Ghost Vendors and Hidden Payments: How Fraud Moves Through Modern Supply Chains in the MENA Region

Supply chains are no longer just operational ecosystems. They have become exposure points for fraud, corruption, regulatory breaches and hidden financial risk. Behind every primary supplier lies a network of subcontractors, intermediaries and third parties that businesses often do not fully see, monitor or control. In the fast-moving markets of the MENA region, that complexity can become the perfect camouflage for misconduct. It often begins quietly: an inflated invoice, an undisclosed intermediary, or payments structured to avoid scrutiny. Eighteen months later, what appeared to be a minor irregularity can evolve into a significant regulatory, financial and reputational issue. In Episode 3 of “Everywhere with Ibtissem”, Ibtissem Lassoued examines how supply chain fraud has evolved into increasingly sophisticated and data-driven schemes, and why boards, compliance teams and management can no longer afford to treat supply chain risk as a purely operational matter.