The Dark Money Files
Graham Barrow and Ray Blake
A series of podcasts which explain to a non-technical audience how "Dark Money" (e.g. money laundering, corruption, bribery, tax evasion) enters the financial system and infects everything it touches.
- 21 minutes 44 secondsHappy birthday OFSI
Ten years after the creation of the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, we look at how the UK sanctions regime has evolved—from early uncertainty to strict liability enforcement, sanctions list complexity, and the growing expectations on the private sector.
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
10 March 2026, 9:00 am - 24 minutes 15 secondsIt's a grey(list) area
Today we tackle some colourful risk lists or, to be a bit more precise, some black and grey ones, along with some strange differentials.
Like how come the UK has a high risk third country list when there are no second countries in sight?
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
9 February 2026, 2:00 pm - 13 minutes 15 secondsCrime on the high street - part two
In the second of a two part, end of year podcast, we continue to explain how we helped with a major BBC investigation into crime on the high street, involving the sale of illicit cigarettes and vapes, modern human slavery, people trafficking, tax evasion, corruption and money laundering.
In this episode, undercover filming unearths a shocking story and we explain our part in finding some of the protagonists involved.
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
9 January 2026, 1:00 pm - 16 minutes 25 secondsCrime on the high street - part one
In the first of a two part, end of year episode, we explain how we helped with a major BBC investigation into crime on the high street, involving the sale of illicit cigarettes and vapes, modern human slavery, people trafficking, tax evasion, corruption and money laundering.
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
29 December 2025, 11:00 am - 16 minutes 3 secondsA fine fanfare - Coinbase and JP Morgan SE
We examine two recent final notices issued by two different regulators relating to two quite different enterprises and find a surprising amount of commonality in their thinking.
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
8 December 2025, 10:00 am - 29 minutes 5 secondsThe Dark Money Files meets (Episode 1)... The Laundry
In the first of a new, occasional series, in which we sit down and chat to fellow anti-financial crime professionals, we kick off with Marit Rødevand from Strise to talk about AI and other new fangled gizmos.
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
24 October 2025, 9:00 am - 21 minutes 9 secondsPolicing the corporate landscape - the role of The Insolvency Service
The UK Insolvency Service does a lot more than just oversee insolvencies and, in a recently published five year strategy document, they outlined some ambitious future goals which we thought were well worth a conversation.
So we had one!
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
9 October 2025, 9:00 am - 19 minutes 50 secondsThe highs (and lows) of PEP classifications
The FCA recently published new guidance specifically in relation to UK PEPs which we decided needed a closer look. So we did!
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
13 August 2025, 2:00 pm - 20 minutes 44 secondsWhere there's a will...
In this episode we explain how we supported a major BBC investigation into a Hungarian organised crime group which was systematically forging wills and stealing the assets belonging to the estate from under the noses of the true beneficiaries.
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
26 July 2025, 2:00 pm - 18 minutes 33 secondsTransparency and trust issues: the secret life of property
In this episode, we chat about a recently published report by Transparency International (see: https://www.transparency.org.uk/news/trust-issues-tackling-final-frontier-secret-property-ownership) and how it impacts on our ability to identify the true ownership of real estate in the UK (and elsewhere).
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
29 May 2025, 12:00 pm - 17 minutes 24 secondsTrigger warning!
We bring you our latest deep dive into the world of crazy company incorporations and weird worldwide coincidences by way of North London, New Zealand and a much loved British sit-com.
Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dark-money-files-ltd/ on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dark_files or see our website at https://www.thedarkmoneyfiles.com/
14 April 2025, 3:00 pm - More Episodes? Get the App