STR: Suspicious Transaction Report
Royal United Services Institute
From the team analysing the intersection of finance and security, tune into compelling conversations on the real-world impact of global illicit finance.
This podcast explores the financial dimensions of today's leading transnational security challenges. Host Tom Keatinge and the team from the Centre for Finance and Security at RUSI bring you unique insights on the challenges posed by illicit finance and practical analysis of the policy responses. They interview top thinkers and influential voices who unpack the complex world of money laundering, corruption, sanctions evasion and illicit flows, and explain how this shapes the evolving global security landscape, and what democracies and international institutions must do to stay ahead when it comes to the financial dimensions of the global threat outlook.
Suspicious Transaction Report is also home to CFS's 'Financial Crime Insights' podcast, which ran from 2020 to 2023.
This podcast explores the financial dimensions of today's leading transnational security challenges. Host Tom Keatinge and the team from the Centre for Finance and Security at RUSI bring you unique insights on the challenges posed by illicit finance and practical analysis of the policy responses. They interview top thinkers and influential voices who unpack the complex world of money laundering, corruption, sanctions evasion and illicit flows, and explain how this shapes the evolving global security landscape, and what democracies and international institutions must do to stay ahead when it comes to the financial dimensions of the global threat outlook.
Suspicious Transaction Report is also home to CFS's 'Financial Crime Insights' podcast, which ran from 2020 to 2023.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 2, 2024 • 45min
A Conversation with Former FATF President T Raja Kumar
In the last episode of this season, host Tom Keatinge, CFS Director, is joined by T Raja Kumar, former President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). They discuss some of the key achievements during his presidency, such as his focus on asset recovery, increased FATF engagement with regional bodies around the world, the unprecedented suspension of Russia from the FATF, and what to expect as the next round of country evaluations begins.
Jul 19, 2024 • 29min
Sanctions and Russia's Nuclear Diplomacy
In this episode, host Tom Keatinge, CFS Director, is joined by Darya Dolzikova, RUSI Research Fellow, to discuss her recent paper, 'Power Plays: Developments in Russian Enriched Uranium Trade'. They discuss the financial and diplomatic benefits Russia derives from its nuclear resources and industry expertise, the extent of Western dependencies on Russian enriched uranium despite some efforts to diversify from Russian supply, and the complexity in isolating Russia financially and economically.
Jul 5, 2024 • 42min
The Evolution of Modern-Day Money Laundering
Host Tom Keatinge, CFS Director, is joined by Geoff White, Investigative Journalist and author of Rinsed. They discuss cybercrime, money laundering, crypto hacking by North Korea, how criminals collaborate across multiple jurisdictions to evade the law, the recruitment of money-laundering mules, and the evolution of dark web marketplaces like Silk Road and Hydra.
Jun 21, 2024 • 33min
Disabling the Enablers of Sanctions Circumvention
In this episode, host Tom Keatinge, CFS Director, is joined by Justyna Gudzowska, CFS Associate Fellow, and Tom Stocks, Senior Investigative Journalist at the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. They discuss their recently published paper 'Disabling the Enablers of Sanctions Circumvention,' the threat of frivolous lawsuits aimed at silencing independent, critical journalism, and why anonymous shell companies and trusts are the preferred tools of professional enablers to help their sanctioned clients.
Jun 7, 2024 • 35min
Dark Money and Politics: Is Democracy for Sale?
In this episode, CFS Director Tom Keatinge is joined by Peter Geoghegan, Investigative Reporter at the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project – a global network of journalists – and author of Democracy for Sale. They discuss the role of 'dark money' in political funding, loopholes you can see from space, the lack of regulatory accountability on social media, the way think tanks can influence political processes, and how shell companies can be used as a vehicle to make large political donations.
May 24, 2024 • 40min
The Economic Impact of Sanctions Against Russia - Fact and Fiction
Host Tom Keatinge, CFS Director, discusses the impact of sanctions against Russia with Vladimir Milov, Vice President, Free Russia Foundation. In this episode, Tom Keatinge and Vladimir Milov discuss the impact that sanctions against Russia are having on the nation's economy and its people, the Kremlin's dwindling finances, and why Ukraine's allies must maintain pressure and focus to make sanctions work.
May 10, 2024 • 37min
The Threat of Online Misinformation to Financial Stability
In this episode, host Tom Keatinge, CFS Director, is joined by Kathryn Westmore, CFS Senior Research Fellow, and Sahil Shah, Managing Director, Say No to Disinfo. Together, they explore how the spread of misinformation on social media is an emerging threat to financial stability, the role of misinformation in lasts year's Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and what banks, regulators and governments can do.
Apr 26, 2024 • 30min
Combating Kleptocracy: Lessons from Sanctions on Russia
In this episode, Kinga Redlowska, Head of CFS Europe, is joined by Zoe Reiter, Director for Kleptocracy at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and Tom Keatinge, CFS Director and author of a new RUSI paper entitled 'Combating Kleptocracy: Lessons from the Response to Russia's War in Ukraine'. They discuss the fight against kleptocracy, how Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has energised governments in their efforts to combat modern kleptocracy, and lessons from the response to Russia's war in Ukraine.
Apr 19, 2024 • 13min
CFCS at RUSI Has Changed Its Name – Here's Why
In this special edition episode of the Suspicious Transaction Report, CFS Director Tom Keatinge and Head of CFS Europe Kinga Redlowska discuss the motivation behind the programme's recent name change, upcoming research outputs, and what exciting activities will take place in 2024 as CFS celebrates 10 years of pioneering analysis and research.
Apr 12, 2024 • 37min
Getting to Grips with Crypto
Host Allison Owen, CFCS Associate Fellow, is joined by David Carlisle, Vice President of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at blockchain analysis and crypto data company Elliptic London, and RUSI Associate Fellow, to discuss all things cryptocurrency. With David's new book The Crypto Launderers: Crime and Cryptocurrencies from the Dark Web to DeFi and Beyond just out, they delve into the complex intersection of technology, regulation and crime, and the challenges law enforcement agencies face in investigating crypto.
