Translation of UNODC’s global guidance on organised fraud strengthens policy alignment and international cooperation
Brasília (DF), April 8, 2025 – The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Brazil launched, during the II International Anti-Fraud Forum: Public-Private Strategy by the Ties Group, the first Portuguese translation of the Thematic Document on Organized Fraud, an original UNODC publication launched globally in 2024.
The international forum, held in Brasília (DF) from April 2 to 3, included the participation of national and international authorities, emphasizing the need for global cooperation to address organized fraud – a crime that affects economies, institutions, and individuals on a transnational scale.
“Organized fraud is not an isolated problem. It undermines trust in institutions and demands a globally aligned response, based on prevention, protection, and international cooperation,” stated the Director of UNODC Brazil, Elena Abbati, highlighting the urgency of integrated actions.
The event’s opening ceremony brought together agencies and organizations involved in the topic, such as the National Council of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Federal District and Territories, the Attorney General’s Office of the National Treasury, the Federal Revenue Service, the Federal Police, the Central Bank, among others.
The document released, now available in Portuguese on the UNODC website, is structured into five chapters and proposes a strategic approach based on four pillars: Prevent, Pursue, Protect, and Promote Partnerships. The translation aims to expand access to international guidelines for combating crimes such as digital fraud, identity theft, and corporate fraud, as well as strengthen public and private policies in Brazil.
Throughout the two days of programming, in addition to launching the Thematic Document on Organized Fraud, UNODC supported the moderation of three thematic sessions: “Fraud in Sports: Fair Play, Match-Fixing, and Sports Corruption”; “Crime.gov: Dominating Territories and Production Chains – From Gold to Pirate Products”; and “Games and Betting: Fraud, Organized Crime, Money Laundering, and Regulatory Risks.”
The II International Anti-Fraud Forum also provided a preview of the organization of the 2026 Global Fraud Summit, in partnership with INTERPOL.
These initiatives reinforce UNODC’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, following Resolution 12/2 of the Palermo Convention, unanimously adopted in 2024.
Following the launch of the Portuguese version of the global document on organized fraud, UNODC is finalizing three additional publications on the same topic: a Legislative Guide for Fighting Fraud, a public-private partnership toolkit, and a thematic document on effective communication practices for fraud prevention.
The Thematic Document on Organized Fraud is available for download on the UNODC website: Thematic Document on Organized Fraud.
On the occasion of the I Anti-Fraud Forum in 2024, UNODC launched three publications in Portuguese (available at the links):
