# Why Can’t We Stop Money Laundering? With Oliver Bullough

An episode of [Intelligence Squared](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/708371900), 1 Feb 2026, 39 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6ae4779753fe55e775c1ac6c/e/88f78b5a-fb6a-11f0-b2ed-2fb71a6363cb/media.mp3

In an increasingly digital world, hardly anyone relies on cash. $100 bills are essentially absent from global commerce. So how come the US Federal Reserve printed 752 million and 867.2 million of them last year? In this episode, bestselling investigative journalist and author Oliver Bullough joins us to explore how, in the criminal world, cash is still king. Drawing on his new book, Everybody Loves Our Dollars, he explores the hidden financial systems that allow drug cartels, kleptocrats, tax evaders, terrorists, and traffickers to move and protect their wealth with astonishing ease. Despite decades of legislation, enforcement, and international cooperation, an estimated 2-5% of global GDP is still laundered every year. Why has every attempt to stop it failed? In conversation with host Atossa Araxia Abrahamian, Bullough sheds light on what’s going on beneath the surface, and what needs urgent change. --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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