Complexities in defining and investigating financial crime

Abstract Despite being globally recognised as highly damaging, financial crime lacks a unified definition and often presents an investigative challenge, leading to limited success in prosecutions. One contributing factor is its perceived connection to white-collar crime and the (in) formal power of its perpetrators. To examine whether these connections have empirical backing and to explore the underlying reasons for the complexity of financial crime investigations, 18 interviews were conducted with financial crime experts in Slovenia. The findings confirm that perpetrators of financial crime rely on elite personal and professional networks to conduct questionable financial behaviours. Additionally, the modus operandi of financial crimes is highly global, dynamic, and complex, requiring specialised investigative skills and access to data from multiple sources.