Illicit Financial Flows : Concepts, Measurement, and Evidence

There is a growing consensus that the presence of illegal and harmful cross-border financial flows is one of the factors impeding economic and human development. In recent years, a new conceptual framework for describing these “illicit” financial flows (IFFs) has emerged that combines issues ranging from cross-border money laundering to tax evasion. This article summarizes and clarifies recent empirical work in this area. Three types of studies are considered and critiqued: (i) methods of measuring IFFs, (ii) constructed risk indicators, and (iii) forensic studies that aim to uncover instances where illicit flows have occurred. The article discusses the limitations of all three approaches and proposes ways in which the research agenda on IFFs could be reasonably advanced, given the hidden nature of the subject.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Collin, Matthew
Format: Journal Article biblioteca
Published: Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the World Bank 2020-02
Subjects:ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS, TAX EVASION, MONEY LAUNDERING,
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10986/36093
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!