Ransomware is a growing threat in our digital world, changing how cybercrime works. In this podcast, Mark talks to Max Smeets, an academic and author, about the rise of ransomware as detailed in his book Ransom War. The book zooms in on the infamous Conti ransomware group, which disbanded in 2022, to show how these cybercriminal organizations operate.The discussion covers the clever tactics ransomware groups use—how they trick their targets but also need to build trust to get paid. It also looks at how these criminal operations have grown from small groups into well-organized businesses focused on making money.Toward the end, Mark and Max talk about what this means for cybersecurity and the global fight against ransomware. This episode gives you a clear look at one of today’s biggest digital security challenges, including cyberattacks, data breaches, and how to protect yourself online.====================================================Max Smeets’ book ‘Ransom War’ is available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ransom-War-Became-National-Security/dp/191172391X An audiobook is also available here: https://amzn.eu/d/1b1PMlX ====================================================Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ====================================================📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/18f9e732-a770-4e43-a109-c44c9291e581/ 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI===================================================FOLLOW USX - @gitocLinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================
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MATTHEW CAMPBELL: Dead in the Water
The global shipping industry, vital for international trade, is a hotbed for criminal activities like maritime fraud. In this podcast episode, journalist and author Matthew Campbell, co-author of Dead in the Water, joins Mark to unravel the Brillante Virtuoso case. In 2011, this oil tanker, traveling from Crimea to China, was reportedly attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. However, the vessel’s destruction and subsequent insurance claims exposed a web of deceit.Maritime surveyor Captain David Mockett uncovered inconsistencies in the official story, threatening to reveal a larger conspiracy—ultimately leading to his tragic murder. The episode also explores the insurance industry’s complicity, raising ethical questions about accountability in handling suspicious claims. Listen to uncover the shocking truth behind this maritime fraud case. Timecodes:0:00 – Intro01:58.832 - The scale of fraud in the shipping industry05:48.399 - The Greek shipping industry08:01.076 - Complicity of shipping insurance industry11:17.973 - Brillante Virtuoso Story14:54.102 – The murder of Capt. David Mockett18:06.475 - Connecting with Cynthia Mockett20:59.461 - Richard Veale & Michael Conner: The Investigators24:59.447 - The owner of the Brillante Virtuoso28:17.523 - Unresolved case29:44.903 - Building a narrative around such a complex case35:38.745 - Collaborating with Kit Chellel38:32.093 - What was left out41:43.017 - Response to the book43:26.518 - Response from Lloyds of London44:35.353 - Next project and thoughts on books like Dead in the Water48:15.185 - Outro====================================================Federico Varese's book ‘Dead in the Water’ is available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Water-Hijacking-Maritime-Conspiracy/dp/0593329236An audiobook is also available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Water-Murder-Secretive-Industry/dp/B0B5VMXF33/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0====================================================Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ====================================================📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/18f9e732-a770-4e43-a109-c44c9291e581/ 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI===================================================FOLLOW USX - @gitocLinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================
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FEDERICO VARESE: Russia in Four Criminals
Russia in Four Criminals: Exploring Russian Organized Crime with Federico Varese.Join host Mark in a riveting episode of Underworlds as he interviews renowned academic and author Federico Varese about his book, Russia in Four Criminals. With over 30 years studying global organized crime, Varese offers unparalleled insights into Russian organized crime and its evolution.Russia in Four Criminals profiles four emblematic figures across Russia’s criminal landscape, each tied to a unique decade and social group: mobster Vyacheslav Ivankov, oligarch Boris Berezovsky, incarcerated drug dealer Sergey Savelyev, and cybercriminal Nikita Kuzmin, notorious for creating the infamous Gozi virus, a malware that compromised millions of computers worldwide. Through their stories, Varese maps Russia’s seismic shifts from the Soviet era to the Putin regime, drawing on his first-hand experiences.Mark and Federico also explore the broader study of organized crime in today’s volatile world, shedding light on its global impact.Timecodes:0:00 - Intro====================================================Federico Varese's book ‘Russia in Four Criminals’ is available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Russia-Four-Criminals-Federico-Varese/dp/1509563601 ====================================================Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ====================================================📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/18f9e732-a770-4e43-a109-c44c9291e581/ 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI===================================================FOLLOW USX - @gitocLinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================
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SANNE DE BOER - Mafiopoli: Living Among the ’Ndrangheta – Italy's Most Powerful Crime Organisation
Mafiopoli: Uncovering the ’Ndrangheta, Italy’s Most Powerful Mafia.In this episode of Underworlds, host Mark interviews Dutch journalist and author Sanne De Boer about her book, Mafiopoli: Living Among the ’Ndrangheta – Italy’s Most Powerful Crime Organisation. Based in Calabria, home to the rugged Aspromonte Mountains, De Boer reveals the ’Ndrangheta’s rise as Europe’s cocaine trade kingpin, with growing influence in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.Mafiopoli exposes the mafia’s grip on business, politics, and even the Catholic Church, spotlighting the 2007 Duisburg killings that highlighted their violent reach. De Boer discusses Europe’s struggle to counter the ’Ndrangheta, alongside Calabria’s youth-led resistance. She also shares Pope Francis’s bold 2014 condemnation of the mafia as “evil” during his Calabria visit, effectively excommunicating them.Learn about De Boer’s investigative process, diving into Italian court documents while navigating personal safety risks.Listen now to explore the ’Ndrangheta’s power and Calabria’s fightback!Timecodes:0:00 - Intro01:53 - What does "Mafiopoli" mean?03:24 - Encountering the 'Ndrangheta in Calabria06:00 - The Duisburg Massacre in Germany09:25 - Quiet growth of the 'Ndrangheta11:53 - Background to the Duisburg Massacre14:54 - 'Ndrangheta investments in the Netherlands and Germany17:03 - European countries unprepared to deal with 'Ndrangheta21:03 - Talking to Dutch Law Enforcement23:01 - Petra Reski25:13 - Infiltration of politics28:54 - 'Ndrangheta excommunicated by Pope Francis31:05 - Calabrian resilience to the mafia33:56 - Threats and Security36:26 - Writing Mafiopoli42:09 - Pessimistic or optimistic about the growth of the mafia43:57 - Next Book & Outro====================================================Sanne de Boer's book Mafiopoli: Living Among the ’Ndrangheta – Italy's Most Powerful Crime Organisation is available here.Audible version.====================================================Underworlds with Mark Shaw YouTube playlist.====================================================📱 YouTube Channel🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime🎧The Index===================================================FOLLOW USX - @gitocLinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================
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GEOFF WHITE: Rinsed: How the Tech Industry Washes Money for the World's Deadliest Crooks
Rinsed: How Tech Fuels Money Laundering for Cartels and CybercriminalsIn this episode of Underworlds, host Mark interviews journalist and author Geoff White about his book, Rinsed: From Cartels to Crypto: How the Tech Industry Washes Money for the World's Deadliest Crooks. Discover how cybercriminals exploit platforms like Axie Infinity, Call of Duty, Backpage, and Tornado Cash to launder illicit funds.White delves into notorious figures like Nigerian influencer Hushpuppi, whose lavish lifestyle collapsed after laundering millions for North Korea’s Lazarus Group, infamous for massive heists like the Bangladesh Bank cyberattack, Axie Infinity hack, and the $1.5 billion Bybit Ethereum heist. With years of expertise in cyber and financial crime, White exposes the tech industry’s blind spots in tackling money laundering.Tune in to explore Rinsed, the Lazarus Group’s global schemes, and the challenges of investigating cybercrime.Timecodes:0:00 - Intro01:46 - Background to Geoff's book Rinsed03:01 - The Intersection of Technology and Money Laundering05:56 - General Blindness in Tech Industry08:32 - Tornado Cash, Axie Infinity and North Korean Hackers12:55 - Backpage, CSAM, Money Laundering17:25 - Response to the Book from Tech World19:00 - Resilience of Cryptocurrency & Pro-Crypto US Administration22:54 - Lack of Ability to Control Illicit Finance26:18 - The Evolving Threat of North Korean Cybercrime30:01 - Hushpuppi: Social Media Influencer by Day, Money Launderer by Night33:33 - The Challenges of Crypto Traceability37:38 - Challenges of Writing on Money Laundering40:58 - Characters that Left a Lasting Impact43:19 - Discovering the Story46:03 - What's Next?49:44 - Why Books like Rinsed are still needed52:11 - Importance of Security54:11 - Upcoming Projects54:53 - Outro====================================================Geoff White's book ‘Rinsed: From Cartels to Crypto: How the Tech Industry Washes Money for the World's Deadliest Crooks’ is available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rinsed-Cartels-Crypto-Industry-Deadliest/dp/0241624835Audible version: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rinsed-Cartels-Crypto-Industry-Deadliest/dp/B0CWJMSTYG/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0====================================================Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ====================================================📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://link.chtbl.com/7c27X1CM🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI===================================================FOLLOW USX - @gitocLinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================
Welcome to Underworlds with Mark Shaw.
Organized Crime is everywhere, hidden in plain sight. The stories from this world have been mythologised by Hollywood. But the reality can be even stranger and more exciting than fiction.
From the golden age of the American mafia (La Cosa Nostra), to the modern-day cocaine empires, and from the shadowy links between organized crime and terrorism, to the twilight of the Yakuza.
In this series Mark Shaw, the Director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime delves into non-fiction books about organized crime and the illicit economy with the authors themselves. He asks questions about their background and investigations, but also the challenges associated in writing about this murky world.
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