Professional indulgences: the kleptocracy problem and the transformation of global politics

This article discusses the phenomenon of transnational kleptocracy and explains how kleptocrats and oligarchs have been welcomed in rule-of-law settings. The paper summarises a large body of research, including our recent book, Indulging Kleptocracy (Oxford University Press, 2025). Taking the rise of postcommunist Eurasian kleptocracy and its servicing in the UK as the context of a series of case studies, the research findings indicate that the global form and function of kleptocracy are best explained neither by patterns of geopolitics nor the corrupt power of incumbents in countries of origin but by what we call professional indulgences. These indulgences are the product of the work of professional enablers—the variously witting and unwitting, compliant and non-compliant, provision of legal, financial, and related services—across many service sectors to circumvent rules for kleptocratic elites and bring their assets, status, and influence from their countries of origin to erstwhile liberal democracies.