Wikileaks for Africa? Introducing Afrileaks
A new service launched on 13 January hopes to safely connect whistle-blowers with investigative journalists, encouraging a ‘new culture of accountability and justice’ across the African continent. It’s the first of its kind to provide ongoing technical training in how to “verify and investigate the quality of leaks”. (The Guardian).
Meet Brazil's black-market central banker
Alberto Youssef – a rum-runner turned money-launderer turned reputed billionaire – has emerged as a principal player in the biggest corruption scandal Brazil has ever seen. He’s told prosecutors how he spirited hundreds of millions of dollars through Brazil and beyond as part of a kickback scheme involving state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA, the nation’s biggest builders and top politicians. His story is a portrait miniature of Brazil’s economic promise and failure, and of the nation’s long struggle with crime, corruption and bureaucracy. (Bloomberg)
Stronger measures in pipeline to keep Singapore’s anti-corruption culture alive
The trust that Singaporeans have in the public service is critical, and public servants must never take this for granted, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at the Public Service Values Conference on 13 January. Among the government’s plans to ensure this trust are a review of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the establishment of a one-stop corruption reporting centre and an increase in the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau’s manpower, says Lee (Channel NewsAsia).
Behind global conflicts is a common thread of corruption
A retrospective look at the conflicts dominating the headlines in 2014 presents a grim picture of escalating conflict and human suffering. Underneath the headlines is a common thread connecting the rise of ISIS, the Ukrainian protesters in the Maidan, and the Nigerian families still desperately seeking someone to #BringBackOurGirls. That common thread is corruption (Lebanon Daily Star).
Daiichi Sankyo whistle-blower awarded $6-million
Global pharma Daiichi Sankyo Inc. agreed to pay the US and state Medicaid programs $39-million to resolve allegations that it paid kickbacks to doctors so they would prescribe the company's drugs. The settlement stems from a complaint filed by Kathy Fragoules, a former Daiichi sales representative, under the whistle-blower provisions of the False Claims Act – she will receive $6.1 million from the federal recovery (FCPA blog).
Paraguay president urges end to corruption
Paraguay's president Horacio Cartes has called on fellow members of the government to "stop robbing" from the South American country – but did not call anybody out by name. He said he was honoured whenever he heard that government corruption was being eliminated, adding that "we'll cut off the hand" of any corrupt official (Al Jazeera).
Time to actively start enforcing anti-fraud measures worldwide
Transparency International’s index of bribe taking and a comprehensive Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) analysis of corporate bribe paying show corruption's pervasiveness. Pressures need to be placed on the majority of the countries that signed the OECD convention to start enforcing it (Business Report)
Documents indicate bribe paid for tanks deal
German company Rheinmetall has admitted to paying a 127-million-euro bribe to Greek officials to secure the sale of 353 Leopard 2 battle tanks in a deal that was completed in 2009, according legal documents seen by Kathimerini and German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung. The two papers have seen the content of an out-of-court settlement between the Dusseldorf-based arms manufacturer and the Bremen prosecutor’s office that states the bribe was paid to military officials to pave the way for the deal. (Kathimerini English Edition).
The potential of fighting corruption through data mining
Two centuries ago, coal mining spurred the European continent’s Industrial Revolution. Today, data mining is fuelling the data revolution brought about by exploding streams of data. Using data mining techniques to profile customer preferences and predict purchasing patterns has become common practice in the private sector. But can data mining also be used to fight corruption? And if so, how? (Transparency International)
Fighting corruption above the Arctic Circle
With the prospect of a fast-developing oil and mining industry, the small semi-autonomous country of Greenland needs to recognise the corruption challenges it will be facing in 2015. Transparency International Greenland’s chair, Anita Hoffer sat down with Peter Varga, regional coordinator for Central and Northern Europe, to answers questions about fighting corruption around the Arctic Circle and a new awareness in Greenland of the risks following a corruption scandal that forced snap elections at the end of 2014 (Transparency International).
