Tom Burgis

Author

Tom Burgis is a British investigative journalist and author whose books expose the hidden networks of power, corruption, and money that shape the global economy. Burgis is an investigations correspondent at the Financial Times, where he has built a reputation for rigorous, fearless reporting on corruption, kleptocracy, and the... intersection of politics and money. His journalism has won numerous awards and has had real-world impact. Kleptopia: How Dirty Money Is Conquering the World (2020) traces the global flows of corrupt money — from post-Soviet oligarchs through the financial capitals of London and New York to the political systems they undermine. The book exposes how authoritarian regimes, organised crime, and Western financial institutions collaborate to move and launder stolen wealth, and how this corruption corrodes democracy itself. The Looting Machine (2015) examines how Africa's natural resources are exploited by a network of multinational corporations, local strongmen, and criminal enterprises. Burgis writes with the meticulous sourcing of an investigative journalist and the narrative skill of a thriller writer. His books read like spy novels, except everything in them is real — and that makes them more frightening than fiction. Burgis has faced legal threats and intimidation as a result of his reporting, which speaks to the power and importance of his work. The audiobook of Kleptopia, narrated by Burgis himself, is gripping and urgent listening. His books and audiobooks are essential for anyone interested in corruption, global finance, and how dirty money threatens democracy. Read more Show less