John Heathershaw and Tom Mayne chaired by Oliver Bullough

Experts in international affairs and corruption Professor John Heathershaw and Tom Mayne discuss their analysis of how Western professionals have enabled kleptocratic elite networks and undermined the rule of law.

The authors explain how the British government allowed extremely wealthy kleptocrats based largely in Russia and Eurasia to move to London and thrive with impunity. They use case studies to show how financial, legal and other services gamed the system to allow these kleptocrats to operate. It includes how they exploited deregulation, under-enforcement of the law and offshore finance and how they enhanced influence and reputations through philanthropy and political donations. Heathershaw, Prelec and their co-author Tom Mayne argue that kleptocracy is not just a moral problem, it also impoverishes the global south and undermines institutions in the global north.

Heathershaw is professor of international relations at the University of Exeter and author of Dictators Without Borders and The UK’s Kleptocracy Problem. Mayne is a research fellow at the University of Exeter and former investigator for Global Witness. He has authored a variety of reports on corruption, kleptocracy, and the UK’s anti-money laundering regulations and legislations, including Criminality Notwithstanding (with Heathershaw).

Discussions are chaired by journalist Oliver Bullough, author of Butler to the World and Moneyland.