The Sad State of Captain Tom’s Legacy.

In 2020, at the beginning of COVID, a 99-year-old British World War II veteran Captain Tom Moore captured the hearts of a nation by walking laps in his back garden. In a time of deep uncertainty and fear about an ever-growing pandemic, Captain Tom gave everyone hope. He raised £38 million for National Health Service (NHS) charities and was knighted for his efforts. However, since then, much of the initial goodwill has receded as the charity sent up by his daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, has been embroiled in scandal.

A few weeks ago, the Guardian reported that the charity in question called the Captain Tom Fund, has stopped receiving money from donations after it emerged that a building attached to Ingram-Moore’s house, purported to be office space, was denied retrospective planning permission (an essential step in the UK for any new construction). It emerged that the building was not an office but a recreational space, including a swimming pool and changing rooms. Subsequently, Central Bedfordshire Council, which rules on planning issues, ordered the building to be torn down. This is on top of questions being asked about the charity’s governance and where the donations were ending up. Captain Tom lifted many people’s spirits, and seeing his legacy being sullied by family members is profoundly sad.

Australia’s National Anti-Corruption Commences Operations.

Last week the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) came into existence. Creating a more robust Anti-Corruption body was a significant priority of the new Labour government under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. According to ABC News (Australia), the NACC will investigate “Serious and Systemic” Corruption. The NACC will also be open to anyone who believes they have evidence of potential corrupt behavior. According to an article in Nine News, 300 online referrals and 100 phone calls detailing possible malfeasance have been submitted.

One of the most high-profile cases so far involves the accounting firm PWC. According to a report by Yahoo, PWC is alleged to have shared confidential tax details from the Australian treasury as a way to increase business. A senator for the Green Party, Barbara Pococok, filed a referral to the NACC because she felt that the Australian tax office and the Australian federal police, as well as PWC, have serious questions to answer. A report in WAtoday.com says that the Green Party is only getting started, and they plan to make more NACC referrals. Unlike other Western countries, Australia is serious about rooting out societal corruption.

Paris 2024 Olympic Committee in Corruption Scandal.

Today, French financial police raided the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympic Committee. According to Reuters, officers were looking into allegations of favoritism and embezzlement of public funds. A report in Politico states that the office of the French financial prosecutor (PNF) is also looking into allegations of misconduct at Solideo, an organization related to Olympic construction projects. Corruption and the Olympics have a rich history; in recent years, the Olympics in Rio and Tokyo have been dogged by corruption scandals. Despite the Olympic Committee partnering with Transparency International, Paris 2024 may be in the running for a gold medal in malfeasance.

Where in the World is Jho Low?

Recently, numerous reports have surfaced regarding the whereabouts of the fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low. Low is involved in the infamous 1MDB scandal, which involved Low stealing billions of dollars from a now dormant Malaysian government fund. According to a report by Reuters, Low was spotted in Macau hiding out from the international authorities aiming to bring him to justice. Macau, a haven for gambling, increases the possibility that Low was frittering away his ill-gotten gains at the baccarat tables. Yesterday it was reported by al-Jazeera that a close associate of Jho Low named Kee Kok Thiam died of a “sudden massive stroke” shortly after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) confirmed that Thiam was the one who confirmed Low’s whereabouts. The big question is, was Thiam’s death of natural causes, or did Low play a role in Thiam’s untimely demise?

Lebanon Still Plagued by Corruption Issues.

Recently, the Lebanese central bank head has been summoned back to the country for questioning. According to a report by AP News, Riad Salameh is facing many financial crimes, including, but limited to, illicit enrichment and money laundering of $330 million. Salameh is facing possible investigations in Germany, Luxembourg, France, and Lebanon. A report by the Washington Post suggests that Lebanon may not send Salameh over to French authorities despite France issuing an Interpol warrant for Salameh’s arrest. The legal wrangling over Salameh appears to be unresolved for some time.

Along with Salameh’s travails, Lebanon has been “grey listed” by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). FATF will closely monitor Lebanon’s efforts to combat money laundering and other financial crimes. According to a report by Reuters, Lebanon scored as only partially compliant in enacting money laundering laws and transparency regarding shell companies. This is another blow to an economy already suffering from high inflation post-COVID-19. Lebanon has much to do if it wants to make progress in eradicating corruption.

Indian Cricket Embroiled in Corruption Scandal.

In recent days Indian cricket has been embroiled in a corruption scandal. According to an article in ESPN, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has charged Indian umpire Jatin Kashyap failed to cooperate with the ICC’s anti-corruption unit. According to a statement by the ICC, Kashyap has been charged with failing to provide accurate or complete information to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) and possibly obstructing the investigation. From all the available reporting, it is unclear what exactly could have caused this investigation to be started. However, cricket has had a history of match-fixing scandals before, and if this story is true, it could spell trouble for Indian cricket.

Sarkozy Loses Appeal on Corruption Charge.

The former president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, has lost his appeal against a prison sentence relating to corruption charges. According to the BBC, Sarkozy was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to influence a judge. Sarkozy offered the judge a job in Monaco in return for information about the status of an investigation centering on allegations of whether or not the Libyan government gave money to his presidential campaign. Reuters reports that despite being sentenced to three years, two are suspended, and Sarkozy will wear an electronic tag for the other year. Sarkozy is facing several further criminal investigations, so, likely, he is not out of trouble yet.

Ukrainian Chief Supreme Court Justice Dismissed After Bribery Scandal.

Earlier this week, the chief justice of the Ukrainian supreme court was fired due to being caught up in a bribery scandal. Ukraine is in the process of cracking down on political corruption. According to a report from Reuters, while it is not immediately clear who was arrested, the current chief justice is Vsevolod Kniaziev. According to an article in The Guardian, the bribe may have been paid by a company called The Finance & Credit Group, owned by a well-known businessman called Konstiantyn Zhivago, to influence the court. If you are Kniaziev, seeing pictures of stacks of cash lined up on your living room sofa, surely that can’t be a good sign.

The Downfall and Imprisonment of Imran Khan.

Last week Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, was arrested on corruption charges. According to a BBC report, Khan’s arrest has sparked widespread protests throughout Pakistan. He was forcibly removed from a courtroom by a heavily armed paramilitary unit while facing trial in a separate investigation involving misconduct during his time in office. In recent months, an unknown assailant has made an attempt on his life. Also, in recent months Khan has spoken out against the military’s influence in politics.

Last Friday, according to Reuters, the supreme court overturned Khan’s arrest, which called the arrest unlawful. According to a report in The Guardian, Khan believes that the military was singlehandedly responsible for his arrest. He also claims that the current Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, is involved in a plot to bring him down because he does not want to face him in a future election. The big question is whether or not Khan is genuinely corrupt, or is this all politically motivated? It is probably a little of both; you don’t get into a high office in a place like Pakistan without greasing a few palms. At the same time, Sharif likely sees Khan as a threat in the future.

Odesa Mayor Arrested on Corruption Charges.

Last Thursday, the mayor of Odesa, Hennadii Trukhanov, was arrested in connection with an ongoing corruption investigation. Recently, Ukraine has been in the process of cracking down on governmental misconduct. According to Radio Free Europe Trukhanov is alleged to have embezzled roughly 2.5 million dollars from Odesa’s budget through a scheme involving the purchase of a disused factory. On Friday, according to Yahoo News Trukhabov was released on bail. While it is an encouraging sign that high-ranking government officials are being investigated over corruption allegations, Ukraine still has much to achieve, or they are serious about cracking down on governmental wrongdoing.