Financial Transparency Coalition

In most financial scams, the victims simply lose their money. In Africa, some lose their lives. Sub-Saharan Africa experienced an exodus of more than $700 billion in capital flight since 1970, a sum that far surpasses the region’s external debt outstanding of roughly $175 billion. Some of the money wound up in private accounts at the same banks that were making loans to African governments.

Swiss Banks Said Ready to Reveal Clients Bloomberg, October 24, 2011 The Government Allocates 300 Million Euros to Support the “Arab Spring” Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, October 24, 2011 India to review tax treaty with Mauritius in Dec The Business Standard, October 24, 2011 Halliburton Probes Angolan Operations Following Email Tip The

The FACT Coalition released a document detailing their legislative asks yesterday. The document does a great job of detailing important ways to keep the financial system accountable, both in a domestic and international sense. The entire document can be downloaded below the 'read more' or at the 'PDF' link in the post title.

Yesterday I switched on the radio in my car and heard a familiar phrase. Just as I started listening, NPR had just started reading a story on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and the recent efforts by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to amend the law. Feeling excited, I turned up my dial. The Chamber’s basic argument is that the FCPA, the flagship U.S.legislation that makes it illegal to bribe a foreign official, is too cumbersome on U.S. businesses. For months now, the Chamber has been lobbying to weaken the FCPA and has even retained former U.S. Attorney...