Monday, June 29, 2015

Crime in the 21st Century

As Nifty Wran used to say just follow the money and self interest ...

An Australian Mafia boss allegedly paid $2.2 million in bribes to NSW judges to get lighter jail sentences, top-secret police intelligence reports reveal. The reports also reveal how the  price of some food – including certain types of seafood in Sydney – may be more expensive due to Mafia control of the supply chain across Australia.


"The Calabrian Mafia doesn't give anything away. Any penny, any cent they spend is because they expect two cents back ..."

How to sell public interest to few criminals - Time for political donation reform?

Links between the Calabrian Mafia and senior politicians on both sides of Australia's political fence have been uncovered in a joint investigation by Four Corner and Fairfax newspapers. The year-long investigation found the Calabrian Mafia, known as 'Ndrangheta, had used a number of well-known party donors to put a "legitimate public face" on its activities.
Links between mafia and Australian politicians

Four Corners has aired an allegation that in 2005 Madafferi's connections paid tens of thousands of dollars to the Millennium Forum, a now-defunct fundraising body connected to the Liberal Party.
Vanstone defends actions in visa case of crime figure

The Italian investigative journalist Roberto Saviano, in exile in New York City Hunted by the Mob

The Department of Finance kicks off the potential $3 billion ASIC Registry sale on Monday when expressions of interest are due to be submitted.  The registrations of interest will serve as a preliminary round, more focused on garnering information about the bidders, with the second round expected to get under way in August. It's the final nail in the coffin for any equity capital markets bankers that had been holding on to hopes for an ASIC Registry initial public offering ASIC registry sale of corporate identities to criminal bosses?



Once the shocks no longer shock, and the taboos are shattered, what will be left of high culture is sentimental nihilism. Popular culture is a necessary corrective
... Criminal Minds No Longer Shocking ...
A Spanish probe into Russian mafia

James (Whitey) Bulger, former Boston crime kingpin: “Advice is a cheap commodity. Some seek it from me about crime. I know only one thing for sure: If you want to make crime pay go to law school.” [New York Times via Lach]