Author: Benjamin Schmidt

Reporting on corruption in Sudan was life-threatening work during the dictatorship of Omar Al-Bashir. At a recent gathering of local investigative journalists organized by the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) and the Al-Khatim Adlan Center for Enlightenment (KACE), one reporter described how her car was followed and then rammed by another vehicle while she… Read More

In early summer 2020, CIPE’s ACGC team conducted a survey of CIPE partners in emerging economies to learn how they perceived the COVID-19 pandemic was impacting public corruption. With lockdowns in place and CIPE’s international travel on indefinite hold, this survey provided ACGC an important view of circumstances on the ground during the early months… Read More

  As Indonesia celebrates 75 years of independence, local businesses are rallying behind the newly launched Private Sector Collective Action Coalition Against Corruption (CAC Indonesia) to combat corporate bribery. With 25 founding member companies, the new coalition launched in August, the same month as the national holiday. Though the CAC formally began operations in August,… Read More

  As the COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly become the largest global humanitarian crisis in a generation, front-line humanitarian aid workers need better training to avoid the damaging practical, financial, and reputational costs of corruption.  The pandemic has prompted calls for a massive humanitarian response. As cases and deaths have continued to rise around the world,… Read More

In 2019, international corporations were fined more for breaking bribery laws than ever before. The milestone year saw the largest-ever collection of fines for violations of the U.S. Federal Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), at $2.65 billion. 2019 also featured the largest-ever corporate settlement:  a combined $1.06 billion agreement by Ericsson, a Swedish telecommunications firm. In… Read More