FINANCIAL FRAUD AND CYBERCRIME IN WARTIME: AN OVERVIEW OF THE SCIENTIFIC LANDSCAPE AND INSIGHTS FROM COUNTRIES ENGAGED IN MILITARY CONFLICT
Serhiy Lyeonov, Tetiana Vasylieva, Hanna Filatova · 2024
Addressing the critical challenges of financial fraud, money laundering, corruption, shadow economies, and cybercrime during wartime and post-war recovery, this monograph explores how these systemic issues exploit vulnerabilities exacerbated by conflict. It highlights how weakened governance, disrupted economies, and the rapid evolution of cyber threats create an environment where such crimes thrive, undermining recovery efforts and societal stability. Using advanced analytical techniques and case studies, the study provides a comprehensive examination of these interconnected phenomena and their implications for security, governance, and resilience. The research identifies key patterns through the typologization of financial fraud and cybercrime schemes, emphasizing how these activities adapt to the chaos of war and transition into post-conflict periods. Shadow economies are revealed as both survival mechanisms and destabilizing forces, weakening formal economic structures and fostering organized criminal networks. In addition, the study conducts clustering and bibliometric analysis of scientific research, uncovering dominant thematic clusters and mapping global research efforts. This analysis highlights significant contributions from international academic networks and provides insights into evolving research priorities, particularly in integrating technology to combat these crimes.One of the study’s major contributions is the development of a roadmap for post-war recovery and crime prevention strategies. This roadmap outlines immediate, medium-term, and long-term measures for integrating cybersecurity into governance, leveraging digital tools such as blockchain and AI to enhance transparency and accountability, and fostering international cooperation to mitigate cross-border threats. By fostering innovation and resilience, the findings offer a pathway to mitigating the socio-economic impacts of financial and cybercrimes and rebuilding stronger, more equitable systems in conflict-affected regions.