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: CONTESTED GROUND: Weak, vulnerable, backwater – Australia’s choice between strategic camps and managed decline
Episode 10: PODCAST: Undersea dominance – Australia charts the maritime future through autonomous systems and AUKUS innovation
Episode 9: PODCAST: Australian Army Cadets pathways, submarine industry growth and Australia’s fuel security
Episode 8: CONTESTED GROUND: The blind faith factor – why Australians trust an ADF they don’t understand
Episode 7: PODCAST: Defence preparedness, artificial intelligence productivity, and Australian industrial resilience
Episode 6: CONTESTED GROUND: Shots fired! Chinese missile test shatters Australia’s ‘fog of peace’, with Mike Pezzullo
Episode 5: SPOTLIGHT: Counter-drone innovation, directed energy and delivering operational outcomes, with EOS Defence Systems’ Lee Kormany
Episode 4: PODCAST: Strengthening security ties, Fiji defence pact and Australia’s counter-drone push
Episode 3: CONTESTED GROUND: Lessons from the UK in political polarisation, generational dislocation and intergenerational warfare, with Ben Dullroy, Bravo Delta Advisory
Episode 2: PODCAST: Defence Industry Development Strategy, Defence reform and Australians fighting in Ukraine