Bribe, Swindle or Steal

This week we debut a special project within Bribe, Swindle or Steal: single-topic episodes that focus on extreme wealth. For years Alexandra Wrage has worked on corporate compliance and anti-corruption efforts, a field that provides a front-row view into human corruptibility. In these episodes, she digs into the practical, philosophical, political, and even spiritual roots of why people risk everything—from scandal to criminal charges—for the allure of money, even when all of their material needs are more than covered. She will explore some surprising challenges of wealth alongside the ways in which greed changes people and extreme wealth changes the rules that we all live by. Her first guest in this series is Clay Cockrell, a therapist in New York City whose Walk and Talk Therapy practice specializes in treating very wealthy clients. The problems they bring to therapy give him a unique insight into the privileges, the anxieties, and the perils exclusive to the 1%.

In this episode from 2020, Randall Eliason, law professor and former Assistant U.S. Attorney provides an excellent account of the days leading up to the sentencing of political operative Roger Stone. The Department of Justice’s unprecedented interference in--and reversal of--its prosecutorial team’s recommendation led to the resignation from the case of all four prosecutors. Over 2000 former DOJ officials called on Attorney General Barr to resign in the wake of his interference in the case. This episode was originally published on 4 March 2020.

John Madinger, a 22-year veteran of Treasury and consultant to the Department of Justice, shares intriguing insights into money laundering schemes. He discusses the complexity of the three stages: placement, layering, and integration. Madinger debunks the infamous Breaking Bad car wash scheme, revealing its impracticalities, and contrasts it with real-life tactics that criminals use. The conversation also highlights the evolving challenges law enforcement faces and the role of international cooperation in combating these activities.

Brian Klaas, Associate Professor at University College London and host of the award-winning podcast “Power Corrupts,” joins us to discuss his book “Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us”. Brian describes research on who is drawn to positions of power and how power impacts us, including potentially re-wiring our brains. This episode was originally published 30 March 2022.

David Jackson, a senior reporter with Injustice Watch, discusses his work exposing corruption, which has led to both indictments and legislative reform.

Jonathan Turner, former Vice President, Ethics & Compliance, at Smith & Nephew in Memphis, discusses the admissions scandal that has rattled several top-tier U.S. universities and ties some of the lessons learned back to the work of compliance professionals. This episode was originally published 2 October 2019.

Anand Mangnale of the OCCRP joins the podcast to describe his investigation into the practices of the vast and powerful Adnani Group in India, the spyware discovered on his phone as soon as the story began to break and the subsequent efforts to silence him, including bizarre charges of financial support of terrorism.

Declan Hill discusses the pervasive and sinister nature of match-fixing and how we can prevent sport from being turned into theater. This episode was originially posted on 2 August, 2017.

Rob Koehler, a WADA veteran and current Director General of Global Athlete, dives into the troubling world of doping in sports. He discusses the power imbalance between athletes and administrators, and the ethical dilemmas this creates. Koehler also addresses the systemic corruption in sports governance, particularly emphasizing the implications of Russia's return to the Olympic stage amidst its ongoing geopolitical conflicts. With a focus on athlete rights, he advocates for transparency and a collective approach to ensure fairness in sports.

Sally Dennis, former President of Rugby Canada and current Canadian representative on the Council of World Rugby, describes her role in the professionalization of sports governance, where challenges remain—​ and rugby's arguably unique invulnerability to match fixing!