INVESTIGATIONS & WHITE-COLLAR CRIME

R&C: How are the wider geopolitical, technological and economic currents of recent months collectively reshaping the nature, scale and sophistication of white-collar crime?

García Cueva: Mexico is amid the convergence of extraterritorial enforcement, with an expanding and more aggressive domestic regulatory context. In 2025, the US redesignated major Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organisations. There is a transversal application of US anticorruption, anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing laws to activities in Mexico. Even conduct that may never be prosecuted domestically can carry exposure and significant liability. In addition, antitrust conduct such as bid rigging frequently involves third-party intermediaries connected to these same networks. Therefore, it is important to assess not only specific risks, but also whether supply chains, joint ventures or key third parties have any exposure. On the technology side, artificial intelligence (AI)-produced content is making certain white-collar schemes such as fraud far more sophisticated. However, cryptocurrency, contrary to popular belief, could rely on blockchain traceability that facilitates enforcement. It is key to enhance prevention frameworks to evolve at the same pace as enforcement.

Carr: White-collar crime still comes down to a simple constant: bad actors want what you have. What has changed is the speed, scale and sophistication of how they try to get it, and, increasingly, why. Generative AI (genAI) and agentic AI, deepfakes, voice cloning and false digital personas are making fraud cheaper to launch, easier to scale and harder to detect, often bypassing controls organisations only recently strengthened. At the same time, sustained economic pressure is expanding both motive and opportunity across industries and geographies. The ‘why’ is no longer always straightforward greed; it may also reflect coercion, dislocation, state-aligned interests or basic financial survival.

Jul-Sep 2026 Issue

Aziz & Kaye Business Law

BDO

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Inc

Hogan Lovells

McDermott Will & Schulte

Prager Dreifuss

PwC Risk Advisory LLC