Corruption takes many different forms and the systems that enable it are complex and challenging. To best understand corruption, one needs to examine how it operates in practice. Understanding Corruption tells the story of how corruption happens in the real world, illustrated through detailed case studies of the many different types of corruption that span the globe. Each case study follows a tried and tested analytical approach that provides key insights into the workings of corruption and the measures best used to tackle it. The case studies examined include examples of corporate bribery, political corruption, facilitation payments, cronyism, state capture, kleptocracy, asset recovery, offshore secrecy, reputation laundering and unexplained wealth, and actors include businesses, governments, politicians, governing bodies and public servants.

1. Corruption in theory and practice – Dan Hough

Part I Bribery

2. A world tour of bribery – Robert Barrington

3. Bribery case studies

3.1 Alstom and corporate bribery – Tom Shipley

3.2 Odebrecht, corporate bribery and political corruption – Francis McGowan

3.3 Panalpina and facilitation payments – Tom Shipley

3.4 Petty bribes in the developed world – Robert Barrington

4. Learning from bribery case studies – Robert Barrington

Part II Political Corruption

5. How to make friends, spend money and influence politics – Sam Power

6. Political corruption case studies

6.1 The Council of Europe and Azerbaijan: corruption in parliament – Roxana Bratu

6.2 Darleen Druyun, the defence sector, and the revolving door – Tom Shipley

6.3 Jacques Chirac and French politics – Liljana Cvetanoska

6.4 Jack Abramoff and the US lobbying industry – Tena Prelec

7. Learning from political corruption case studies – Sam Power

Part III Kleptocracy and State Capture

8. Accumulating money and power – Elizabeth David-Barrett

9. Kleptocracy and state capture case studies

9.1 Angola and the Dos Santos regime – Tom Shipley

9.2 Erdogan and cronyism in Turkey – Tena Prelec

9.3 Najib Razak and 1MDB in Malaysia: fraud and corruption – Shahrzad Fouladvand

9.4 The Guptas and state capture in South Africa – Tena Prelec

9.5 FIFA: kleptocracy and capture outside politics – Robert Barrington

10. Learning from kleptocracy and state capture case studies – Elizabeth David-Barrett

Part IV Corrupt Capital

11. The secret world of corrupt capital – Robert Barrington

12. Corrupt capital case studies

12.1 Teodorin Obiang and asset recovery – Tena Prelec and Georgia Garrod

12.2 The Panama Papers and offshore secrecy – Ben Cowdock

12.3 Bell Pottinger and reputation laundering in South Africa - Ben Cowdock

12.4 Zamira Hajiyeva and unexplained wealth – Ben Cowdock

12.5 Professional enablers in London – Ben Cowdock

13. Learning from corrupt capital case studies – Robert Barrington

Part V Conclusion

14. Understanding Corruption – Dan Hough and Elizabeth David-Barrett