Corruption has existed throughout history in many different countries. Some leaders, officials, and organizations abused their power for money or personal gain, while others were caught in scandals that changed history. Here are five true corruption stories written in simple English.
1. Mobutu Stole Billions From His Country
Mobutu Sese Seko ruled Zaire, now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 1965 to 1997. During the Cold War, Western countries gave his government large amounts of development aid because they supported his leadership. Instead of using the money to improve roads, schools, and hospitals, Mobutu reportedly kept much of it for himself. Transparency International estimated that he stole around $5 billion, making him one of the most corrupt leaders of his time. He was removed from power in 1997 and fled the country before dying from cancer later that year.
2. A Fake River God Scam Ended in Ancient China
Around 400 BC, a government official named Ximen Bao discovered that corrupt leaders in Ye County had created a fake religious ritual to steal money from local people. They claimed the River God needed a young woman as a bride every year to prevent floods. Families were forced to pay money for the ceremony, but the officials secretly kept most of it. Ximen Bao exposed the scam by throwing the dishonest leaders and the shamaness into the river. After that, the fake ritual ended, and the people were no longer forced to pay.
3. The Wolf of Wall Street Was Linked to a Real Financial Scandal
The 2013 movie The Wolf of Wall Street became a huge success, but its financing later became part of a major corruption investigation. U.S. prosecutors said that more than $100 million used to make the movie came from Malaysia’s 1MDB state investment fund, where billions of dollars had been stolen. The production company, Red Granite Pictures, later agreed to pay $60 million to settle the legal case. The scandal connected a movie about financial crime with a real-life corruption story.
4. A Journalist Was Killed After Exposing Corruption
Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia spent many years investigating government corruption, money laundering, and political misconduct. She became well known for reporting on the Panama Papers and exposing powerful people. On October 16, 2017, a bomb exploded in her car shortly after she left her home, killing her instantly. Her final blog post said that corruption was everywhere and that the situation had become desperate. Her death drew international attention to press freedom and corruption.
5. FIFA Spent Millions on a Movie That Almost Nobody Watched
In 2015, FIFA helped finance a movie called United Passions, which told the history of the organization. Many critics called it propaganda because it ignored FIFA’s long history of corruption allegations. The movie was released while several FIFA officials were facing corruption charges. Even though it cost about $29 million to make, it earned only $918 during its opening weekend in North America, making it one of the biggest box office failures in sports movie history.