Up to the Task? The State of Play in Countries Committed to Freezing and Seizing Russian Dirty Money

By Vincent Freigang and Maíra Martini

Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 ignited a global reckoning over the dangers of kleptocracy and the international community’s decades-long complicity. The initial response of the advanced Western economies was to unleash new waves of targeted sanctions against Kremlin-linked individuals. But denying safe haven to Russian kleptocrats calls for multilateral efforts, including tracking down the illicit wealth they have diligently hidden across the globe.

In a welcome step, several governments – primarily Western economies such as those making up the G7 – are now joining efforts to share intelligence and cooperate across borders as part of a dedicated task force. This study assesses how well countries leading multilateral efforts to freeze and seize kleptocrats’ assets are equipped to deliver on their objectives. The comparative analysis covers eight countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Transparency International, 2022. 52p.