60 Minutes: Congress legalized insider trading

'60 Minutes' on " Honest Graft". This is not a soft graft. It is corruption based on any definition of corruption. Congress men and women should be brought to justice for any kind of misconduct including corruption. More is mentioned in this video.  

Lobbyist , Congress, Corruption: Stop Corruption in Washington DC

Crooked lobbyist Jack Abramoff explains how he asserted his influence in Congress for years, and how such corruption continues today despite ethics reform.

Anti-Corruption Links

Anti-Corruption Intergovernmental Organisations

African Development Bank Group

African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC)

African Union

Anti-Corruption Network (ACN) for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

ADB/OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Council of Europe

European Anti- Fraud Office (OLAF)

European Commission

European Partners Against Corruption (EPAC)

Global Organization Against Corruption (GOPAC)

GOPAC-Europe

International Chamber of Commerce

International Group for Anti-Corruption Coordination (IGAC)

International Monetary Fund

Interpol

Organisation of American States

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

Resource Center of Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative for South East Europe Sothern African Development Community (SADC)

United Nations Criminal Justice Information Network (UNCJIN)

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)

UN Global Compact

World Bank

Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (STaR) - World Bank and UNODC

World Economic Forum

Other International Organisations

International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA)

International Association of Anti Corruption Authorities (IAACA)

International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF)

Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC)

TRACE International

Transparency International

Other Organisations by Country

Albania

Supervision of the internal audit
http://www.klsh.org.al/index.php?l=e

Argentina

Anticorruption Office, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights
http://www.anticorrupcion.gov.ar/

General Audit of the Republic of Argentina
http://www.agn.gov.ar/

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia). Available only in Spanish
http://www.csjn.gov.ar/

Trust in Argentina (Confianza en Argentina). Available only in Spanish
http://www.fidentia.org.ar/seccs/carta.htm

Austria

Federal Bureau for Internal Affairs
http://www.bia-bmi.at/

Australia

Independent Commission against Corruption
http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/

Brunei

Anti-Corruption Bureau
http://www.anti-corruption.gov.bn/

Brazil

Tribunal de Contas da Uniao
http://www2.tcu.gov.br/portal/page?_pageid=33,1&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Controladoria-Geral da União - CGU
http://www.cgu.gov.br/

Public Ministry campaign-"O que você tem a ver com a corrupção"

Transparency Portal

UNODC Brazil

Bulgaria

Financial Intelligence Agency
http://www.fia.minfin.bg/

Anti-corruption Coordination Commission
http://www.anticorruption.bg/index_eng.php

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
http://www.mfa.government.bg/index.php?newlang=eng

China

Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC)
http://www.icac.org.hk/eng/main/

Colombia

Presidential Programme to the Fight Against Corruption (Programa Presidencial de Lucha contra la Corrupción)
http://www.anticorrupcion.gov.co/

Transparency for Colombia (Transparencia por Colombia)
www.transparenciacolombia.org.co

UNODC Colombia

Ecuador

Comisión de Control Cívico de la Corrupción
http://www.comisionanticorrupcion.com/

El Salvador

http://www.probidad.org/tiki-index.php

Hong Kong

Hong Kong's Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC)
http://www.icac.org.hk/eng/welc/index.html

India

Central Vigilance Commission
http://cvc.nic.in/

Department of Public Enterprises
http://www.dpe.nic.in/

Election Commission
http://www.eci.gov.in/

Ministry of Law & Justice
http://www1.oecd.org/daf/asiacom/countries/index_ID.htm

Central Bureau of Investigation
http://www1.oecd.org/daf/asiacom/countries/index_ID.htm

List of Agencies in the Government of India Fighting Corruption
http://www1.oecd.org/daf/asiacom/countries/index_ID.htm

Indonesia

Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (CEC), Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK)
http://www.kpk.go.id/

Italy

" Per una Cultura dell'Integrità nella Pubblica Amministrazione", Scuola Superiore della Pubblica Amministrazione (SSPA)
http://integrita.sspa.it/

Korea

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission(ACRC)
http://www.acrc.go.kr/eng_index.html

Liberia

Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL)

Taking the fight against corruption to communities

Repository of corruption stories reported in the Liberian media

Malaysia

Anti-corruption Agency in Malaysia
http://www.developmentgateway.com.au/jahia/Jahia/pid/407

Mexico

Comisión Intersecretarial para la Transparencia y el Combate de la Corrupción (CITCC)
http://www.programaanticorrupcion.gob.mx/

The Republic of Montenegro Agency for Anti-Corruption Initiative

Information in English and Crnogorski

New Zealand

State and Service Commission, Integrity and Conduct
http://www.ssc.govt.nz/display/document.asp?navid=273

E-government in New Zealand
http://www.e.govt.nz/

Paraguay

Integrity National Plan (Plan Nacional de Integridad). Available only in Spanish
http://www.pni.org.py/Index.htm

Contraloría del Paraguay
http://www.contraloria.gov.py/

Peru

Anti-corruption National Commission (Comisión Nacional Anticorrupción)
http://www.cn-anticorrupcion.gob.pe/

Philippines

Office of the Ombusdman
http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph/index.php?pagename=Home&tag=

Transparent Accountable Governance
http://www.tag.org.ph/about/default.htm

Sierra Leone

Anti-Corruption Commission of Sierra Leone

Singapore

Corruption Practices Investigation Bureau
http://app.cpib.gov.sg/newcpib/user/default.aspx?pgID=21

South Africa

Public Service Commission
http://www.psc.gov.za/

Thailand

Office of the National Counter Corruption Commission
http://www.nccc.thaigov.net/nccc/en/main_eng.php

U.S.A

U.S.A. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (Combating Corruption in the Multilateral Development Banks)
http://foreign.senate.gov/about.html

Interagency Ethics Council: Standards of conduct for federal employees
http://www.iecjournal.org/

IGnet - Federal Inspectors General
http://www.ignet.gov/igs1.html

Office of Government Ethics
http://www.usoge.gov/index.html

The Brookings Institution
http://www.brook.edu/gs/cps/50ge/endeavors/transparent.htm

United States Department of Commerce Office of General Counsel
http://www.ogc.doc.gov/ethics.html

Source: http://www.unodc.org/yournocounts/en/resources/index.html

SAY NO TO CORRUPTION

UNODC has produced a video spot to illustrate that people are not simply at the mercy of corruption, and often have the power to say NO. UNODC urges broadcasters to air the video spot in support of the campaign.

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL MESSAGE ON INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY-Everyone Has Duty to Stamp Out ‘Cancer of Corruption’, Says Secretary-General In Message, Urging All to Crack Down on It, Shame Those Who Practise It

December 6, 2011

"Corruption is a threat to development, democracy and stability.  It distorts markets, curbs economic growth and discourages foreign investment.  It erodes public services and trust in officials.  And it contributes to environmental damage and endangers public health by enabling the illegal dumping of hazardous waste and the production and distribution of counterfeit medicines.

The United Nations Convention against Corruption has helped the public sector to make progress in deterring these crimes.  Last year, the Convention's States parties, which now number 148, established a peer review mechanism to identify gaps in national anti-corruption laws and practices -- a major breakthrough that can help governments halt bribe-taking and the embezzlement of public funds.

The private sector's contribution is also essential.  Corruption acts as a hidden overhead charge that drives up prices and erodes quality without any benefit to producers or consumers.  Preventing corruption makes good business sense.  Increasingly, investors are factoring not only environmental, social and governance considerations into their decision-making, but sound ethical performance as well.

I call on business leaders worldwide to denounce corruption and to back their words with strict prohibitions against it.  They should adopt anti-corruption policies in line with the United Nations Convention and put in place the necessary checks to strengthen integrity and transparency.  I also urge corporations to work more closely with the United Nations on this issue.  In particular, they should consider joining the UN Global Compact, the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, which provides participants with tools to fight all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery.

What we urge upon the public and private sectors, we at the United Nations must practice ourselves.  An ethical organizational culture is one of the best antidotes to corruption.  The United Nations Ethics Office promotes accountability, integrity and transparency.  A thorough policy protects staff against retaliation if they report misconduct or participate in audits and investigations that may expose unethical behaviour.

The United Nations is also working to combat corruption in the conduct of its activities, including procurement, by ensuring individual accountability, collaborating with law enforcement officials, and investigating all possible instances of corruption that may arise.  On 8-9 December at UN Headquarters in New York, the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services is bringing together organizations from around the world for a conference aimed at strengthening the role of internal investigations in combating corruption.

On this International Anti-Corruption Day, let us all do our part to foster ethical practices, safeguard trust and ensure no diversion of the precious resources needed for our shared work for development and peace."

Analysis: MF Global proves Enron-era accounting lives on

Thu Dec 1, 2011 5:09pm EST

(Reuters) - The off-balance-sheet accounting methods that Enron and Lehman Brothers made famous in their epic failures years ago have a modern-day poster child: MF Global.

Like its predecessors, the bankrupt brokerage formerly run by Jon Corzine took advantage of an accounting maneuver to keep certain financial obligations off its books, making the firm look less indebted and thus less a risk than it really was.

On Thursday, Mary Schapiro, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, told a committee of Congress the SEC was investigating the accounting treatment that helped mask MF Global's exposure to risky foreign sovereign debt.

The Enron Collapse: A Look Back - Investopedia.com

The Enron Collapse: A Look Back - Investopedia.com

Dec. 2, 2011 marks the 10-year anniversary of the Enron Corporation's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a New York court, a move that sparked one of the largest and most complex bankruptcies in U.S. history. Headquartered in Houston, Enron was an energy, commodities and services company that had employed close to 22,000 people and had revenues of nearly $101 billion in 2000, shortly before its downfall.

Test Your IQ about Fraud and Corruption

The objective of this exercise is to test your knowledge about fraud and corruption preventive and detective measures.

Click here

Why Peter Drucker Distrusted Facts - Stephen Wunker - Harvard Business Review

Why Peter Drucker Distrusted Facts - Stephen Wunker - Harvard Business Review

"In a time of major shifts in our economy, when disruptive forces seem to lurk around every corner, Drucker's insight of nearly 40 years ago is more pertinent than ever. By all means, find the facts and create agreement. But first know the opinions and seek dissent."

Eid Adha Mubarak

Dear colleagues, friends, and customers,

We wish you and your families happy holidays and Eid Adha Mubarak.

Birzeit Consulting Partners in the 4th Forensic Conference For Africa - Accra - Ghana

Birzeit Consulting will be participating as a partner in the 4th Forensic Conference Fro Africa titled " Fighting Fraud  / Corruption and Money Laundering in Africa Using Investigative Accounting Skills to enhance Operating efficiency"  in Accra - Ghana during the period  December 5 - 9, 2011. Birzeit Consulting will be participating by several of its associates and experts coming from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Jordan. The chief international speaker at the conference would be Mr. Mohammed J. Masoud, CPA, CFE, CICA, MBA, co-founder and managing director of Birzeit Consulting. He is an adjunct professor at the Arab American University, serves as an ACFE advisory board member, and a board member of the Arab Accountants Union (AAU) in Egypt.   Participants will be from several African, Middle Eastern, and European countries.
The guest of honor of the conference would be Mr. Adu Anane Antwi, BSc, LLB, MBA, CA, Director General of the Securities & Exchange Commission-Ghana.
The conference detailed brochure and its condensed one can be found when you click on each of them. For registration, please contact O'Sullivan Associates Ltd, our partner in Kenya. 

Eid Fitre Mubarak

Eid Fitre Mubarak to all Muslims all over the globe.
"Birzeit Consulting ME, EMAC - London, BZ Advisor Washington DC, their partners, representatives, associates and administrative staff"  

Your Choice of Fraud Prevention and Detection

 

Fraud and Corruption Definition and Ambiguities- Part 1.wmv

Passive Fraud and Corruption

What differentiates fraud from error is the intent underlying the one's act. Therefore, an error is an error if and only if one's act is not accompanied with an intent to defraud. But what differentiates fraud from passive fraud?

"Passive fraud and corruption" is a term I use to describe individuals or entities that are negligent or grossly negligent knowingly or unknowingly while dealing with the environment in which fraud and corruption occur. For example, when a senior executive collude with  the CFO to defraud their company and they do, we call this fraud. However, what if the board of directors of this defrauded company does not conduct its acts in accordance with "duty of care"? Imagine if the board members do not have sufficient and appropriate financial expertise and are not aware about what fraud risks are. I call this board of directors passively corrupted and fraudsters. They participated indirectly in creating opportunities for others inside or outside the entity to use such environment that lacks the minimum required tone at the top.

Corruption in Public Sector: Africa

This is an article I published in the Financial Gazitte newspaper on June 9, 2011; Harare-Zimbabwe. No one single word of the article was deleted or modified. This is the spirit that enveloped the The Third Anti Corruption International Conference of Harare that was held for the period June 13-15. It was opened by The Vice President of Zimbabwe.