Book Talk – Butler to the World: Britain and Money Laundering
The Ukraine War drew public and media attention to the role of Britain and its overseas territories in facilitating and hosting the money of Russian “oligarchs”. This is however only one aspect of a vast financial system of money-laundering and tax evasion that has helped drive corruption in many countries, hidden the profits of crime, and limited the ability of states around the world to raise revenues. The sums involved vastly exceed Western aid to poor countries, and encourage what has been called a “new feudalism”, in which plutocrats escape from the control of states and legal systems.
To discuss this system, its origins, and ways in which it can be fought, Anatol Lieven, director of the Eurasia program at the Quincy Institute is joined by Oliver Bullough, a leading expert and author of the famous book, Butler to the World: How Britain Helps the World’s Worst People Launder Money, Commit Crimes, and Get Away with Anything.
The conversation will take place on Tuesday, February 25th from 12:00 – 1:00 PM Eastern Time.
Program
Panelists
Oliver Bullough
Oliver Bullough is an award-winning author and journalist from the UK, who specialises in writing about financial crime. His articles appear in the Guardian, the New York Times, the Economist, GQ magazine and elsewhere. His most recent books have been Butler to the World and Moneyland, and he's currently writing about the world's failure to stop money laundering.
Anatol Lieven
Dr. Anatol Lieven is the director of the Eurasia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. He was formerly a professor at Georgetown University in Qatar and in the War Studies Department of King’s College London. From 1985 to 1998, Lieven worked as a journalist in South Asia, the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and covered the wars in Afghanistan, Chechnya and the southern Caucasus. Lieven is the author of several books, including "Chechnya: Tombstone of Russian Power?" and "Ukraine and Russia: A Fraternal Rivalry."