The Laundromat with Dawn Pretorius
The Laundromat is an unfiltered deep dive into the shadowy world of money laundering and its far-reaching consequences. From billion-dollar scandals in global banking to cybercriminal networks exploiting digital loopholes, it exposes the intricate methods criminals use to clean dirty money. Each episode unpacks real-life cases that reveal the hidden connections between financial crime, corruption, and economic instability. The podcast also examines the regulators, the laws, and the ongoing battle to stay ahead of ever-evolving laundering techniques. It is a must-listen for forensic accountants, AML specialists, cybercrime investigators, and anyone curious about the dark side of global finance.
Episodes
Money Laundering in all its glory
Episode 1 of The Laundromat dives deep into the world of money laundering, exposing the staggering scale of financial crime across the globe. From major banking scandals like TD Bank’s involvement in laundering fentanyl profits to Mozambique’s $2 billion fraud, we uncover how illicit funds flow through legitimate systems, often with minimal consequences for the perpetrators. Cyber scams, shell com
Politics, Rule of Law and Tax
In this episode, we dive into the intricate connections between politics, the rule of law, and global economics—where money laundering plays a central role. From corporate power and tax havens to the unintended consequences of globalization, we explore how illicit financial flows distort economies, deepen inequality, and undermine democracy. With billions of dollars hidden offshore, governments lo
FATF: Fighting Financial Crime or Fueling Illusions?
In this thought-provoking episode, financial integrity expert Dawn Pretorius and Professor Louis de Koker delve into the complex world of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF); its origins, effectiveness, and the unintended consequences of its global standards.
Established in 1989 by the G7 to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, FATF now influences global financial regulations. But
Tick-a-box vs Outcomes - are documented risk assessments necessary?
Don't give me rules, give outcomes; don't ask for risk assessments.
This episode explores the effectiveness or otherwise of rules-based legislation versus principles-based legislation intended for anti-money laundering. Will financial institutions find it easier to apply or not?
A related regulatory requirement is to draft extensive risk assessments. Do we consult them when a risk occurs? Busin
Is the Rule of Law Crumbling?
According to the World Justice Project, 2024 marked the seventh consecutive year of global rule-of-law decline.
From South Africa to the United States, from Europe to Latin America, the trends are worrying… and the consequences could shape global compliance for years to come.
If powerful individuals can escape consequences in the world’s leading democracy, what message does that send to countri
The Shame of Shell Companies
The empty vessels that are moving billions of dollars supporting criminals.
In this episode, we’re diving into a topic that’s both mysterious and infuriating:
the use of shell companies, which involves secret wealth, global corruption, and the reason why your country might be losing billions in tax revenue every year.
The real shock is that the world’s richest economies are quietly the world’
Hawala: The Invisible Artery of Illicit Finance
Hawala is more than a remittance tool - it's a silent counter-economy.
Rooted in ancient trust-based systems, the hawala system allows funds to travel across borders without ever entering the formal financial system.
For financial criminals, hawala is an off-the-books express lane. For AML professionals, it's the ultimate blind spot. But for foreigners sending money home, it's cheap, fast, and
Grey list, global scams, and AML realities | Bela Carvalho-Olivier
A candid, insider view of AML’s wins, failures and future.
✅ South Africa’s greylisting journey — are we really out of the woods?
✅ The rise of scams as a global, multi-billion-dollar industry.
✅ The real challenges faced by AML professionals on the ground.
✅ Whether SMEs and non-financial businesses can realistically keep up with compliance.
✅ Public perceptions of AML — does it matter to ordina
The Compliance Crunch: Tech, Risk & Regulation | Jonnie Davis
Where technology, crime, and compliance collide.
A sharp, investigative podcast that exposes how technology is reshaping the global fight against money laundering. Hosted by Dawn Pretorius, The Laundromat tackles the fast-evolving world of AML through expert conversations, real-world cases, and bold questions about regulation, innovation, and the launderers who always seem one step ahead. Connect
Are we fighting crime or feeding the system? | Pieter Rossouw
Rethinking the RBA, AML effectiveness, and UBO failures.
In this hard-hitting episode, Dawn Pretorius is joined by seasoned financial-crime expert Pieter Rossouw to unpack whether our global AML systems are truly fighting illicit finance — or unintentionally fuelling it. From the misuse of the risk-based approach, to the startling ineffectiveness of the global AML regime, to South Africa’s still-
A lifestyle audit is just a piece of paper. Why bother?
Lifestyle audits are symbolically unsubstantial.
Lifestyle audits can be extremely valuable, especially considering the high level of crime within the public sector, and South Africa is a notable example.
Many public departments treat audits as mere self-reporting exercises without verification. There is poor follow-through on findings, a lack of mandatory referral to criminal procedures, compl
Are we fighting crime or ticking boxes? | Oonagh van den Berg
Discover what FSIs can do (and should do) but don't do, to fight crime.
This episode with Oonagh van den Berg of Raw Compliance takes a bold step in re-looking at how we comply with our AML regulatory requirements.
Oonagh argues that many current control frameworks are not fully fit for purpose as they were designed for a slower financial world and struggle to keep up with instant payments, embe
How organised crime professionalised in South Africa | Chad Thomas
In the first 2026 episode of The Laundromat, Dawn Pretorius speaks to veteran investigator Chad Thomas about how organised crime in South Africa has evolved into structured, corporate-style enterprises.
From a billion-rand international boiler room scam to the use of boutiques, barber shops and churches as laundering vehicles, Chad exposes how criminal networks professionalise and scale. He discu
Drugs move. Money wins | Why financial flows (not drug seizures) describe the global drug war
Governments seize tons of drugs every year — yet the global drug trade continues to expand. Why?
In this episode of The Laundromat, Dawn Pretorius examines what actually works in the fight against drug trafficking. From border interdictions and crop eradication to international cooperation and demand reduction, she breaks down why the most visible strategies often produce the least structural imp
Under the Radar: Terrorism and Security in South Africa
In South Africa, terrorism hasn’t historically taken the form of large-scale, frequent attacks like you’d see in places affected by groups like ISIS or Al-Qaeda. Instead, the threat is lower in frequency but still very real — and evolving.
Organised crime networks are deeply entrenched. These networks — while not terrorist in nature — can overlap with terrorism in terms of smuggling routes, forge
Recommended
G3MINI K1NG
#GqomFridays & #HouseWednesdays Mix Sessions
Growing Up in the Upper Room - New Testament Bible in a year
Hillsong Africa Sermons
History of South Africa podcast
IAAS Podcasts
Ideas That Matter Podcast by Vusi Thembekwayo
In-Market Insights
5 Lunch
947 Drive with Thando
Ace da Q | Guest Mixtapes
African Renaissance Podcast
