📣 Join us on Wednesday 27 May for a #GIACE roundtable: ‘How to recover from state capture: lessons for Hungary from South Africa, Sri Lanka, and beyond’. 🗓️ Wednesday 27 May 🕰️ 1pm to 2pm (BST) 🔗 Register: bit.ly/4w6mQcF

🚨 The April 2026 edition of the GI ACE Newsletter was published yesterday! 🔗 Read the newsletter: bit.ly/4d09So7 🔗 Subscribe to newsletter: bit.ly/4tNECzR

📣 Synthesis of #GIACE research on illicit financial flows published ‘Fighting illicit financial flows: key learnings from GI ACE research’, authored by GI ACE Researcher @devipillay.co.za, synthesises publications produced by the CSC-hosted research programme between 2020 and February 2026.

48 hours later and the only outlet to follow up this story has been the National in Scotland Call me old fashioned but think destroying information with a legal hold on it and a disclosure to Serious Fraud is pretty important stuff open.substack.com/pub/democrac...

📼 The recording of last week’s GI ACE seminar ‘Addressing corruption in crisis situations: towards effective crisis-responses in the Malawian health system’ is now available to watch on YouTube: bit.ly/42hH2KN

“They’ve learned from Hungary that you have to change the voting rules. That’s how autocrats win elections - by rigging the system. That’s exactly what Trump has been trying to do.” Vital conversation w/ @kimlanelaw.bsky.social on Democracy for Sale democracyforsale.substack.com/p/trumps-nex...

A recurring theme w/ MAGA/radical right is *endlessly* accusing their enemies (falsely) of doing why they are *actually* doing It’s Orban who spent fortune interfering in politics outside Hungary Including paying Reform’s Matt Goodwin €10k a month democracyforsale.substack.com/p/orbans-brits

📃 New working paper: Madagascar at a crossroads: breaking the cycle of state capture Authored by Dafy Faramalala Andriamparany, @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social, Ketakandriana Rafitoson, and Tom Shipley. Access the paper in both French and English: bit.ly/4aTWx0L

📼 The recording of our second GI ACE seminar held in collaboration with the Illicit Finance Data Lab, ‘Sourcing data for the next generation of illicit finance research’, is now available to watch on YouTube: bit.ly/4bcmgAj

KB – Episode 145🎙️ @csc-barrington.bsky.social speaks with @marianizzero.bsky.social about research reframing kleptocracy as a transnational criminal enterprise, and the implications for UK asset recovery and national security. 🎧 Spotify bit.ly/SpotifyKBep145 🎧 SoundCloud bit.ly/SoundCloudKB...

Opening remarks were delivered by Alanna Markle (OO), Yara Esquivel (WBG), and @thomtownsend.bsky.social (OO), and the keynote speech was delivered by @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social (CSC/US). We look forward to engaging discussions over the next two days.

🚨 The February 2026 edition of the GI ACE Newsletter is out now! 🔗 Read this month’s newsletter: bit.ly/4aIui5b 🔗 Subscribe to receive future editions via email: bit.ly/4rxx8j4

“U.S. foreign policy is now largely subordinate to the private interests of the president and his retainers,” write @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social and @dhnexon.bsky.social.

🎙️ New KickBack episode Why do liberation movements that fight for freedom so often succumb to corruption once in power? 🧵

@lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social speaks with Lord Peter Hain about Liberation and Corruption, exploring state capture, global finance, and the lessons from South Africa and beyond.

📼 Our latest GI ACE seminar, 'The promise and perils of using leaked and sensitive data to research illicit finance’, is available: bit.ly/4ciYrZI Thank you to @szakonyi.bsky.social, Tom Mayne, and @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social. The event was held in collaboration with the Illicit Finance Data Lab.

Check out the latest research news from the Centre for the Study of Corruption and the GI ACE programme!

Join us on 5 Feb 2026 (2–3pm GMT) for a GI ACE seminar on using leaked & sensitive data to research illicit finance, with @szakonyi.bsky.social and Tom Mayne, chaired by @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social. In collaboration with the Illicit Finance Data Lab. Register here: bit.ly/3ZkcV3U

Our first Kickback episode of 2026 🎙️ @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social speaks with Anna Persson on why anticorruption reforms fail, systemic corruption as collective action, and why transparency alone isn’t enough. 🎧 bit.ly/SpotifyKB142 🎧 bit.ly/SoundCloudKB... 🎧 bit.ly/AppleKB142

Lots of food for thought here over the holidays!

New KickBack episode: @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social speaks with Naomi Roht-Arriaza on how grand corruption undermines human rights, blocks post-conflict justice, and why recognising victims and broader reparations matters. Listen: bit.ly/AppleKB141 | bit.ly/SoundCloudKBep141

New GI ACE blog: How can the IMF help counter state capture? @tshipley1.bsky.social & @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social explore the Fund’s growing role, its leverage in reforms, and the risks that could hold it back. Read more: bit.ly/StateCapture...

Part 3 of #GIACE’s blog series is out! @devipillay.co.za unpacks the Zondo Commission’s 353 recommendations and why South Africa’s post-capture reforms remain uneven. Key gaps persist in law enforcement and whistle-blower protection. Read more: bit.ly/GIACEPart3

Professional enablers often work behind the scenes—but their influence can drive corruption and state capture. Join our GI ACE roundtable with @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social, @devipillay.co.za, Alex Cooley, @jheathershaw.bsky.social, Corentin Cohen and @tenaprelec.bsky.social 🔗 bit.ly/GIACERoundtable

I had such a fun time speaking with @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social on the KickBack podcast about the role that both voters and women officeholders can play in electoral accountability for corruption in Latin America. Thanks for having me on @kickbackgap.bsky.social!

Today’s #GIACEseminar was a lively dive into how illicit finance is reshaping tourism and hospitality. Thank you to Jean-Patrick Villeneuve, @ofabianobomfim.bsky.social, Dieter Zinnbauer, @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social and all the participants who joined! Learn more: bit.ly/corruptionin...

🚨The Nov GI ACE Newsletter is out! From real estate money laundering to sanctions evasion & a new blog on anti-money-laundering in the Global South — explore the latest from the GI ACE network. 🔗Read: bit.ly/GIACENewsletter_7 🔗SUB: bit.ly/NewsletterSUB

New KB episode: @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social talks with József Péter Martin and Áron Hajnal about research on Hungary, state capture dynamics, EU conditionality, and scenarios ahead of April 2026. Listen: Soundcloud: bit.ly/47cGU2J #Governance #StateCapture #EU #Hungary

This month in GI ACE: new insights on corruption in carbon markets, state capture and legal accountability. Watch, read and listen to the latest research from across the GI ACE network. 🔗Full October newsletter: bit.ly/GIACENewsletter6 🔗Subscribe here: bit.ly/NewsletterSUB

How do consulting giants enable state capture? @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social talks to @devipillay.co.za on McKinsey’s role in South Africa, drawing on the Zondo Commission. 🔗Listen: bit.ly/KBspotify138 🔗Paper: lnkd.in/eczS5NAM #StateCapture #SouthAfrica #AntiCorruption

🌍 Applications are open for the Ibrahim Leadership Fellowship at ITC (Geneva). Work with a UN–WTO agency supporting SMEs in developing countries, contribute to trade strategies, and take part in high-level discussions. Deadline: 20/11/25 🔗 Apply now: https://mo.ibrahim.foundation/fellowships

Really enjoyed chatting cleaning up politics with @politicshome.bsky.social along with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social, @danieljbruce.bsky.social and Lloyd Hatton MP. Lots to do still...

Join us on 18 September as we kickoff our first #GIACESeminar with Dan Marks & @jenniferscotland.bsky.social from @rusi.bsky.social, and reflections from Pablo Fernandez (EcoSecurities). 📖 Scoping Corruption in Voluntary Carbon Markets 🕰️ 12:30–1:30 PM (UK time) 🔗 bit.ly/GIACESeminar1

#GIACE hosted our Mid-Year Conference (8–9 Sept) with researchers, Fellows, FCDO & CSO partners. Day 1 featured multiple panels on research themes, ending with a roundtable on the Changing Global Order. Day 2 focused on impact - turning research into real-world solutions and more. bit.ly/giaceconf

@lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social co-chaired a panel on state capture at the @ecpr.bsky.social annual meeting in Thessaloniki. Our takeaway: Tackling capture means understanding not just corruption itself, but the mechanisms & motivations that make states vulnerable. Recap blog> bit.ly/ecprconferen...

Radical right accommodation really does not work. New paper out with this exceptionally talented team @katharinalawall.bsky.social @robjohns75.bsky.social @drjennings.bsky.social @sarahobolt.bsky.social @zachdickson.bsky.social @danjdevine.bsky.social & @jack-bailey.co.uk doi.org/10.31235/osf...

New paper! Q: Does State Capture Facilitate Strategic Corruption? www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... A: Not necessarily. Even where states are deeply captured, supra-national and domestic institutions with oversight functions can create regulatory barriers

Masking who wields real influence …..? Time to introduce a comprehensive statutory lobbying register to shine a light on lobbying whatever name it goes by….? @danieljbruce.bsky.social @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social

Portugal’s Attorney General has launched a probe into possible corruption involving Portuguese construction firm Zagope and the eldest son of Equatorial Guinea’s longtime dictator, following an exposé by ICIJ and its media partners. Read our latest: www.icij.org/news/2025/07...

📚 Highlights from the CSC Summer Academy! Two days of rich discussion on state capture, grand corruption, integrity in sport, and more. Interested in anti-corruption? Apply to our MA in Corruption & Governance: lnkd.in/e-vEK2sb #AntiCorruption #GoodGovernance #CSC

Thanks Mo @mo.ibrahim.foundation for a really fascinating discussion about #anticorruption, #goodgovernance, #aid and #doingbusiness in Africa!

Check out this very frank and open conversation with Mo Ibrahim about how to tackle corruption and improve governance in Africa!

David Lammy has announced a UK-led Summit on illicit financial flows- will it deliver in tackling kleptocracy and corruption? blogs.sussex.ac.uk/centre-for-t... @spotlightcorruption.org @racheldavies.bsky.social @duncanhames.bsky.social @sussexscsc.bsky.social @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social

Is it now time for national and international law to designate the “kleptocratic enterprise” of elites and professionals as a form of serious organised crime? @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social @danieljbruce.bsky.social theconversation.com/come-meet-us...

@danieljbruce.bsky.social shared his insights on global corruption with us in Feb ‘22, and @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social joined us in Nov ‘22 to talk about #statecapture You can view both via our archive www.kwaku.org.uk/Video.html

Financial institutions are the arteries of modern economies—but when captured, they become pipelines for illicit wealth. @acdatacollective.bsky.social's new brief "Inside the Congo Hold-Up" shows how BGFIBank DRC was hijacked by the Kabila regime to launder public funds. 🔗 bit.ly/ACDCPolicyBr...

Come work with us!

📺NEW VIDEO📺 Last night, key British offshore financial centres failed to meet their own deadline for revealing who owns companies registered there. It’s time the UK Government escalates its response & ensures places like the BVI are no longer safe havens for the world's corrupt. Watch and read ⤵️

Trump v. Musk. How buddying up to autocrats can turn sour for business leaders... Fear and favour in captured states open.substack.com/pub/elizabet...