Confronting Kleptocracy: Transition, Recovery, and Reform from Kleptocratic Rule

The Sentry is an investigative and policy organization that seeks to disable multinational predatory networks that benefit from violent conflict, repression, and kleptocracy.

This project explores the phenomenon of kleptocracy—understood as rule by theft or grand corruption on a national scale—examining how it operates, its corrosive impact on development, and what can be done to dismantle these regimes and recover stolen state assets. Some kleptocrats are so infamous their names still echo decades later: Abacha, Dos Santos, Marcos, Mobutu, and Suharto—each a symbol of state capture and systemic looting. While the various methods and staggering sums looted have been documented in many cases, the forces that have led to the downfall of kleptocrats remain less understood. Some have died in office and others have resigned under pressure, but ultimately only a few have been held accountable. This project asks: What mix of domestic and international economic, social, political, legal, and security factors has resulted in kleptocrats losing power? And how have these dimensions shaped the prospects for asset recovery and national rebuilding in the aftermath? By drawing on both historical case studies and examining contemporary kleptocracies, this comparative research could help identify actionable policy tools to confront kleptocracy and push for change.