Connecting the Dots: How financial intelligence units expose corrupt money flows and how they could do more

Date: 2026

Authors: Vincent Freigang, Elisabetta Marinoni y Poornima Subramaniam, a partir de una investigación inicial llevada a cabo por Eva Danzi

Reviewers: Marie Chene, Maíra Martini, Eka Rostomashvili y Hugh Jorgensen

Corruption and its proceeds are often hidden behind complex transactions, shell companies, intermediaries and moved quickly across borders. Because corrupt actors ultimately depend on the financial system, financial intelligence units (FIUs) occupy a uniquely strategic position: they can trace suspicious financial activity and identify corruption that is otherwise difficult to detect.

FIUs are central to anti-money laundering (AML) and in the detection and prevention of corruption. Financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs) are required to file reports on suspicious transactions and activities, creating a large repository of financial intelligence. FIUs analyse this information, often combining it with other financial and administrative data, to identify potential criminal activity, support law enforcement investigations, inform preventive action, and contribute to risk-based supervision and policy development.