The Cancerous Effects of the Criminal Economy

They work in the shadows, in elegant professional studies located in the most exclusive neighborhoods of the major financial centers worldwide . They have earned Bachelor and Master degrees in prestigious universities, speak several languages ​​and have an extensive network of relationships in the business community and with local and international politicians. They are white-collar workers , individuals who, through their professional skills and their connections , are the key that can unlock the doors of international finance for the representatives of organized crime. They handle a flow of money , according to estimates by various international bodies (including the IMF) that varies between 600 and 1,500 billion dollars a year in the U.S. alone , while in our country ( as reported by the Bank of Italy ) is estimated at just over 10% of the national GDP.
Since those concerned are close to, or are actual internal members of, criminal organizations , their task is to devise the most appropriate and complex strategies to launder money from their lucrative illegal activities.
Their role is fundamental: without their help the dirty money would be made ​​inert , useful only to refinance new criminal activities in a sort of closed circuit. Thanks to these professionals, however , the proceeds are brought into the legal circuit , regain purchasing power and give the opportunity for criminals to gain access to a constantly expanding list of productive sectors. Their impact conditions these sectors to the point, as evidenced by the Agency's files and information security, of distorting the perception of the real economic size of many investments.
Recycling is so strategic that the major criminal groups start an illegal activity only if they have the certainty of cleaning up the proceeds they plan to obtain. Thus it is clear that the work done by white-collar workers is the pillar on which they rely.
But this is not all: it is these professionals and their top-notch skills who have facilitated the particularly rapid and effective adaptation of organized crime to the complexity and dynamics of the contemporary "network society ". This in turn enables the mob to mount a concentric attack on institutions , permeating the social fabric in each layer.
Moises Naim , a former director of the World Bank , correctly argues that especially in these times of crisis, the financial power held by organized criminals allows them to apply pressure that induces actors and agencies to turn a blind eye to their requests for "collaboration" and even renders most of the rules put in place against them ineffective. Considering this, it is surprising that even today, in our country, there is a ongoing resistance to addressing the phenomenon of collaboration among professionals, businessmen and criminals in any systematic way.
Is this view unduly exasperated and pessimistic? No, it is just a statement of fact. What then is the solution? It is known that when institutions are not able to protect its citizens and solve their disputes, individuals turn to alternative sources of protection, and in Italy organized crime stands as the most effective counterpart.

Consequently, the key prerequisite to implementing effective policies preventingand combating organized crime in the real economy is the protection of the rule of law and respect for the law. While initiatives such as those recently undertaken by professional bodies for the adoption of a Charter of Ethics are to be commended , it is even more desirable that each professional place emphasis on respect for the rules. They must not, as unfortunately sometimes happens, play a critical role in helping to break them.