The week in corruption: 8 stories making the news

US targets US$1 billion in assets in Malaysian embezzlement case
The New York Times

“A $30.6 million penthouse at the Time Warner Center in Manhattan, overlooking Central Park. A $39 million mansion in the Los Angeles hills. A $17.5 million tear-down in Beverly Hills. Each was bought anonymously, the source of its financing hidden. [...] the [US] Department of Justice charged that these lavish properties were among the more than $1 billion in United States assets bought with money stolen from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund by people close to that country’s embattled prime minister, Najib Razak."

Interesting: #1MDB #corruption news failed to make it on major #Malaysia media https://t.co/5FM4ACBaMJ #pressfreedom pic.twitter.com/FFXcntjsbI

— Transparency Int'l (@anticorruption) July 21, 2016

Russian Olympic ban upheld, Moscow denounces 'crime against sport'
Reuters

“Sport's highest tribunal rejected on Thursday Russia's appeal against a doping ban for its entire athletics team from the Rio Olympics starting in 15 days' time, drawing swift and angry condemnation from Moscow."

Scandal-hit Petrobras reels as corruption claims persist
Financial Times

“Aggrieved investors in Brazil’s Petrobras have suffered over the past two years as an investigation into the state-run oil company has showed how corrupt former directors spent company funds on everything from art collections to Range Rover Evoques."

Mexico wins: anti-corruption reform approved
Forbes

“Mexico just approved an anti-corruption reform that required changing 14 constitutional articles, drafting 2 new general laws, and reforming five more. This is not minor. The reform is, by far, the most encompassing system to identify and sanction corruption that the country has ever had and its effects will be felt quite soon."

Prominent Belarusian-born journalist Pavel Sheremet killed In Kyiv car blast
RFERL

“Pavel Sheremet, an award-winning journalist whose reporting challenged the authorities in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine over the past two decades, was killed on July 20 when the car he was driving was destroyed by a bomb in downtown Kyiv."

Sad day for #media: Top journalist #Sheremet killed by car bomb in #Ukraine. A courageous voice against #corruption. https://t.co/TztjolYknK

— Transparency Int'l (@anticorruption) July 20, 2016

Top Volkswagen executives accused of fraud in emission scandal
CNN

“Top Volkswagen executives engaged in a "massive fraud" to intentionally sell diesel cars that violated emissions rules, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the New York and Massachusetts attorneys general."

Austria indicts former finance minister for corruption
Bloomberg

“Austria indicted a former finance minister and 15 other people for corruption linked to a 2.45 billion euro ($2.7 billion) sale of state assets."

Corruption in South Africa stunting reforms: IMF
Reuters

“Corruption in South Africa is hampering reforms needed to boost economic growth and greater transparency is needed at state-owned companies, a senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official said on Tuesday."

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