Dark Money and Private Spies

What makes a person choose justice over self-interest?

When Everett Stern landed his dream job as HSBC Bank’s new Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer, he never imagined the career move would lead to international notoriety as a whistleblower.

During his time at HSBC, Stern discovered that the bank deliberately failed to maintain anti-money laundering policies, allowing for billions of dollars of drug proceeds and terrorist funding to be laundered through the U.S. financial system. Stern knew he could not stand by and allow this to continue. In 2011, he alerted the U.S. authorities of his findings. The ensuing investigation resulted in HSBC being issued with an unprecedented $1.9 billion dollar fine.

But the pursuit of justice came at a high personal cost to Stern. His banking career was over, and the experience left him disillusioned.

In Dark Money and Private Spies, Stern finally shares the full account of his experience with the corruption, espionage, and injustice that plague today’s financial and legal systems. He details both the precursors to his defining moment and the explosive aftermath, which saw him blacklisted from the financial industry. From his current position as a Senate candidate and Intelligence Director of a private intelligence agency, Tactical Rabbit, Stern offers unique insight into this booming sector. Part true crime thriller and part condemnation of America's failed systems, it’s a sobering tale of one whistleblower’s fight for justice.