The Italian author of «Gomorrah», the international bestseller about the mafia, levels harsh accusations against the European financial system – Swiss banks included.
Back in the 1980s and 1990s, the banks were afraid to take mafia money. Nowadays, they seek it out, because they have cashflow problems and the economic crisis has brought banks to their knees: That is the analysis of Roberto Saviano in a hard-hitting interview with the news portal «Euronews».
The banks’ defence systems have been completely lowered allowing organised crime to enter, the bestselling Italian author claims.
In his 2006 book «Gomorrah», Saviano described how the Camorra of Naples was able to develop from a local gang to a global economic empire. Since the book’s publication, Saviano has received deaths threats. By his own account, he never stays longer than two days in one place and does not venture out of hiding without a bodyguard.
Swiss Coffers
But the Italian cannot escape the issue: he is dedicated to the fight against money laundering. The best way to combat organised crime would be an effective control of money flows, Saviano says. That should be even easier now than earlier because transactions often leave a digital trace.
The problem lies in vested interests, the 38-year-old says: «Every European country has its own coffers: Spain has Andorra, German has Liechtenstein, France has Luxembourg – and everyone has Switzerland. It is really easy to hide money in Europe.»
On top of that comes the lack of political will to implement laws and control mechanisms. «If you introduce legislation to make the financial system mafia proof – you will close the system to other capital that is needed in the economy.»
Criticism for Britain
Saviano reserves his harshest criticism for Britain, describing its financial system as the most corrupt in the world. There is no control over flows of money in the UK, from London to Gibraltar to Jersey.
These are all doors through which the UK allows money to come in without control – an effect that will be exacerbated by Brexit, Saviano predicts.
Currencies for Crime
Criminal organizations also know how to use new technologies, a recent Europol report confirmed. According to the report, criminal money can be much more effecitively hidden using cryptocurrencies.
Switzerland has become an important hub in Europe for cryptocurrencies. Numerous providers of internet currencies with ambitious intentions have settled in the Swiss city of Zug. All the more reason why Switzerland should be alert for defend itself against criminal money in the form of cryptocurrencies.
