Why Can’t We Stop Money Laundering? With Oliver Bullough

Intelligence Squared

News, Society & Culture, News Commentary, Arts

4.2 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 1 February 2026

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In an increasingly digital world, hardly anyone relies on cash. $100 bills are essentially absent from global commerce. So how come the US Federal Reserve printed 752 million and 867.2 million of them last year? In this episode, bestselling investigative journalist and author Oliver Bullough joins us to explore how, in the criminal world, cash is still king. Drawing on his new book, Everybody Loves Our Dollars, he explores the hidden financial systems that allow drug cartels, kleptocrats, tax evaders, terrorists, and traffickers to move and protect their wealth with astonishing ease. Despite decades of legislation, enforcement, and international cooperation, an estimated 2-5% of global GDP is still laundered every year. Why has every attempt to stop it failed? In conversation with host Atossa Araxia Abrahamian, Bullough sheds light on what’s going on beneath the surface, and what needs urgent change. --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Our days start with water. Our whole lives revolve around it.
0:04.0	Health, education, livelihoods, they all start with water.
0:08.0	But one in ten people around the world don't have clean water.
0:12.0	People like 13-year-old Nestilene in Madagascar,
0:15.0	who collects dirty water every day before school
0:18.0	because she doesn't have any other choice. 50% of people in Madagascar don't have clean water close to home.
0:24.6	But by donating to Water Aid, you can help change that.
0:28.6	Water Aid is working with communities in Madagascar and around the world to have clean water.
0:33.6	When a community gains clean water, everything changes.
0:36.6	Children stay in school, women reclaim
0:39.0	their time and safety, health improves, livelihoods thrive. The ripple effect is immediate and
0:44.7	it lasts for generations. Just £5 a month over a year can buy five standpipe taps so children
0:51.1	like Nestilene and her whole community can have clean water for years to come.
0:55.7	Please donate £5 a month today and help Water Aid to work alongside communities to bring clean
1:01.0	water to everyone everywhere. Visit water.org to find out more. Abbey's just woken up. It's 731 and she's
1:09.5	forgotten to ring the doctor. There's no point ringing now. She needs to get to work. But she's not up. It's 731 and she's forgotten to ring the doctor.
1:14.2	There's no point ringing now. She needs to get to work. But she's not worried.
1:20.6	She's got an HSBC Premier bank account with access to digital GP appointments plus two second opinions a year should she need them.
1:27.5	Everything's Premier when your bank account is. Search HSBC Premier. H.SBC UK, opening up a world of opportunity.
1:30.0	The doctor will see you now.
1:35.3	Apply with £100,000 annual income or £100,000 savings or investments with HSBC UK or Premier status abroad.
1:36.2	Welcome to Intelligence Squared, where great minds meet.
	...

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