About this episode
The episode discusses how cryptocurrency facilitates money laundering for organized crime in Canada and the political implications surrounding it.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit hatchetmedia.substack.com There’s something about the way we talk about crime that I’ve always found frustrating. Whether it’s car theft rings or fentanyl trafficking or targeted killings, we end up having intense political debates about peripheral issues — should we be locking more people up or making it harder to get bail or changing the Youth Criminal Justice Act But we rarely, if ever, talk about the central issue — money. Organized crime groups have to set up sophisticated operations to launder their money and put it to use. But today, there exists a shadow financial system that has made it easier than ever for criminals to launder their money with ease. It's cryptocurrency. And ironically, it’s often the same politicians who run on tough-on-crime agendas — people like Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim or Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre — who are simultaneously embracing crypto, the preferred currency of the modern criminal. What is surprising is how easy it is to turn that crypto into cash. We’re talking about eye-popping sums; hundreds of thousands of dollars at once, without the Canadian government knowing about it…
People in this episode
Guest: Emma McIntosh
Topics covered
- organized crime
- money laundering
- cryptocurrency
- politics
- Canada
- financial systems
Keywords
- cryptocurrency
- money laundering
- organized crime
- Canada
- politics
- Ken Sim
- Pierre Poilievre
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Toronto Star
Places: Canada
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