Flash Points: The man who conned the world

Inside global scams, and why they succeed. FEBRUARY 18, 2024  |  [VIEW IN BROWSER](     Investors and associates gather in the London office of the Oman Ghana Trust Fund in the 1980s. Whenever a new scam makes headlines, it’s not uncommon to hear people ask, “How did anyone fall for this?” This may be easy to say in hindsight. But even when a con is outrageous—or downright obvious—unsuspecting targets keep getting duped, from wealthy individuals to government officials to experienced journalists. This edition of Flash Points tells the story of some of the world’s greatest scams and the people behind them. It also explores why we keep falling for con artists and how they (sometimes) get away with it.—Chloe Hadavas   [1]( [The Man Who Conned the World]( How one of the greatest scam artists of all time used Ghana’s colonial past to get rich. By Yepoka Yeebo   [2]( [The Dictator-Run Bank That Tells the Story of America's Foreign Corruption]( BCCI was a kleptocratic institution whose influence reached the White House—and a model for today’s global crooks. By Casey Michel, Ricardo Soares de Oliveira   [3]( [Nepal Shaken by Fake Bhutanese Refugee Scam]( A weary Nepali public hopes for a rare victory against corruption. By Bibek Bhandari   [4]( [Why Did America’s Elite Keep Falling for Crypto Frauds?]( Even experienced journalists got suckered by Sam Bankman-Fried. By Stan Veuger   [5]( [How Delaware Became the World’s Biggest Offshore Haven]( Kleptocrats, criminals, and con artists have all parked their illicit gains in the state. By Casey Michel [The Promise and Pitfalls of Climate Policy]( On February 22nd, join Foreign Policy and Florida International University for a timely discussion and debate on the technologies and climate policies capable of driving impact at scale. [Register here](   [Subscribe to Foreign Policy]( [Sign up for SitRep]( [FP is heading to the Munich Security Conference Feb. 16-18. Sign up for the Situation Report newsletter for a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most consequential gatherings of world leaders.]( [GET ON THE LIST](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( You’re receiving this email at {EMAIL} because you signed up for FP's Flash Points newsletter. [MANAGE YOUR EMAIL PREFERENCES]( | [VIEW OUR PRIVACY POLICY]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Interested in partnering with FP on events, podcasts, or research? [Explore FP Solutions](. [Foreign Policy]( is a division of Graham Holdings Company. All contents © 2023 Graham Digital Holding Company LLC. All rights reserved. Foreign Policy, 655 15th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC, 20005.