433},{"id":434,"name":435},867,"Financial crime",{"tags_id":437},{"id":438,"name":439},967,"Organised crime",{"tags_id":441},{"id":103,"name":104},{"tags_id":443},{"id":444,"name":445},1215,"Illicit financial flows",[447],2404,[34],true,[36],"2024-10-03T16:05:11.000Z","2026-06-02T14:08:47.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-54",{"id":455,"slug":456,"title":457,"status":6,"nid":458,"year":366,"body":459,"external":18,"topic":460,"language":36,"type":461,"date_published":462,"image":463,"citation":287,"publisher":464,"link_internal":465,"link_external":469,"authors":470,"countries":473,"tags":474,"pdf":479,"topics":481,"featured":18,"languages":482,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":316,"date_created":483,"user_updated":57,"date_updated":484,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":485},2347,"quick-guide-30-asset-recovery-legislation-best-practices","Quick Guide 30: Asset recovery legislation – best practices",2622,"Asset recovery tools are integral to combatting corruption, organised crime, sanctions evasion and other profit-motivated crimes. However, in many states, the range of asset recovery tools available to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies is limited. \n\nThis quick guide examines the established good practices in asset recovery legislation as well as less conventional, broader measures. It shows how states can widen their asset recovery toolkit and increase the potential for asset recovery success. \n\nIt is drawn from a comparative study of good practices in asset recovery legislation in selected Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) participating States, published as Working Paper 51 in March 2024 by the Basel Institute on Governance and OSCE. \n\n### About this Quick Guide\n\nThis work is licensed under a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-nc-nd\u002F4.0\u002F\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License\u003C\u002Fa>. It is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Quick Guide series, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications?type=2428\">ISSN 2673-5229\u003C\u002Fa>.",[283],[371],"2024-05-07","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fafbbcd0b-c295-4832-83bf-742d000ed004?width=600&height=840","Basel Institute on Governance ",[466],{"url":467,"caption":468},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-51"," View full Working Paper 51",[],[471],{"authors_id":472},{"id":342,"name":343},[],[475,477],{"tags_id":476},{"id":175,"name":176},{"tags_id":478},{"id":103,"name":104},[480],2386,[34],[36],"2024-05-07T10:05:12.000Z","2026-06-02T14:08:45.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fquick-guide-30-asset-recovery-legislation-best-practices",{"id":487,"slug":488,"title":489,"status":6,"nid":490,"year":366,"body":491,"external":18,"topic":492,"language":36,"type":493,"date_published":494,"image":495,"citation":496,"publisher":497,"link_internal":498,"link_external":500,"authors":501,"countries":504,"tags":505,"pdf":514,"topics":516,"featured":18,"languages":517,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":316,"date_created":518,"user_updated":57,"date_updated":484,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":467},2340,"wp-51","Working Paper 51: Good practices in asset recovery legislation in selected OSCE participating States",2607,"Asset recovery tools are integral to combating corruption, organised crime, sanctions evasion and other profit-motivated crimes. However, in many participating States of the OSCE, the range of asset recovery tools available to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies is limited.\n\nThis Working Paper identifies legislative mechanisms in OSCE participating States that empower the state to confiscate suspected or proven proceeds of crime. The overall objective is to ascertain: \n\n\n- Established good practices with regard to the design of these legislative mechanisms.\n- Any unique approaches that particular countries have taken in this context that could be replicated and tested in other jurisdictions.\n\n\nIt covers:\n\n\n- Conviction-based asset recovery mechanisms.\n- Non-conviction based mechanisms including civil recovery.\n- Additional mechanisms such as illicit enrichment laws and other laws that reverse the burden of proof regarding the legitimacy of assets.\n- Considerations regarding the adoption of broader asset recovery laws.\n- Approaches to the disposal of confiscated assets.\n- Common challenges in the implementation of asset recovery mechanisms.\n\n\n### About this report\n\nThis comparative study was conducted and drafted by the International Centre for Asset Recovery at the Basel Institute on Governance for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The paper was commissioned under the extra-budgetary project ‘Strengthening asset recovery efforts in the OSCE region’ implemented by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.\n\nIt is published as part of the Basel Institute on Governance Working Paper series, ISSN: 2624-9650. You may share or republish it under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence.\n\n### Disclaimer\n\nThis Working Paper is intended for general informational purposes and does not constitute and\u002For substitute legal or other professional advice. The contents are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and the official position of the Basel Institute on Governance, the OSCE and its participating States.",[283],[406],"2024-03-25","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F874c9d29-7337-4e37-8b50-36a26d00bf28?width=600&height=840","Dornbierer, Andrew. 2024. ‘Good practices in asset recovery legislation in selected OSCE participating States.’ Working Paper 51, Basel Institute on Governance and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Available at: baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-51","Basel Institute on Governance; Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)",[499],{"url":411,"caption":412},[],[502],{"authors_id":503},{"id":342,"name":343},[],[506,508,510,512],{"tags_id":507},{"id":354,"name":355},{"tags_id":509},{"id":103,"name":104},{"tags_id":511},{"id":175,"name":176},{"tags_id":513},{"id":444,"name":445},[515],2377,[34],[36],"2024-03-25T11:04:47.000Z",{"id":520,"slug":521,"title":522,"status":6,"nid":523,"year":280,"body":524,"external":18,"topic":525,"language":36,"type":526,"date_published":527,"image":528,"citation":287,"publisher":16,"link_internal":529,"link_external":533,"authors":537,"countries":542,"tags":543,"pdf":556,"topics":558,"featured":18,"languages":559,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":316,"date_created":560,"user_updated":57,"date_updated":561,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":562},2295,"pb-12","Policy Brief 12: De-risking of Russian clients: best intentions, unintended consequences",2480,"After the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the wide-reaching sanctions which ensued, many Western financial institutions began to de-risk Russian clients. Dealing with Russian clients, in many cases, has become expensive from a compliance point of view and toxic from the reputational side.\n\nHowever, the de-risking of unsanctioned Russian individuals may have a significant impact on the fight against financial crime by potentially causing:\n\n\n- an increase in the use of shadow\u002Funregulated channels of moving money;\n- a withdrawal of funds away from the European zone to sanctioned countries or non-cooperative jurisdictions;\n- severe burdens on the investigation of financial crimes (especially in relation to Russian assets and investments) and on international cooperation in criminal matters;\n- increased opportunities for enablers, such as unscrupulous lawyers and accountants, to take advantage of the situation.\n\n\nThis Policy Brief outlines the current situation and suggests how to better manage risk without having a negative impact on the fight against financial crime.\n\n### About this Policy Brief\n\nThis publication is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Policy Brief series, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications?type[]=257\">ISSN 2624-9669\u003C\u002Fa> and relates to the Basel AML Index of money laundering risk.\n\nYou may freely share or republish it under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-nc-nd\u002F4.0\u002F\">CC BY-NC-ND 4.0\u003C\u002Fa>). Suggested citation: Boguslavska, Kateryna. 2023. ‘De-risking of Russian clients: best intentions, unintended consequences.’ Policy Brief 12, Basel Institute on Governance, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fpb-12\">https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fpb-12\u003C\u002Fa>.",[369,283],[248],"2023-06-30","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F8013d7b0-82aa-46f8-bde7-a8790f71a59e?width=600&height=840",[530],{"url":531,"caption":532},"\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications?type=Policy%20Brief"," View all Policy Briefs",[534],{"url":535,"caption":536},"https:\u002F\u002Findex.baselgovernance.org\u002F"," Visit Basel AML Index website",[538],{"authors_id":539},{"id":540,"name":541},301,"Kateryna Boguslavska",[],[544,546,550,554],{"tags_id":545},{"id":139,"name":140},{"tags_id":547},{"id":548,"name":549},1236,"Compliance",{"tags_id":551},{"id":552,"name":553},1227,"Sanctions",{"tags_id":555},{"id":157,"name":158},[557],2333,[369,34],[36],"2023-06-30T08:38:07.000Z","2026-06-02T14:09:08.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fpb-12",{"id":564,"slug":565,"title":566,"status":6,"nid":567,"year":280,"body":568,"external":18,"topic":569,"language":36,"type":570,"date_published":285,"image":571,"citation":287,"publisher":16,"link_internal":572,"link_external":573,"authors":574,"countries":577,"tags":588,"pdf":599,"topics":600,"featured":18,"languages":601,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":316,"date_created":602,"user_updated":57,"date_updated":603,"main_points":7,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":604},2266,"wp-42","[Forthcoming] Working Paper 42: Confiscating assets frozen under sanctions without undermining the rule of law",2338,"This paper will be released on 21 February 2023.\n\nWritten in the light of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, the Working Paper explores whether it is justifiable to confiscate assets frozen under financial sanctions in order to redirect them to the victims of state aggression. \n\nThe paper first explores the concept of sanctions and financial sanctions (asset freezes) and what they mean in practice.\n\nUsing the example of Canada, which has introduced a legislative mechanism for this purpose, the paper analyses whether states should be able to confiscate sanctioned assets purely on the basis that they have been sanctioned.\n\nIt then looks at more established measures that states could adopt and apply to target sanctioned assets, including:\n\n\n- Traditional conviction based confiscation measures, including 'extended confiscation' mechanisms\n- Non-conviction based confiscation (forfeiture) measures\n- Unexplained wealth laws\n\n\nThe paper recommends ways to maximise the effectiveness of these alternative avenues for recovering assets, which are much less controversial and can arguably be applied without infringing on legal rights. \n\nOpting for mechanisms that abide by established legal rights will not only significantly increase the chance of recovering assets without subsequent legal challenges. It will also ensure that the very reason for targeting the assets in the first place – namely to seek justice and compensation for acts of aggression – is not undermined through the erosion of the rule of law. \n\n### About this Paper\n\nThis Working Paper was prepared by the Basel Institute on Governance.\n\nIt is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Working Paper Series, ISSN: 2624-9650. You may share or republish the Working Paper under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (\u003Ca href=\"mailto:https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-nc-nd\u002F4.0\u002F\">CC BY-NC-ND 4.0\u003C\u002Fa>).\n\nSuggested citation: Dornbierer, Andrew. 2023. ‘Confiscating assets frozen under sanctions without undermining the rule of law.’ Working Paper 42, Basel Institute on Governance. Available at: \u003Ca href=\"mailto:https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-42\">baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-42\u003C\u002Fa>.\n\n### Acknowledgements\n\nThe Basel Institute would like to thank Isys Lam and the law firms of \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbonifassi-avocats.com\u002Fen\u002F\">Bonifassi Avocats\u003C\u002Fa> (France), \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hengeler.com\u002Fen\">Hengeler Mueller\u003C\u002Fa> (Germany), \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bennettjones.com\u002F\">Bennett Jones\u003C\u002Fa> (Canada) and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.raassociados.pt\u002F\">Rogério Alves & Associados\u003C\u002Fa> (Portugal) for their support in providing research for this paper.\n\nThe Basel Institute would also like to thank Stefan Lenz, Stefan Cassella, Maria Nizzero, Nicola Bonucci and Oscar Solórzano for their support in reviewing the content of the paper and recommending amendments.",[283],[406],"https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Faaa4fae3-eea5-4be3-95b1-4de7e87fabb4?width=600&height=840",[],[],[575],{"authors_id":576},{"id":342,"name":343},[578,582,586],{"countries_id":579},{"id":580,"name":581},36,"Canada",{"countries_id":583},{"id":584,"name":585},188,"Russia",{"countries_id":587},{"id":301,"name":302},[589,591,593,595,597],{"tags_id":590},{"id":552,"name":553},{"tags_id":592},{"id":354,"name":355},{"tags_id":594},{"id":175,"name":176},{"tags_id":596},{"id":103,"name":104},{"tags_id":598},{"id":444,"name":445},[],[34],[36],"2023-02-20T17:04:17.000Z","2026-05-31T22:52:10.000Z","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-42",{"id":606,"slug":607,"title":608,"status":6,"nid":609,"year":326,"body":610,"external":18,"topic":611,"language":36,"type":612,"date_published":613,"image":614,"citation":615,"publisher":616,"link_internal":617,"link_external":619,"authors":620,"countries":621,"tags":632,"pdf":635,"topics":637,"featured":18,"languages":7,"summary":7,"programme":7,"area":7,"websites":7,"pdf_text":7,"sort":7,"user_created":316,"date_created":638,"user_updated":57,"date_updated":639,"main_points":640,"short_version":7,"subtitle":7,"link":641},2427,"cs-11","International cooperation in the Migori County corruption case",2870,"This Case Study describes how Kenya obtained crucial overseas intelligence in a corruption case through the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre, leading to the recovery of USD 1.8 million in assets for the Kenyan people.\n\n### About this Case Study\n\nThis publication is part of the Basel Institute on Governance Case Study series, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fcase-studies\">ISSN 2813-3900\u003C\u002Fa>. It is licensed for sharing under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-nc-nd\u002F4.0\u002F\">CC BY-NC-ND 4.0\u003C\u002Fa>).\n\nIt is a publication of the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) at the Basel Institute on Governance. ICAR receives core funding from the Governments of Jersey, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the UK.\n\nWhile we have made reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of information provided in this Case Study, neither the authors nor the Basel Institute’s donors and partners assume any responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions.",[283],[38],"2025-11-18","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fb444532c-4291-4a7f-a981-5d08183eb628?width=600&height=840","Basel Institute on Governance, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (Kenya) and International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre. 2025. “International cooperation in the Migori County corruption case.” Case Study 11, Basel Institute on Governance. Available at: \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcs-11\">baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcs-11\u003C\u002Fa>","Basel Institute on Governance, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (Kenya) and International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre",[618],{"url":290,"caption":291},[],[],[622,626,630],{"countries_id":623},{"id":624,"name":625},113,"Kenya",{"countries_id":627},{"id":628,"name":629},14,"Australia",{"countries_id":631},{"id":301,"name":302},[633],{"tags_id":634},{"id":121,"name":122},[636],2482,[34],"2025-11-18T17:05:42.000Z","2026-06-02T14:08:56.000Z","- Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) established that between 2013 and 2017, around KES 2 billion (USD 15.5 million) was embezzled from the County Government of Migori in southwest Kenya through unlawful and irregular procurement contracts. The money was spent on property, high-end vehicles and university tuition fees for the former County Governor’s children.\n- Through the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC), the EACC obtained crucial intelligence on the suspect’s assets, travels and purchases in several jurisdictions.\n- This enabled the EACC to prepare and submit precise mutual legal assistance requests, with the assistance of a mentor from the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR).\n- The end result was timely evidence collection and an out-of-court settlement worth KES 235.6 million (USD 1.8 million) in property and vehicles. The assets will be liquidated and ultimately returned to the Kenyan treasury.\n- The case highlights the value of the IACCC as a mechanism for efficient and coordinated international cooperation in grand corruption investigations, and the benefits of ICAR’s case-based technical assistance in complex, cross-border corruption cases.","\u002Fresources\u002Fpublications\u002Fcs-11",1780676571259]