Moneyland: Why Thieves and Crooks Now Rule the World and How To Take It Back

Oliver Bullough tracks the rise of a borderless financial realm where the ultra-wealthy hide assets from national authorities. He details how kleptocrats and white-collar criminals utilize shell companies in Nevis, trusts in South Dakota, and bank accounts in Switzerland to bypass local laws. The book explains the mechanics of regulatory arbitrage, demonstrating how lawyers and accountants decouple wealth from the geographical locations where it was earned. Through case studies of Ukrainian officials and international fraudsters, Bullough reveals how this shadow infrastructure facilitates tax evasion and systemic corruption.

This book serves readers interested in investigative journalism and the mechanics of global inequality. People who study international relations or financial crime read it to understand the technical loopholes that protect diverted public funds. The reader gains a clear map of how offshore jurisdictions function and why national borders no longer restrain the flow of illicit capital. By the final page, the reader understands the specific policy failures that allow private wealth to exist outside the reach of democratic oversight and legal accountability.