Text 1: Outflow of Capital

During the period of Russia's transition from a centrally planned economy to a market economy, the opportunities to launder money appear to be limitless. Despite what is written in the media and debated in international fora, Russian law enforcement statistics do not support the thesis that criminally derived proceeds from abroad are entering Russia and subsequently laundered. This also holds true for foreign proceeds from drug or arms trafficking, and the sale of nuclear materials. Russian officials admit that mechanisms to detect and measure money laundering are lacking or could be improved, but the general consensus is that foreign funds are not laundered in Russia. The country does, however, remain vulnerable to money laundering, given the current legal and economic conditions.

What is happening is a massive outflow of capital from Russia. These proceeds range from criminally-derived funds from commonplace offenses to the misappropriation of state assets through embezzlement, theft, and corruption. This money is legalized in Russia and eventually sent abroad, primarily to Western countries for laundering and safekeeping.

Funds leaving Russia to be legalized abroad consist of a combination of assets from the proceeds of predicate offenses stipulated by criminal codes and proceeds that are illegally transferred out of Russia, commonly referred to as «gray money». Examples of this include corporate, private, and official funds sent to foreign accounts to evade hard currency restrictions, taxation, inflation, or detection.

These types of illegal proceeds include more than those generated by organized crime. Instances of embezzlement by individuals in positions allowing access to either private or public funds also occur; these proceeds are likewise sent abroad. The proceeds ultimately return to Russia in the form of cash, goods, services, and equipment. Those remaining in Russia are used for operational expenses in furtherance of the criminal enterprise.

Russian officials estimate that during the years 1992 and 1993, assets valued at four trillion roubles were stolen from the state. At the nominal exchange rate of $1.00 = R200.00 during this period, the equivalent losses incurred in U.S. dollars were $20 billion. According to Russian government estimates, approximately $100 billion of funds attributed to Russian sources lie outside the country in foreign banks. Approximately $30–40 billion of this sum is capital from tax and customs evasion.

§ Vocabulary notes

Note: Обозначения валют $, £, R – устаревшие, в соответствии с требованиями Международной организации стандартизации современные обозначения этих валют: USD, GBP и RUR.