The recent charges against insider trading at SAC Hedgefund and the government’s prosecution to seize the proceeds raises a very important question for the government coffers.  No need for austerity is these funds were available to societies.

The Federal Action Task Force says: It is critically important that governments include all relevant voices in developing a national anti-money laundering programme. They should, for example, bring law enforcement and financial regulatory authorities together with the private sector to enable financial institutions to play a role in dealing with the problem. This means, among other things, involving the relevant authorities in establishing financial transaction reporting systems, customer identification, record keeping standards and a means for verifying compliance.

Here is a report from Zambia. Definitions of Finance and Money Laundering