This research aims to explore if rational choice theory can be applied to explain money laundering in Hong Kong by drawing on the characteristics of stooges and their motives for colluding in money laundering activities and the effectiveness of imprisonment or other forms of punishments as a means of deterrence. An actor has limited cognitive capacity, makes decisions based on incomplete information and his actions reflect personal optimal beliefs (Piquero and Tibbetts, 2002; Hindmoor, 2006). Findings from the seven in-depth interviews conducted as part of the research and documentary reviews of local court cases support that financial reward is the major reason “why” offenders engage in money laundering activities at both the individual and institutional level. The findings also show that, in addition to ignorant and vulnerable individuals being chosen as stooges, well-regarded individuals and charitable organizations are also possible candidates. The research highlights a luring process experienced by the stooges which supports the psychosocial dynamics of rational choice. The research findings also challenge one of the cornerstones of classical criminology that maximum penalty is an effective means of deterrence. / published_or_final_version / Criminology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

No description available.

Botnets, networks of hundreds to millions of computers, controlled by one or more individuals, increasingly play a part in cybercrimes, with astonishing results. The access of a botnet gives the controller abilities of a large majority of all the cyberattacks over the internet, and with the possibility of buying a complete botnet, this opens the market to nontechnical criminals. The Darknet and the market it provides, enable the buyers to buy and trade everything from botnets and malware to complete schemes.   The increase in cybercriminal activities and organizations has been alarmingly high in recent years, and no wonder, when criminals just need to invest a small amount of money to gain potentially millions of dollars without any advance knowledge of computer science, and with only a slight chance of getting caught due to the anonymity of the internet and botnets.   Based on a literature review combined with a critically reflective analysis of a selection of information about botnets from other sources available on the internet, this paper has identified some of the main types of organizations used in cybercrime and their operations as well as basic information about botnets, the players and stakeholders in this area, the theft and schemes used by botnets and the online money laundering service involved.

Magister Legum - LLM / This research paper aims to clarify and argue the need for Ethiopia to include civil forfeiture in its assets forfeiture legal framework. It will analyse the existing domestic assets forfeiture laws and international instruments on assets forfeiture. It will show how the new Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Proclamation and the other anti-corruption laws deal with assets forfeiture in general and civil forfeiture in particular. For a number of reasons, Ethiopian law enforcement is struggling to investigate crimes such as money laundering and corruption to obtain convictions.

Magister Legum - LLM

Thesis advisor: Philip E. Strahan / This dissertation consists of two essays which explore the interface between retail banks and organized criminality. In the first of these, “Dark Banking? Banks and Illicit Financial Flows from the Mexican Drug Trade,” I explore why banks provide financial services to organized-crime syndicates. I also ask whether there is a role for regulation in insulating finance from criminal activity. I address these questions using evidence from the drug trade in Mexico, finding that local drug cartel activity causes an increase in bank deposits, and branch networks grow in affected areas. After the election of a “law-and-order” government, these effects dissipate, with liquidity flowing into branches of U.S. banks along the border. In the second essay, “Bank Branch Networks, Banking Relationships, and Organized Crime,” I explore if banks develop relationships with criminal organizations, exploiting spatial variation in cartel activity, again using Mexico as an empirical laboratory. I test whether banks with prior exposure to criminal activity are more likely to enter areas where cartels operate, as well as whether previous exposure to specific cartels predicts entry into banking markets where said cartels have entered. Results suggest that certain banks do establish these relationships. Bank characteristics that have significant effects on differential behavior regarding collusion with organized criminal organizations are domestic majority equity ownership and bank size. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2020. / Submitted to: Boston College. Carroll School of Management. / Discipline: Finance.

During the last decade governments and international organizations have taken multipleactions to combat money laundering. Despite this, anti-money laundering policies have haddubious effects. This paper investigates efforts to combat money laundering from theFoucauldian ideas of governmentality. By investigating Sweden’s efforts to fight moneylaundering the paper sheds light on the different problematizations, rationalities, identityformations, techniques, and mechanisms that can be found in Sweden’s anti-moneylaundering regime. By focusing on the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, the CountyAdministrative Board and private actors this paper provides insights into how the regimegoverns through knowledge-based technologies of government and risk-based rationality.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))-- University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Money laundering is becoming a significant risk to the banking industry. It brings with it negative results such as damage to the banking industry reputation, escalation of prices as money launderers end up having a lot of cash in their hands resulting in high inflation and innocent consumers suffering when they end up having to pay the high prices. This research report will provide the background on money laundering and how the banking industry in Botswana can improve on the controls they have in place to deal with it. As money laundering is a worldwide problem, the study will explore the controls put in place by countries internationally and regionally to discourage money launderers from benefiting from their laundered assets. The study will also do a detailed assessment and analysis of the money laundering controls used by the banks in Botswana and come up with conclusions and recommendations that can help the banks in the fight against money laundering. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geldwassery word ‘n aansienlike risiko vir die bankwese. Dit het negatiewe gevolge soos skade aan die reputasie van die bankwese en prysstygings omdat geldwassers uiteindelik baie kontant in die hand het, wat lei tot hoë inflasie. Onskuldige verbruikers ly daaronder omdat hulle dan die hoë pryse moet betaal. Hierdie navorsingsverslag gee die agtergrond van geldwassery en hoe die bankwese in Botswana verbeteringe kan aanbring aan die beheermaatreëls wat hulle in plek het om geldwassery te hanteer. Aangesien geldwassery ‘n wêreldwye probleem is, ondersoek die studie die beheermaatreëls wat lande internasionaal en in streke gebruik om die geldwassers te ontmoedig om voordeel te trek uit die bates wat hulle op daardie wyse verkry het. Die studie doen ook ‘n gedetailleerde beoordeling en ontleding van die maatreëls vir die beheer van geldwassery wat deur die banke in Botswana gebruik word en kom tot gevolgtrekkings en gee aanbevelings wat die banke kan help in die stryd teen geldwassery

published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität St. Gallen, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. xlix-lxix) and index.