Financial Crime World

Financially Faltering Morocco: Uncovering the Prevalent Forms of Financial Crimes in Public Sector

Morocco’s financial landscape has become a hotbed for cunning criminal activities, with perpetrators employing increasingly sophisticated methods to exploit vulnerabilities and evade detection. In this article, we will offer an insight into the types of financial crimes rampant in Morocco’s public sector based on a comprehensive analysis of academic research and empirical data from convictions of public officials.

Background

The study, which explored financial crimes theories, was inspired by influential theories such as the differential association theory of Edwin Sutherland. This theory establishes a connection between crime and finance. By analyzing 139 final judgments collected between 2013 and 2019 from financial court reports, we provide an overview of the main categories of financial offenses in the Moroccan public sector.

Identified Financial Crimes

Two primary categories of financial crimes were identified: those involving public spending and state revenue areas. The bulk of offenders were found to have violated the following regulations:

  1. Public procurement: Illegal bidding, collusion, and conflict of interest
  2. Public debt recovery: Embezzlement, bribery, and falsification of records

A Likert scale survey revealed that high-ranking public officials often incurred severe financial penalties on average. The study also revealed a significant correlation between the offenders’ professional ranks and the severity of financial punishments.

Limitation of the Study

However, it’s important to acknowledge that this research only investigates financial offenses that have undergone the entire legal process and received final judgments. Numerous additional instances of financial crimes taking place in the public sector may remain undisclosed due to:

  • Insufficient evidence to prosecute public officials
  • Limited access to data in the criminal records of the financial crimes division
  • Reports by the National Authority for Probity, Prevention, and Fight Against Corruption

Conclusion

In conclusion, while this research offers valuable insights into the prevalent forms of financial crimes in Morocco’s public sector, it is crucial to recognize that this only scratches the surface of the issue. Further research and efforts are needed to bring transparency and accountability to Morocco’s financial landscape and prevent the perpetuation of financial crimes.

References

Amrhar, M., & Angade, K. (2022). In the Pursuit of Financial Criminality in the Moroccan Public Sector. International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Management and Economics, 3(4-2), 283-295. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6969632. HAL: hal-03747888.