Debra LaPrevotte | Rule of Law — FBI Kleptocracy Program | Global Corruption

Debra LaPrevotte is a Senior Investigator for The Sentry, Former Supervisory Special Agent on the International Corruption Unit at FBI, Washington, DC, and instrumental in launching the FBI's Kleptocracy program. Debra LaPrevotte reviews the initiation of the FBI’s Kleptocracy program and seizing more than $1 billion from corrupt foreign officials, including the recovering $630 million of Nigerian government funds stolen by General Sani Abacha, former President of Nigeria. American leadership is confronting foreign corrupt officials and transnational organized crime and terror networks. Global corruption is negatively impacting America's economy and security. A kleptocracy—loosely translated from Greek as “rule by thieves”—is a form of political or government corruption involving officials who steal from their government treasuries to enrich their own personal wealth." Debra LaPrevotte clearly articulates the serious threats to America's democracy and national security which is posed by imported corruption and illicit financial flows from authoritarian regimes and mafia states. The conversation also covers the perilous Balkan Route which brings into the heart of Europe heroin from Afghanistan which finances terrorist networks including al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah and ISIS. The annual $28 billion in heroin from Afghanistan passes through NATO member states Albania, Croatia and Montenegro, countries with high levels of corruption, significant illicit financial outflows and parlous judicial systems: https://medium.com/@LeadersSummit/croatias-judicial-independence-dropped-to-126th-out-of-141-countries-in-world-economic-forum-s-aef48aa4c678 Further reading and viewing: Quartz Africa | How Africa’s richest woman bought her way out of scrutiny from Western banks https://qz.com/africa/1787255/how-isabel-dos-santos-sidestepped-a-crackdown-by-western-banks/ The Irish Times | Ex- EU official among names revealed in huge Bahamas documents leak https://www.irishtimes.com/business/ex-eu-official-among-names-revealed-in-huge-bahamas-documents-leak-1.2800015 U.S. sanctions top South Sudanese officials, ex-general https://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article63432 Anti-corruption groups urge EFCC to seize $56m private jet belonging to Dan Etete, former petroleum minister https://www.icirnigeria.org/anti-corruption-groups-urge-efcc-to-seize-56m-private-jet-belonging-to-dan-etete-former-petroleum-minister/ Isabel dos Santos e marido usaram paraíso fiscal americano para esconder imóvel de Lisboa https://www.voaportugues.com/a/isabel-dos-santos-e-marido-usaram-para%C3%ADso-fiscal-americano-para-esconder-im%C3%B3vel-de-lisboa/5305522.html @YouTube - CBN News: Cut Off Terrorism Funding | America, Europe, Balkan Route - Afghanistan https://youtu.be/dlt3wgkbAJc @YouTube - HRT News: Rijeka, Croatia: Mayor Vojko Obersnel - Partner to Nigeria's Money Launderer, Flagged by US Justice https://youtu.be/Ak4Pkase4VY From a published report - Debra LaPrevotte: "We are trying to show that the United States will never be a safe haven for kleptocrats or their money. So we're fighting the good fight. When you have a bad, corrupt regime, you have instability in that country. When you have instability, what you don't have is jobs. And you want to talk about a breeding ground for terrorism..."