Behind the Money

Critics argue Russia has a playbook for people who become its targets. On the final episode of the Russian Banker, we explore how Sergei Leontiev saw his fights with Russian President Vladimir Putin as a full-blown war in which seeking US asylum would become just another battle. But how does the US decide who deserves asylum?Note: This episode was updated to clarify that Russia is responsible for forty percent of all publicly disclosed red notices to Interpol. A previous version stated it is responsible for forty percent of all red notices total.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Experts Tim Bradshaw and James Ashton discuss Arm's upcoming IPO, its growth opportunities beyond smartphones, and its position in the AI market. They also speculate on the potential performance of its shares and the impact on the company's staff.

Sergei Leontiev says he was a political victim of the Putin regime. But when we tracked down other people who used to work at the bank they had a different story about Leontiev — and the extent of his ties to Alexei Navalny.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast, The Russian Banker, Part 1: The Raid, the hosts explore the story of Sergei Leontiev, a Russian banker whose life takes a dramatic turn when his banking business is confiscated by corrupt officials. They discuss his asylum application, his fall from grace, the raid on his office, his decision to flee Russia, and the credibility of his story. This three-part miniseries reveals the truth behind Sergei's ordeal.

Who is Sergei Leontiev? To the US asylum system, he’s an exiled Russian banker who was persecuted by the state and forced to flee. To Russia, he’s said to be responsible for massive fraud. On The Russian Banker, a new series from the Financial Times, reporters Courtney Weaver and Stefania Palma try to uncover the truth, and find a story that tells us about Russia today and how people in the west build stories about who’s good and who’s bad. The Russian Banker is a special series that will run on the Behind the Money podcast starting Aug. 30. Listen to The Russian Banker by subscribing to the Behind the Money podcast here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The podcast discusses the downfall of FTX, how Binance struggled to capitalize on it, and its regulatory concerns. It also explores the rise of Binance and its founder's leadership, while discussing the growth and challenges faced by the cryptocurrency exchange.

Share buybacks have become a highly debated topic in financial circles. The podcast explores the reasons behind their popularity, the controversy surrounding their use, and the potential benefits of new regulation. It also discusses the recent decline in share buybacks and the ongoing debate over prioritizing shareholder value versus long-term growth.

For decades, the global centre for oil trading has been Geneva, Switzerland. But Russia’s war in Ukraine changed that. Sanctions have made it harder for western traders to move Russian oil. Now, traders are flocking to a new trading hub that has no restrictions on oil from Russia: the United Arab Emirates. The FT’s energy correspondent Tom Wilson explains how this shift has helped the UAE replace Switzerland, and whether the global energy industry is shifting away from western economies. Plus, do you have your own burning questions about business or finance? Send us your questions and we may use them in a future show. Record a voice message here and we may even play it on the show: https://sayhi.chat/rmc2b Or, email Michela at michela.tindera@ft.com, or message her on Twitter at @mtindera07Update: A new version of this episode was uploaded on August 9, 2023 to correct that Fujairah is roughly an hour’s drive east from Dubai, not west.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:How Dubai became ‘the new Geneva’ for Russian oil tradeSwitzerland questions oil trader over sidestep of Russian sanctionsLetter: Energy trading is opaque — and that suits Big OilSwitzerland/Paramount: block loopholes which swerve oil sanctions- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On Twitter, follow Tom Wilson (@thomas_m_wilson) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07)Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s a new club coming to women’s professional football in the United States. Next season will see the debut of Bay FC, out of northern California. Aly Wagner, a former player on the US women’s national team, explains how she helped get the club off the ground with an investment model that has never been used in US professional sports before. We explore how this funding model could change the landscape for American sports. You’ll also hear from the FT’s US sports business correspondent Sara Germano about whether this very European model is moving across the pond.Plus, do you have your own burning questions about business or finance? Send us your questions and we may use them in a future show.Record a voice message here: https://sayhi.chat/rmc2b Or, email Michela at michela.tindera@ft.com, or message her on Twitter at @mtindera07- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Sixth Street commits $125mn to buy new US women’s football clubWhy investors are cashing in on women’s sportWhat private equity means for footballUK women’s football needs ‘strategic’ investor to sustain growth- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On Twitter, follow Sara Germano (@germanotes), Saffeya Ahmed (@saffeya-ahmed) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07)Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under “normal” circumstances, economists and analysts study a variety of specific indicators to understand what’s happening with the US economy. But lately, those indicators have been sending mixed signals. The FT’s US financial commentator Robert Armstrong explains why they’re wonky and how that’s led him to a different data source to help him understand the economy.Plus, have your own burning questions about business or finance? Send us your questions and we may use them in a future show! Record a voice message here: https://sayhi.chat/rmc2b Or, email Michela at michela.tindera@ft.com, or message her on Twitter at @mtindera07- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Recession odds fall, a bitThere is more slack in labour markets than we thinkAn ‘immaculate disinflation’ in the US is not guaranteedStocks rise on robust US bank earnings and ECB rates signalListen to the Unhedged podcastRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.