# Grand corruption URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/grand-corruption Type: Priority topic Published: 2020-03-17 Updated: 2024-11-19 --- ![](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/grand-corruption-animation_200422_121933.jpeg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) Grand corruption is the abuse of high-level power that benefits the few at the expense of the many. It typically has three main features: **A systematic or well-organised plan of action involving high-level public officials that causes serious harm, such as gross human rights violations.** Imagine: A doctor takes a bribe to move a patient up the waiting list. This is clearly corruption but petty corruption. By contrast, when the health minister works with other public officials and unscrupulous companies to systematically divert resources from the country’s entire hospital system into their own pockets – that is grand corruption. In this scenario, high level influence over the award of government contracts for the construction of new hospitals or new medical equipment may result in their being allocated to unqualified companies owned by the minister’s cronies. These companies may be allowed to inflate prices and channel some of the [illicit gains](https://www.transparency.org/en/corruptionary) back to corrupt ministry officials. Oftentimes, these public officials even give the contract to a company of which they themselves are the beneficial owner; the majority of grand corruption cases include the use of anonymous [shell companies](https://www.transparency.org/en/corruptionary) to secretly move financial assets, according to the [World Bank](https://star.worldbank.org/star/publication/puppet-masters). Through grand corruption, vast amounts of public money are systematically siphoned off to the accounts of a few powerful individuals, at the expense of citizens who should actually benefit. Financial institutions and other enablers assist those involved in laundering the proceeds. When grand corruption and state capture happen, high-level officials may also use control over legislative and regulatory powers to legalise their activities and to weaken oversight and enforcement functions. Typically, those involved in grand corruption benefit from impunity by interfering directly with the justice system and stymieing enforcement in order to thwart being held to account. Using the levers of state control, they may also suppress independent efforts by civil society and the media to investigate and expose corruption. In extreme systems of grand corruption, “[the whole of government has morphed into a criminal organisation bent on no other business than personal enrichment, and has retooled the crucial gears of state power to that end](https://carnegieendowment.org/files/Chayes_Corruption_Final_updated.pdf)”. ![](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/capturing-the-human-heart-YI5DzUUFvqQ-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) Photo: Capturing the human heart / unsplash.com ## How does it affect you? If you live in a country with political leaders enriching themselves on public funds, this will affect your life on countless levels. **Infrastructure, health care, education** – all of these vital necessities, and many more, will be massively underfunded, **depriving you of basic rights and services**. It may even put lives at risk through products of inferior quality and poorly constructed facilities. Grand corruption is a **huge barrier to sustainable development**. Even if you live in a country where grand corruption is not an issue, you should care – because sustainable development affects all of us. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global effort towards a better future and the impact of grand corruption on them is far more destructive than from other forms of corruption. At the same time, less is being done about it. ![](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/dustan-woodhouse-RUqoVelx59I-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) Photo: Dustan Woodhouse / unsplash.com Grand corruption also undermines **civil and political rights** so that citizens are denied rights to participation in political affairs and may see their due process rights curtailed. The worst kleptocrats commit **serious human rights abuses** to enrich themselves and maintain power, through crimes including forced evictions, torture, illegal detention, assassinations, or the persecution of perceived dissidents or minority populations. In the most severe cases, this may amount to crimes against humanity. ## What needs to be done? In recent years, more and more states and international organisations have recognised grand corruption as the key governance issue of our times. To effectively fight grand corruption, we need to build on this consensus and consolidate an internationally recognised definition of grand corruption as a first step. ## What are we doing? - **We are developing a legal definition** **of grand corruption and advocating for its use** as the basis for special criminal, civil and administrative law measures at national level, as well as for potential international structures to deal with the issue. This will enable enforcement outside the domestic justice system when it is “unable or unwilling” to provide access to justice for the victims to hold accountable all those involved in grand corruption. - **We are** **campaigning for full transparency** related to the beneficial owners of private companies. These are typically used to stash the ill-gotten gains of grand corruption abroad. - **We are advocating for follow-up to grand corruption cases exposed by journalists** as part of a strategic alliance called [GACC](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/global-anti-corruption-consortium) - **We are providing research** to show how grand corruption deprives us of sustainable development and is associated with serious human rights violations [The many-headed hydra: how grand corruption robs us of a sustainable future](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/the-many-headed-hydra-how-grand-corruption-robs-us-of-a-sustainable-future) [Addressing impunity for grand corruption: What are the options?](https://ungass2021.unodc.org/uploads/ungass2021/documents/session1/contributions/TransparencyInternational.pdf) [Tackling Grand Corruption Impunity: Proposals for a Definition and Special Measures](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/tackling-grand-corruption-impunity-proposals-for-definition-and-special-measures) ### Submissions to UNCAC meetings: [Grand corruption as a major obstacle to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (2019)](https://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNCAC/COSP/session8/V1911801e.pdf) [Making grand corruption a priority (2017)](https://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNCAC/COSP/session7/V1707651e.pdf) [Recommendations for robust action against grand corruption (2015)](https://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNCAC/COSP/session6/V1507500e.pdf) ### Submission to OECD consultation: [Transparency International submission to the OECD consultation on the 2009 revised anti-bribery recommendation (2019)](http://www.oecd.org/corruption/anti-bribery/Public-Comments-Review-OECD-Anti-Bribery-Recommendation.pdf)- from page 108 ## Find out more about our work ### News [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=grand-corruption&type=newsPost) ## [CPI 2025: Findings and insights](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2025-findings-insights-corruption) News • 10 February 2026 As corruption worsens globally, a decline in bold, accountable leadership is undermining reform. ## [CPI 2024: Highlights and insights](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2024-highlights-insights-corruption-climate-crisis) News • 11 February 2025 While some countries are making progress, corruption still affects billions of people worldwide and leaders are doing too little to stop it. ## [CPI 2024: Trouble at the top](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2024-trouble-at-the-top) News • 11 February 2025 Many top-scoring countries in this year's CPI are prime targets for corrupt actors to launder and safeguard their ill-gotten wealth. ## [Will the EU act decisively and raise its anti-corruption standards?](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/will-the-eu-raise-anti-corruption-standards) News • 16 April 2024 The European Parliament and Council are expected to enter negotiations on the final version of the new Directive on combatting corruption later this year. ### Publications [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=grand-corruption&type=publication) ## [Annual Report 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/annual-report-2025) Publication • 17 July 2026 In 2025, Transparency International pursued its mission to stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society. ## [Corruption Perceptions Index 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/corruption-perceptions-index-2025) Publication • 10 February 2026 The Corruption Perceptions Index scores 182 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people. ## [Corruption Perceptions Index 2023](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/corruption-perceptions-index-2023) Publication • 30 January 2024 The Corruption Perceptions Index scores 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people. ## [Tackling grand corruption impunity](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/tackling-grand-corruption-impunity) Publication • 27 November 2023 The paper identifies special national and international measures that would increase the accountability of grand corruption offenders and improve remedies for the harm they cause. ### Projects [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=grand-corruption&type=project) ## [Ending impunity for grand corruption in the Western Balkans and Turkey](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/grand-corruption-western-balkans-and-turkey) Project Assesses and tracks National Integrity Systems—ways to strengthen institutions and anti-corruption policies—in the Western Balkans and Turkey. ## [Global Anti-Corruption Consortium](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/global-anti-corruption-consortium) Project The Global Anti-Corruption Consortium is a ground-breaking partnership that brings together investigative reporting from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project… ### Blog posts [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=grand-corruption&type=blogPost) [## How to ensure transparency in land governance to counter grand corruption: A practical guide Transparency Int'l 22 April 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/ensure-transparency-land-governance-counter-grand-corruption-practical-guide "How to ensure transparency in land governance to counter grand corruption: A practical guide") [## Future of fighting corruption in the EU stands on knife’s edge Transparency Int'l 18 February 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/future-of-fighting-corruption-in-eu-stands-on-knifes-edge "Future of fighting corruption in the EU stands on knife’s edge") [## As the Azerbaijani Laundromat scandal reaches German court, will there finally be some accountability? Ádám Földes 14 February 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/azerbaijani-laundromat-scandal-reaches-german-court "As the Azerbaijani Laundromat scandal reaches German court, will there finally be some accountability?") [## Until debt tears us apart: Why the International Financing for Development must urgently prioritise transparency and oversight of public loans Daniela Patiño Piñeros 30 August 2024](https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/until-debt-tears-us-apart-why-the-international-financing-for-development "Until debt tears us apart: Why the International Financing for Development must urgently prioritise transparency and oversight of public loans") ### Press releases [+ More](https://www.transparency.org/en/search/filter?priority=grand-corruption&type=pressRelease) ## [Stalled EU anti-corruption talks raise stakes for incoming Danish Council Presidency](https://www.transparency.org/en/press/stalled-eu-anti-corruption-talks-raise-stakes) Press • 01 July 2025 ## [EU must choose: Strong anti-corruption rules or business as usual](https://www.transparency.org/en/press/civil-society-organisations-urge-eu-leaders-deliver-on-anti-corruption-standards) Press • 02 June 2025 ## [U.S. pausing of foreign bribery enforcement will harm economies and governance worldwide](https://www.transparency.org/en/press/us-pausing-of-foreign-bribery-enforcement-will-harm) Press • 11 February 2025 ## [Summit for Democracy: First outcomes show promise](https://www.transparency.org/en/press/summit-for-democracy-first-outcomes-show-promise-corruption) Press • 10 December 2021 ## Explore all priorities - [Asset recovery and the theft of public money](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/asset-recovery-and-the-theft-of-public-money) - [Business integrity](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/business-and-corruption) - [Climate crisis](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/climate-crisis) - [Defence and security](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/defence-and-security) - [Dirty money](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/dirty-money) - [Extractive industries](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/extractive-industries) - [Foreign bribery enforcement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/foreign-bribery-enforcement) - [Gender](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/gender-and-corruption) - [Grand corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/grand-corruption) - [Health](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/health-and-corruption) - [Judiciary and law enforcement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/judiciary-and-law-enforcement) - [Land corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/land-corruption) - [Political integrity](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/political-integrity) - [Public procurement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/public-procurement) - [Right to information](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/right-to-information) - [Sustainable Development Goals](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/sustainable-development-goals) - [Whistleblowing](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/whistleblowing) Asset recovery and the theft of public money Business integrity Climate crisis Defence and security Dirty money Extractive industries Foreign bribery enforcement Gender Grand corruption Health Judiciary and law enforcement Land corruption Political integrity Public procurement Right to information Sustainable Development Goals Whistleblowing