Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

UK slammed for ‘under-enforcement’ of corruption laws as new report identifies £325 BILLION in ‘suspect’ cash

UK slammed for ‘under-enforcement’ of corruption laws as new report identifies £325 BILLION in ‘suspect’ cash

It’s no secret that some of the world’s most corrupt flock to the UK to take advantage of lax enforcement of anti-corruption laws, but new research claims to show how UK firms are wittingly and unwittingly facilitating the crime.
Transparency International (TI) analyzed more than 400 corruption and money-laundering cases, totalling £325 billion-worth of “suspect funds,” and revealed the lavish spending habits of the elite.

Among other things, TI said corrupt money had been spent on a £1 million Cartier ring and huge sums on masterpieces from Sotheby’s, a Tom Ford crocodile-skin jacket and matching handbag from Harrods, 421 luxury properties worth £5 billion – and a hovercraft.

The cash in question frequently comes from embezzlement by corrupt state officials in foreign countries, the report said. British service providers, it adds, “have been involved in some of the most egregious cases of corruption in our time.”

Yet, despite the fact that the problem is occurring on a regular basis, Britain seems unable or unwilling to tackle it efficiently. TI said laws to combat such corruption "remain under-enforced" – and the lax enforcement therefore contributes to the "lack of a credible deterrent against wrongdoing."

The report found that 582 British firms or individuals had helped the super-rich bring their dodgy money into the country. Money was laundered through a whopping 17,000 shell companies and, incredibly, 1,455 of those were registered to the same address, over a wine bar in Birmingham.

The report also points to "significant deficiencies" in the UK's corporate liability laws, which mean it is incredibly difficult to successfully prosecute a big multi-national company for money laundering or bribery.

The nature of the involvement of British companies and institutions in these schemes varies from “unwitting involvement” to fully complicit and “knowingly facilitating” corruption.

The Chief Executive of Transparency International UK, Daniel Bruce, said that while government and law enforcement agencies have made progress in recent years, it is still "far too easy" for corrupt individuals to receive assistance from UK businesses. "There remains too much poor practice to be able to assume bad behaviour is confined to a few rotten apples," he said.

“This should act as a wake-up call for Government and regulators, and deliver much-needed reforms to the UK’s defences against dirty money,” Duncan Hames, director of policy at Transparency International UK, said.

London has long been seen as a playground for the rich and corrupt, but it’s not just luxury items that these people are after, either. They are also forking out cash on “educational consultants” to help secure places for their kids at the most prestigious British schools and universities. Nearly £3 million was paid to private schools like Charterhouse and Lancing College. Universities like the London School of Economics and University College London also received hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The report describes the UK property market as a "prime destination" for criminals to launder and enjoy their stolen wealth "with impunity" – using the properties as their own personal "safety-deposit box."

In May, Zamira Hajiyeva, the wife of a corrupt Azeri banker serving 15 years in prison, became the subject of the UK's first unexplained wealth orders (UWO). Hajiyeva coughed up £30,000 on luxury Godiva chocolates at Harrods as part of a decade-long, £16 million spending spree.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
×