About

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put dirty money and the freedom to report on it firmly in the spotlight. Legal intimidation by oligarchs and other kleptocrats to stop details of their economic crimes being exposed has become an increasingly popular weapon in the UK – made possible with the help of some of the UK’s finest professional services.

While we welcomed government proposals that aim to curb the use of so called strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) announced in July, this is can only be the start for defending independent reporting. Just last month, British media companies were issued with a lawsuit from an organisation linked to Kazakhstan’s former president for reporting on his wealth.

It’s in this context, we ask how anti-corruption advisors and advocates can maintain momentum on their efforts to prevent, pursue, detect and deter economic crime and corruption?

Join us on Wednesday 9 November, 18:00 GMT at Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT as our expert panel discuss the importance of exposing crime and corruption. The discussion will be followed by a networking reception.  

Speakers 

• Catherine Belton is the former long-serving Moscow Correspondent for the Financial Times. Her first book, Putin’s People, was a Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller and the subject of two defamation lawsuits by those with links to the Kremlin.
• Caroline Kean heads the defamation and litigation practices at Wiggin LLP. Caroline represented fellow panellist Catherine Belton and fellow journalist Tom Burgis who was also successfully fought a lawsuit.
• Paul Radu is Co-founder and Chief of Innovation at the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). He was the target of a years-long lawsuit related to the Azerbaijani Laundromat investigation.
• Susan Coughtrie is Deputy Director at the Foreign Policy Centre where she leads work on the safety of journalists and anti-corruption in the UK. She is also co-chair of the UK anti-SLAPP coalition.