Combating Kleptocracy - Human Rights Foundation

About

Combating Kleptocracy shines a light on how corrupt actors around the world use their illicit finances to undermine democracy and strengthen authoritarianism.

If there’s one link between every modern dictatorship, it’s corruption. Every authoritarian government relies on illicit finance and trans-national money laundering to hide its wealth and target its enemies. And all too often, the tools these regimes use are found in democracies, which have welcomed their dirty money.

Launched in 2023, this program reveals how these networks operate and who has benefited the most. Combating Kleptocracy dives into the links between illicit finance and kleptocrats — from shell companies to dictatorial donations, from private enterprise to suspect finance — and explores how to disrupt these networks.

Our Initiatives

Activations

HRF's Combating Kleptocracy Program brings the threats of international money laundering networks to audiences in the real world, including the acclaimed 'Dictator's Laundromat,' which highlights all the ways dictators around the world move their money and influence into democracies.

Publications

In 2024, the Combating Kleptocracy Program published the acclaimed book Foreign Agents, the first investigation into how the U.S.'s foreign lobbying industry has spent years aiding dictators, threatening democratic movements and entrenching despots around the world.

Original Investigations

HRF's Combating Kleptocracy Program conducts a range of original, ground-breaking research, such as on how the UAE's dictatorship has authored the most successful political influence and interference campaign in the U.S.

Reports

Dictators and Diplomas: Why Foreign Autocracies Funding American Universities Threatens Democracy, Destroys Academic Freedom, and Entrenches Anti-Democratic Regimes

For years, foreign dictatorships and their proxies have searched out any number of ways to influence policy and discourse in the United States. From hiring fleets of lobbyists to setting up dark money networks, from bankrolling sports leagues to launching disinformation campaigns on American social media platforms, from backing strategic investments to hiring consulting firms and white-shoe law firms, the list of targets is lengthy.

Infiltrating America: How the United Arab Emirates Launched an Unprecedented Political Interference Campaign in the United States

For years, one foreign dictatorship has overseen an unprecedented interference effort aimed at the heart of the U.S. political process, unleashing squadrons of lobbyists while launching illicit campaigns that reached directly into the highest ranks of the American government.

News & Media

Media

Feb 27, 2026

We’ve overestimated Russia for too long

The recent anniversary of Russia’s expanded invasion, which is now stretching into its fifth year, is as good a time as any to take stock of the state of the war itself.

We’ve overestimated Russia for too long

Media

Jan 30, 2026

Don’t Forget the Many Ways Russia Tried To Justify Invading Ukraine

As negotiations continue to drag on between Washington, Kyiv and Moscow, the Kremlin’s narrative about the war has centered on one potential solution: evicting Ukrainian forces from the Donbas.

Don’t Forget the Many Ways Russia Tried To Justify Invading Ukraine

Media

May 6, 2025

How Years of American Policy Bumbling Boosted Putin

Alexander Vindman argues that U.S. missteps and naïveté created the conditions for Russian imperialism’s return.

How Years of American Policy Bumbling Boosted Putin

Media

Sep 30, 2024

America’s Adversaries Are Targeting Its Cities and States

Last week, federal prosecutors launched a bombshell indictment against sitting New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

America’s Adversaries Are Targeting Its Cities and States

Media

Sep 28, 2024

The Indictment of Eric Adams Shouldn’t Surprise Us

The new, unsealed indictment against Eric Adams, accusing him of a range of crimes over nearly a decade, is significant for any number of reasons

The Indictment of Eric Adams Shouldn’t Surprise Us

Media

Sep 5, 2024

Despots and oligarchs have many means to meddle in American politics

As well as the colourful details of corruption on a grand scale—the gold bars, the cash stashed in boots and jackets—a particular point stood out during the conviction in July of Bob Menendez, then the senior Democratic senator for New Jersey, on charges including bribery and fraud.

Despots and oligarchs have many means to meddle in American politics

Media

Aug 30, 2024

Author ‘honoured’ to be blacklisted by Vladimir Putin

An American author has been placed on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “blacklist” a day after the former’s new book was published.

Author ‘honoured’ to be blacklisted by Vladimir Putin

Media

Aug 24, 2024

One big source of U.S. political corruption: Selling out to foreign adversaries

In July, Robert Menendez of New Jersey earned the ignominious distinction of becoming the first sitting U.S. senator to be convicted of having acted as a foreign agent.

One big source of U.S. political corruption: Selling out to foreign adversaries

Media

Feb 27, 2024

In America, there is finally good news on the anti-money laundering front

For years, the US acted as one of the world’s leading centres for money laundering and offshore finance. Now, that reality is changing fast.

In America, there is finally good news on the anti-money laundering front

Media

Apr 28, 2023

Russia has stifled another Putin opponent. Here’s how the West might help him

Some 70 US lawmakers wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week, urging the Biden administration to press Russia for the release of imprisoned dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Russia has stifled another Putin opponent. Here’s how the West might help him

Media

Nov 23, 2021

American Kleptocracy: How the U.S. Created the World’s Greatest Money Laundering Scheme in History

How the U.S. Created the World’s Greatest Money Laundering Scheme in History

American Kleptocracy: How the U.S. Created the World’s Greatest Money Laundering Scheme in History

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Other Programs

HRF’s AI for Individual Rights program is the world’s first to support open-source, privacy-protecting artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the hands of dissidents and expose how AI is used by autocrats as a tool of repression.

Art is a powerful tool for dissent in closed societies, provoking constructive dialogue and creating space for debate beyond mainstream bodies of political discourse. Authoritarian governments around the world recognize the power of art as a conduit of change and systematically persecute, repress, or censor artists to silence political dissent.

All governments, especially those of dictators, frequently debase, manipulate, demonetize, and surveil currencies, confiscate property, and freeze the bank accounts of people they don’t like. Dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, and nonprofit organizations in authoritarian countries face enormous obstacles just to receive donations and pay bills.

So for many years, North Korean defectors have organized efforts to smuggle outside info into North Korea on USB drives to counter Kim Jong-un’s constant propaganda.