How investigative journalists expose risks, support law enforcement action and strengthen accountability in the use of virtual assets

The expansion of virtual assets has reshaped financial ecosystems, bringing innovation but also significant risks linked to fraud, money laundering and other financial crimes. Alongside governments and international organisations, investigative journalists play a critical role in identifying abuses, raising awareness and promoting accountability.

Case studies of how international organisations and networks support national and global efforts to counter illicit use of virtual assets

The rapid growth of virtual assets has created new challenges for law enforcement agencies and public authorities tasked with preventing and investigating financial crime. While governments remain at the forefront of regulatory and enforcement responses, international organisations and professional networks play an increasingly important role in strengthening national capacities and fostering cross-border cooperation.

This 1.5-hour roundtable will examine the Odebrecht case from the perspective of practitioners of a) countries that have prosecuted the company for bribing foreign public officials (recipient states); and b) countries whose public agents were bribed (victim states).

These perspectives are supplemented by the global vision of the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) and other specialised civil society organisations that have been providing technical assistance to several Latin American countries in this emblematic case for almost a decade.