About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

LOG IN
LOG IN


30 J. Fin. Crime 1 (2023)

handle is hein.journals/jfc30 and id is 1 raw text is: Editorial: The show must go on! The Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime took place at Jesus College, Cambridge from Saturday 3 to Sunday 11 September 2022. Now in its fortieth year, it was conceived to promote understanding of the issues related to the prevention and control of economically relevant crime and misconduct and thereby facilitate better co-operation and interdiction. Sponsored by a number of governmental and academic institutions around the world, it provides a unique network of those concerned to better protect their economies and institutions from the threats presented directly and indirectly by economically motivated crime. Although initially primarily focused on the Commonwealth, over the years, it has grown into a truly international community, this year attracting participants from over 100 countries ranging from the USA to Fiji, from Taiwan to Trinidad. The thirty-ninth symposium had as its overarching title Selling status - insider crime and abuse of trust; however, as in previous years, while this was the focus of most plenary sessions, there were nearly a hundred parallel workshops and programmes that addressed a great variety of issues ranging from the development of intelligence to financial abuse in domestic settings and heritage property. There were parallel one-day programmes on environmental crime, irregular migration and organised crime, crypto-currencies, protecting investors in Islamic financial services, philanthropy and financial crime, the role of education in preventing economic crime, promoting integrity in the financial sector, risks facing the offshore financial centres, China's one belt one road strategy and whistle-blowing. The symposium has never been just another conference. It is organised by a number of institutions from around the world on a non-profit making basis. This year there were over 500 speakers, including senior judges from a number of legal systems, including the International Criminal Court, leading politicians and legislators, senior officials from numerous law enforcement and intelligence agencies, prosecutors, regulators, those working in compliance and the professions such as lawyers and accountants. While in the past, we have expressed a degree of regret that the academic world has not been as involved as perhaps it should be, it was gratifying to see an increased number of academicians and researchers from around the world and especially from developing countries. At the start of the symposium, the UK was waiting to learn who would be its prime minister after the resignation of Mr Boris Johnson MP. Consequently, a number of the ministers who were initially scheduled to participate in the keynote addresses had ceased to be in office. Indeed, the announcement of Mrs Truss MP's appointment as prime minister occurred at the time of the formal commencement. Nonetheless, the organisers were pleased that Mr Richard Fuller MP, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, was able to attend and express the UK government's commitment and support. Indeed, the opening keynote session included not only the minister and Lord Mayor of the City of London but a further 25 high officials and judges from around the world. As has already been mentioned, in the intensive programmes that followed, there were over 500 other leading experts. Two years ago, the symposium had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year it took place as a hybrid with a smaller number of participants in Cambridge and many others online (see www.crimesymposium.org). This year we returned to a face-to-face programme, although certain workshops were conducted partly online, such as those relating to environmental protection, cybercrime and cryptocurrencies. At the thirty-eight symposium, HM Queen Elizabeth II's representative challenged the organisers of this year's symposium to address how attitudes to economically relevant crime had changed Editorial Journal of Financial Crime Vol.30 No. 1,2023 pp. 1-3 ©ErerIdIublishingLimited 1359-0790 DOI 10.1108 JFG01-2023-279