Corruption is increasingly understood as a form of collective, social behaviour. It slips easily across borders and involves sophisticated financial strategies and transactions to launder the stolen money.

Yet the nexus between corruption and money laundering is poorly understood. So too are the structures, functions and mechanisms that enable these crimes.

We applied analytical tools to reveal the complex networks behind a corruption and money laundering scheme involving Odebrecht and Peru’s former president. The insights can support strategic approaches to fight transnational corruption.