The International Law of Responsibility for Economic Crimes: Holding State Officials Individually Liable for Acts of Fraudulent Enrichment

This work focuses upon the problem of indigenous spoilation in developing countries. Unlike traditional scholarship which is concerned with the exploitation of the natural wealth of developing countries by translational corporations, this work explores the controversial issue of spoilation by national officials of the wealth of the states of which they are temporary custodians. Due to constraints of the state system and the lack of appropriate substantive municipal law, efforts to punish those responsible for the economic rape of entire nations and to recover spoilated funds have been frustrated and rendered insubstantial. Taking a multidisciplinary approach and on the basis of data generated from empirical, cross-national research, this study makes the case for indigenous spoilation as a violation of international law. The author also provides a coherent, internally consistent international legal standard for evaluating this type of international crime. This second edition has been substantially revised and updated to take account of recent legal and political developments. The volume will be a valuable resource for academics, practitioners, NGOs, and policymakers.