Goetstouwers, D. - Asset Recovery in the Face of Kleptocracy

Abstract

This paper analyses how to best return of the assets corrupt government officials. It complements current literature and frameworks, which mainly look at the return of the assets of professional criminals. Through the analysis of eight case studies, it concludes that confiscating authorities should employ an ‘indirect’ method of return through bilateral agreements or trust funds. To ensure the most successful outcome of the process of asset return, the paper concludes with seven key recommendations to the European Union. The appendix provides an overview of definition and the most used abbreviations.