Jair Bolsonaro, Rodrigo Duterte, Yevgeny Prigozhin, perennial favourite Vladimir Putin, and even the Danske Bank. Familiar names, especially for those who follow the ever more outrageous machinations of the corrupt.
Besides their dodgy dealings, these stand-outs have one thing in common – they are some of the distinguished laureates of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project’s (OCCRP) Person of the Year award. Every year since 2012, the OCCRP has singled out “those who do the most to wreak havoc around the world through organised crime and corruption”.
Not to honour them, exactly, but to “promote accountability by shining a light on those who have done the most to bolster corruption and the political collusion that often accompanies it”.
The 2024 competition is now in progress, and the organisation is taking nominations from the public, journalists, academics, business insiders, and law enforcement, until 5 December 2024. Once all the nominations are in, says OCCRP, a judging panel with expertise in organised crime and corruption will select the winner and runners-up.
So be inspired by the daring accomplishments of the former winners as you carefully ponder and then make your nomination for the (most corrupt) Person of the Year. No South African has yet been so honoured – will this be our turn to triumph? (Hint: we hope not.)
Time is running out. Nominate here!
