Taxing Crime - A Whole-of-Government Approach to Fighting Corruption, Money Laundering, and Tax Crimes

Jul 19, 2026

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Taxing Crime presents a whole-of-government approach to tackling corruption proceeds, money laundering, and tax crimes through coordinated public action. It is published within the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR) series, which links the World Bank Group and UNODC to help end safe havens for corrupt funds. The series consolidates international good practice and practitioner experience, supporting developing countries and financial centers with prevention, and systematic, timely return of stolen assets.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages103

Reading Time4 h 20 min

StAR Initiative Series Overview

Partnership and Purpose

Practitioner Tools and Policy Support

Taxing Crime

Whole-of-Government Approach

Previous Titles in the StAR Series

Pub lic Disclosure Authorized Pub lic Disclosure Authorized Pub lic Disclosure Authorized Pub lic Disclosure Authorized S T O L E N A S S E T R E C O V E R Y I N I T I A T I V E S E R I E S Taxing Crime A Whole-of-Government Approach to Fighting Corruption, Money Laundering, and Tax Crimes Jean-Pierre Brun, Ana Cebreiro Gomez, Rita Julien, Joy Waruguru Ndubai, Jeffrey Owens, Siddhesh Rao, and Yara Esquivel Soto Taxing Crime Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative The Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR) is a partnership between the World Bank Group and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) that supports international efforts to end safe havens for corrupt funds. StAR works with developing countries and financial centers to prevent the laundering of the corruption proceeds and to facilitate more systematic and timely return of stolen assets. For more information, visit [https://star.worldbank.org/](https://star.worldbank.org/) . The StAR Initiative Series supports these efforts by providing practitioners with knowledge and policy tools that consolidate international good practice and wide-ranging practical experience on cutting-edge issues related to anticorruption and asset recovery efforts. Previous Titles in the StAR Series Asset Recovery Handbook: A Guide for Practitioners, second edition (2021) by Jean-Pierre Brun, Anastasia Sotiropoulou, Larissa Gray, Clive Scott, and Kevin M. Stephenson Going for Broke: Insolvency Tools to Support Cross-Border Asset Recovery in Corruption Cases (2020) by Jean-Pierre Brun and Molly Silver Getting the Full Picture on Public Officials: A How-to Guide for Effective Financial Disclosure (2017) by Ivana M. Rossi, Laura Pop, and Tammar Berger Public Wrongs, Private Actions: Civil Lawsuits to Recover Stolen Assets (2015) by Jean-Pierre Brun, Pascale Helene Dubois, Emile van der Does de Willebois, Jeanne Hauch, Sarah Jaïs, Yannis Mekki, Anastasia Sotiropoulou, Katherine Rose Sylvester, and Mahesh Uttamchandani Few and Far: The Hard Facts on Stolen Asset Recovery (2014) by Larissa Gray, Kjetil Hansen, Pranvera Recica-Kirkbride, and Linnea Mills Left Out of the Bargain: Settlements in Foreign Bribery Cases and Implications for Asset Recovery (2014) by Jacinta Anyango Oduor, Francisca M. U. Fernando, Agustin Flah, Dorothee Gottwald, Jeanne M. Hauch, Marianne Mathias, Ji Won Park, and Oliver Stolpe Public Office, Private Interests: Accountability through Income and Asset Disclosure (2012) On the Take: Criminalizing Illicit Enrichment to Fight Corruption (2012) by Lindy Muzila, Michelle Morales, Marianne Mathias, and Tammar Berger The Puppet Masters: How the Corrupt Use Legal Structures to Hide Stolen Assets and What to Do about It (2011) by Emile van der Does de Willebois, J. C. Sharman, Robert Harrison, Ji Won Park, and Emily Halter Barriers to Asset Recovery: An Analysis of the Key Barriers and Recommendations for Action (2011) by Kevin Stephenson, Larissa Gray, and Ric Power Asset Recovery Handbook: A Guide for Practitioners (2011) by Jean-Pierre Brun, Larissa Gray, Clive Scott, and Kevin Stephenson Politically Exposed Persons: Preventive Measures for the Banking Sector (2010) by Theodore S. Greenberg, Larissa Gray, Delphine Schantz, Carolin Gardner, and Michael Latham Stolen Asset Recovery: A Good Practices Guide for Non-conviction Based Asset Forfeiture (2009) by Theodore S. Greenberg, Linda M. Samuel, Wingate Grant, and Larissa Gray All books in the StAR Series are available for free at [https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/2172](https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/2172) Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative Series Taxing Crime A Whole-of-Government Approach to Fighting Corruption, Money Laundering, and Tax Crimes Jean-Pierre Brun Ana Cebreiro Gomez Rita Julien Joy Waruguru Ndubai Jeffrey Owens Siddhesh Rao Yara Esquivel Soto © 2022 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 18

FAQs

What is the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR)?

StAR is a partnership between the World Bank Group and UNODC that supports international efforts to end safe havens for corrupt funds and improves asset recovery outcomes.

How does the document link anticorruption efforts with money laundering and tax crimes?

It frames these issues as connected threats addressed through a coordinated whole-of-government approach focused on preventing laundering of corruption proceeds and supporting asset return.

Who benefits from the StAR initiative described in the series?

Developing countries and financial centers benefit, with support aimed at more systematic and timely return of stolen assets.

Jul 19, 2026

Upload by Ezra