Russian organized crime and corruption : Putin's challenge : Global Organized Crime Project / project chair, William H. Webster ; project director, Arnaud de Borchgrave ; task force director and editor, Frank J. Cilluffo.

Introduction. The Russian Federation as criminal-syndicalist state. The financial crisis of August 1998 : how did things get so bad? Russian organized crime goes regional. The expansion of Russian organized crime. Role of the West -- The transformation of Russian organized crime. The role of the barter and shadow economies in the regions. The governors and the organized crime problem. Rise of the KGB. The expansion of ROC activity outside of Russia. Europe and the "gateway" of Central European States. Latin America. Middle East (Israel). North America. Inter-oc cooperation and competition. Alliances outside of Russia. Influx of transnational organized crime into Russia -- The Russian Federation as a criminal-syndicalist state. The political sphere. Toward the August 1998 crash. Primakov and attempts at reform. The ouster of Primakov and the new government of corrupt officials. The "family". "Family" members' control of the levers of power in 1999. The Skuratov affair and the regional governors. Investigations by the Swiss Prosecutor's Office. The economic sphere. Fimaco and the International Monetary Fund. The World Bank. Capital flight. The Russian banking system. Foreign direct investment climate. The dysfunctional economy. The social sphere. Increasing incidence of alcoholism and drug abuse. Prostitution. Trafficking in women. Increase HIV-aids cases -- Difficulties combating Russian organized crime. The Russians. Political issues. Constitutional and legal issues. Only the good die young : the risks of advocating for reform. The United States. The politicization of U.S. intelligence. Personalities over processes. Harvard University's Institute for International Development. The four failed U.S. efforts at constructing a Russia policy. Toward the future -- Recommendations. Summary of recommendations of the 1997 Russian Organized Crime Task Force report. Additional proposals for action. Policy. Legal. Law enforcement and legal training. Intelligence. Information technology and communications. International cooperation. Academic and nongovernmental organizations.