In this project we map the phenomenon of white-collar crime in conflict areas. This project intends to expand the debate on white-collar crime into the field of crimes committed in conflict areas. Armed conflict generates multiple opportunities for white-collar crime activities, yet this trend is not addressed in the literature, focusing mostly on domestic aspects of the phenomenon. 

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan brought with them massive resources and multiple contracts. They also brought with them much corruption and criminal behavior, committed by contractors, nongovernmental organizations, local businessmen, local government, and the military personnel. According to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, in Afghanistan alone there were over $132 billon worth of white-collar crimes. 

The literature’s focus on the domestic aspect of white-collar crime does not present good theories and explanations to the situation and setting related to white-collar crimes in conflict areas. This project aimed to fix that. In this study we go through open sources, including the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction reports, to map the scope of this trend, the types of crimes prevalent in this setting, and the actors that commit those.