CONTESTED GROUND: The intersection of finance, organised crime, terrorism and foreign interference, with Keith Bulfin

Joint-capabilities
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By: Robyn Tongol

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, host Steve Kuper speaks with financial intelligence expert and author, Keith Bulfin, as they unpack the intricacies of the global financial systems and the weaponisation of the institutions by organised crime, terrorist and state-backed networks.

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, host Steve Kuper speaks with financial intelligence expert and author, Keith Bulfin, as they unpack the intricacies of the global financial systems and the weaponisation of the institutions by organised crime, terrorist and state-backed networks.

The pair discuss a range of subjects, including the ramifications of lax regulation and enforcement, which has resulted in significant funding, resources and technology making its way to organised crime and rogue regimes, especially Iran.

  • Bulfin’s experience working for the US Department of Justice and consulting with law enforcement and intelligence communities on the financial networks of organised crime organisations like the Mexican cartels and their overlap with terror organisations.
  • The interconnected ecosystems linking organised criminal enterprises, paramilitary and terror groups through hubs in the Middle East, particularly via hubs in Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Asia and Africa.
  • The diverse areas of growth focus for these organisations as they seek to collaborate and circumvent traditional law and intelligence countermeasures to expand their operational impact and revenue streams.
  • The challenges presented by the growing symbiotic relationship between traditionally isolated organisations that now share common objectives and means for furthering their business or political reach.
  • The continuing flow of “black money” from nations like China and India that continue to flow into Australia, exposing our economy to major vulnerabilities across areas like real estate, consumer goods and services.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Contested Ground team

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Listen to previous episodes of the Defence Connect podcast:

Episode 11: SPOTLIGHT: Subs may be the centrepiece – but infrastructure, workforce and sovereign capability will decide the outcome, with Stantec Australia’s Chris Waywell, Rob Sansbury and Robert Fogel
Episode 10: CONTESTED GROUND: Apathy, complacency and the ‘Lucky Country’, Australia’s predicament is entirely self-inflicted, with Ben Dullroy
Episode 9: SPECIAL EDITION PODCAST: 125 years of the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army
Episode 8: CONTESTED GROUND: Australian resilience during a crisis and sovereign industrial capability
Episode 7: CONTESTED GROUND: From Tehran to Sydney – why war could reshape Australian property
Episode 6: SPOTLIGHT: Inside Australia’s AUKUS industrial transformation, with Honeywell Aerospace Australia senior director Lee Davis
Episode 5: CONTESTED GROUND: War without borders – the disinformation threat arriving in Australia
Episode 4: THE PROGRESS REPORT: The mission to make military children visible
Episode 3: PODCAST: Righting the ship, balancing the force, with Senator James Paterson, shadow minister for defence
Episode 2: SPOTLIGHT: Modern electronic warfare, spectrum congestion and the Australian defence ecosystem, with DEWC Services’ Rian Whitby