Respectable and professional? A review of financial and economic misconduct in diplomatic relations

This article seeks to encourage a more thorough reflections on the involvement of diplomatic agents and international civil servants in white-collar crime. How have diplomatic agents and international civil servants been involved in financial and economic crime? How have diplomatic privileges and immunities been abused? What barriers to investigation and prosecution do special diplomatic entitlements create? Driven by these questions, the theoretical part of the article delves into the study of diplomatic privileges and immunities based on a review of academic literature on the topic and relevant international law, primarily the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The empirical part presents a qualitative analysis of several case studies of offences committed by diplomatic agents and international civil servants in the course of their official duties. The findings of the article shed light on the risks of and possible responses to crimes committed by persons with diplomatic immunities and privileges, a breach of which is difficult to identify and prosecute.