Particle.news
Download on the App Store

UK Unveils Anti-Corruption Strategy, Expands Enforcement and Sets 2026 Illicit Finance Summit

Ministers cast dirty money as a national security threat fueling crime at home with links to wars abroad.

Overview

  • City of London Police’s Domestic Corruption Unit will be enlarged with £15 million and supported by a £235 million annual economic‑crime funding envelope to pursue bribery and money‑laundering cases nationwide.
  • The government is proposing court reforms for complex economic crime, including judge‑only trials in the most intricate fraud cases to accelerate prosecutions.
  • Lancaster House will host an Illicit Finance Summit on 23–24 June 2026 to coordinate action on illicit gold, property laundering and misuse of crypto‑assets.
  • A £3 million grant will support Transparency International, OCCRP and the Anti‑Corruption Data Collective to uncover illicit wealth flows and the networks that enable them.
  • Institutional measures include consolidating UK anti‑money‑laundering supervision, tougher vetting and integrity screening, reviewed whistleblowing routes with potential incentives, and an asset‑ownership review led by Baroness Margaret Hodge.