Global Witness

Global AI Speaking to reporters yesterday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged developers of artificial intelligence technologies to cooperate in addressing AI-related risks and threats, saying the world cannot afford a race to the bottom on AI safety.

Global Environmental Advocacy In its annual report, environmental and human rights advocacy group Global Witness says at least 124 land and environmental activists were killed around the world in 2025, with Latin America accounting for 85% of the deaths amidst conflicts over land and natural resources.

North Korea Speaking at an international security conference in Beijing, China yesterday, North Korean Vice Defence Minister Kim Kang-il said an expanding US-led military build-up and the nuclear alliance between Washington, Seoul and Tokyo justifies North Korea's efforts to strengthen and expand its nuclear forces.

Argentina and UK Amidst ongoing UK-Argentine attentions, an Argentine federal judge yesterday ordered British and Israeli companies to stop development of the Sea Lion oilfield project located north of the British-controlled Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.

Joining us is Mark Hayes, the Associate Director for Cryptocurrency and Financial Technology with Americans for Financial Reform and Demand Progress, where he works to ensure effective regulatory oversight of cryptocurrency and other financial technologies.

Previously, he was the Anti-Money-Laundering Campaign Director at Global Witness.

Then finally, we'll speak with Donald Moynihan, the Gerald Ford School's J. Ira and Nikki Harris Family Professor of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

Previously, he served as Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy Chair of Public Policy and the Director of the La Follette School at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

I'm Ian Masterson.

This is Background Briefing, available 24-7 at backgroundbriefing.org. And joining us now is Mark Hayes, the Associate Director for Cryptocurrency and Financial Technology with Americans for Financial Reform and Demand Progress, where he works to ensure effective regulatory oversight of cryptocurrency and other financial technologies.

Previously, he was the Anti-Money Laundering Campaign Director at Global Witness.

Welcome to Background Briefing, Mark Hayes.

Through a series of corrupt connections, nested shell companies, and barely hidden kickbacks, Mahmoud turned himself and his family into multi-billionaires.

In 2013, the international advocacy group Global Witness published an investigation revealing exactly how Chief Minister Mahmoud's scheme worked.

Global Witness's undercover operatives posed as potential buyers for thousands of acres of pristine Sarawak forest.

And they first met with the lawyer of one of Borneo's most powerful tycoons, and you'll hear this in this video.

He laughs about his big and well-connected family.

And the other party was his supposed father, Ian, who was running the family business in Wyoming.

William was played by this guy, Lewis Wilson, formerly head of fossil fuel investigations at Global Witness.

The father was played by a Broadway actor.

The operation set up and controlled a U.S. company to make payments in the father's name.

As I say, it's only existed for a few weeks.

Now, the other named representative of verbatim is the guy that we mentioned earlier, Lewis Wilson, who played William Lockwood in the reform sting.

He was formerly head of fossil fuel investigations at Global Witness, where his last story was an undercover investigation published with the BBC, revealing COP29 officials facilitating fossil fuel deals for a fake investor.

So this is the same kind of operation that was, again, run on reform this time.

Um, just on the first part of your answer-

There's a very good report by Global Witness called the ITCI Laundromat from a couple-

Mm

... of years ago.