As the threat of corruption to the UK’s national security grows, so too must our ambition to end it
A prison cell in Uzbekistan is a far cry from Surrey’s luxurious Wentworth Estate. For years, Wentworth’s £30 million Gorse Hill Manor belonged to Gulnara Karimova, whose father was dictator of the country that put her behind bars.
She served as Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Spain, finding minor fame as a pop star, with lyrics such as “life’s a dance and you don’t have to fake it”. Ironic, given the true source of her wealth.
In reality, this klepto-baby was responsible for orchestrating an elaborate web of corruption and deceit. She stole millions from her homeland, using the proceeds to buy her Surrey mansion and properties across Mayfair and Belgravia.Thanks in part to the efforts of the UK and our international partners, Gulnara has been sentenced to 13 years behind bars.
Her crime, however, is far from unique. The UN estimates that between 2 and 5 per cent of all global finance is laundered criminal money. That’s about £1.6 trillion – roughly equivalent to the GDP of Italy.