Axel Humlesjö | 'Money Laundering Is The Biggest Societal Issue Facing Europe' - It's Honey Traps, Kompromat & The Cancer Of Offshore Finance All The Way Down...
In this engaging discussion, Swedish journalist Axel Humlesjö reveals the staggering reality of money laundering in Europe, identifying it as the most pressing societal issue today. He digs into his work on the Swedbank scandal and the dark connections between organized crime and political corruption. Axel also sheds light on the psychological manipulation techniques, like honey traps, employed by Russian spies. He emphasizes the critical role of collaborative journalism and the evolving landscape of media in combating these shadowy financial operations.
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Congo Murders
Axel Humlesjö's team uncovered the murders of UN experts in Congo.
Their investigation, "Deceptive Diplomacy," won an Emmy and influenced the murder investigation.
insights INSIGHT
Journalism's Evolution
Journalism has shifted from competition to "radical sharing" in a globalized world.
Cross-border collaboration is crucial for investigating cross-border crime like money laundering.
insights INSIGHT
Money Laundering's Impact
Money laundering is the biggest societal issue facing Europe, not just a financial crime.
It's a tool for power, war, and influencing political landscapes.
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How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took on the West
Catherine Belton
In 'Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took on the West', Catherine Belton provides a comprehensive and chilling account of Vladimir Putin’s rise to power. The book reveals how Putin, along with a small group of KGB men, seized control of Russia, looted the country, and built a new league of loyal oligarchs. Belton’s research, based on exclusive interviews with key insiders, exposes the intricate network involving politicians, organized crime, and sympathetic journalists that helped Putin consolidate his power. The book also details how Putin’s regime subverted Russia’s economy and legal system, suppressed independent voices, and launched covert influence operations abroad, extending their reach into Western markets and institutions.
The Honey Trap
The Honey Trap
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Axel Humlesjö
Axel Humlesjö's "The Honey Trap" is a gripping account of one of the world's largest money laundering scandals involving Swedbank. The book delves into the intricate details of the operation, revealing how Russian security services used honey traps and other methods to obtain compromising material (kompromat) on individuals to infiltrate the bank. It exposes the vulnerabilities within the financial system and the ease with which vast sums of money could be laundered through seemingly legitimate channels. The narrative highlights the global reach of this criminal activity and its impact on political landscapes. The book serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked financial flows and the lengths to which powerful actors will go to maintain their influence. It also underscores the importance of investigative journalism in uncovering such complex schemes.
Axel Humlesjö is a Swedish journalist against which money laundering, the plumbing of offshore finance and the cancerous nature of dark money, continuously crash up against.
Axel was a part of the team that uncovered systematic money laundering activities with Swedbank in the Baltics. Part of the team behind the series - The Shadow War - which exposed Russian espionage activities in the Nordics and led to the expulsion of five Russian spies from Sweden. Many other stories as well, but of course co-author of his debut book, The Honey Trap which explores Swedbank's involvement in one of the world's largest money laundering scandals and details this extensive operation for how the Russian security service uses sparrows and other means to honey trap and acquire kompromat on a broad slew of people. Honey traps were used directly to illicit compromising material to infiltrate Swedbank.
This podcast goes into Axel’s views on the evolution of journalism in a globalised world, and the significant role that money plays in shaping political landscapes. He goes as far to say it is the single biggest societal issue facing Europe and how intertwined money laundering is with currying foreign influence.
This was recorded in person in Stockholm with Axel last December, it was the last interview I recorded before I left the country.
00:00 - Axel Humlesjö 01:30 - Journalism in a Globalised World 06:23 - The Impact of Money Laundering on Democracy 13:28 - The Influence of Russian Oligarchs 15:48 - The Structural Damage of Under Money 25:38 - The Iceberg of Financial Corruption 41:53 - The Impact of Money Laundering on Society 48:58 - The Kompromat Strategy: Honey Traps and Coercion 01:07:01 - The Future of Investigative Journalism
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