How significant is the corrupt person of the year award?
While some awards celebrate excellence and virtue, the Corrupt Person of the Year Award is a distinction that "honours" those who have reached new heights of dishonesty, fraud, and abuse of power.
The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) annually recognises individuals or entities that have significantly advanced organised crime and corruption globally through its "Person of the Year" award.
Established in 2012, this satirical accolade aims to highlight and promote accountability by shining a light on those judged to have done the most to bolster corruption and the political collusion that often accompanies it.
2012: Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev was selected for his family's extensive involvement in various lucrative industries, including telecommunications, minerals, and construction, often through government-related deals.
2013: The Romanian Parliament
The Romanian Parliament was awarded for its collective efforts in undermining anti-corruption legislation, facilitating an environment conducive to organised crime and corruption.
2014: Vladimir Putin, President of Russia
Vladimir Putin was recognised for his role in fostering a culture of corruption within Russia, with allegations of state resources being used to enrich a select few, thereby strengthening organised crime networks.
2015: Milo Đukanović, Prime Minister of Montenegro
Milo Đukanović was 'honoured' due to revelations about his family's control over lucrative industries and alleged connections to organised crime, which have significantly impacted Montenegro's political and economic landscape.
2016: Nicolás Maduro, President of Venezuela
Nicolás Maduro was selected for presiding over a regime characterised by widespread corruption, economic mismanagement, and the erosion of democratic institutions, leading to a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.
2017: Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines
Rodrigo Duterte was recognised for his controversial "war on drugs," which, while targeting criminal elements, also resulted in significant human rights abuses and allegations of corruption within law enforcement agencies.
2018: Danske Bank
Danske Bank received the award due to its involvement in a massive money-laundering scandal, where billions of euros from dubious sources flowed through its Estonian branch, highlighting significant lapses in financial oversight.
2019: Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta
Joseph Muscat was crowned following investigations that linked his administration to high-level corruption and the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was probing these illicit activities.
2020: Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil
Jair Bolsonaro was selected for policies that allegedly undermined environmental protections, facilitated corruption, and eroded democratic norms, contributing to increased organised criminal activities in Brazil.
2021: Aleksandr Lukashenko, President of Belarus
Aleksandr Lukashenko was recognized for his authoritarian regime's crackdown on opposition, electoral fraud, and fostering a culture of corruption that permeated various sectors of Belarusian society.
2022: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian Oligarch and Leader of the Wagner Group
The late Yevgeny Prigozhin was honoured due to his leadership of the Wagner Group, a private military company implicated in various conflicts and associated with human rights abuses and the exploitation of resources in war-torn regions.
2023: María Consuelo Porras, Attorney General of Guatemala
María Consuelo Porras was selected for actions perceived as obstructing anti-corruption investigations and targeting prosecutors and judges involved in such cases, thereby weakening Guatemala's judicial integrity.
2024: Bashar al-Assad, President of Syria
Bashar al-Assad was recognized for his regime's involvement in the production and distribution of the highly addictive street drug Captagon, earning billions to maintain his authoritarian rule, and for widespread human rights abuses, including torture, murder, and the use of chemical weapons.
Additionally, in 2024, the OCCRP introduced a "Lifetime Non-Achievement Award," bestowed upon Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the long-serving President of Equatorial Guinea, acknowledging his decades-long involvement in corruption and human rights abuses.
