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Profs and Pints presents: “Mapping a Financial Underworld,” a guide to understanding the Pandora Papers’ revelations, with Dan Schneider, a former U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor who now teaches courses on corruption and transnational crime as an assistant professor at American University.
[You must show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test from the previous 72 hours to attend.Church Hall, where this event is being staged, follows all C.D.C. and Washington D.C. guidelines regarding public health, and D.C. currently requires anyone indoors at a restaurant or bar to wear a mask except while eating or drinking. The venue reserves the right to modify all rules to align with current and future regulations and best practices to maintain a safe and fun environment. In addition to bar service, it provides contactless ordering and hand sanitizer at all tables.]
Much of the world was stunned by the recent revelations contained in the Pandora Papers, a collection of more than 11.9 million files leaked from 14 companies and then assembled and disseminated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
The papers showed how the 14 companies involved, termed “enablers,” created complex corporate networks that hid vast amounts of wealth, much of it stolen from the world’s poorest citizens by criminal organizations and corrupt government officials. By one estimate, it enabled them to cheat the world’s poorest nations of $200 billion per year.
The papers provide plenty of cause for outrage and reason for reform. Making sense of them and their revelations, however, can be a challenge for anyone without an understanding of this area of international finance. That’s where Profs and Pints comes in, bringing you a timely crash course on the workings of this little-known but influential underworld works and the key players involved. Providing it to you will be Dan Schneider, an assistant professor at American University’s School of International Service whose course offerings examine transnational organized crime, corruption, dirty money, and terrorism.
Among the questions raised by the Pandora Papers that Professor Schneider will tackle: How does this underground financial system work? Who is involved? What are its consequences on the world’s poorest people, our institutions, and our financial system?
He’ll discuss how the financial machinations revealed by the Pandora Papers allow the wealthy to evade paying their taxes, the corrupt to act with impunity, and criminal and extremist organizations to fund their activities without fear of detection. He’ll look at how the enablers involved include law firms and accounting firms, high-priced advisors, and realtors, and are based not only in tropical Caribbean and Pacific paradises, but London, Dubai, and places closer to home like New York, Delaware and even South Dakota. Their clients include 35 current and former national leaders, 130 people on the Forbes list of billionaires, and numerous celebrities and criminals.
Finally, he’ll look at what can be done to disrupt and dismantle this underworld of financial crime enablers. (Advance tickets: $12. Doors: $15, or $13 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later. Please allow yourself time to place any orders and get seated and settled in.)
