Profiling the perpetrators and the investigators, Kochan gives a mesmerising inside look, explaining the methods employed by international criminals and terrorists to turn dirty money into untraceable wealth, as well as examining the methods and resources available to the law enforcement agencies in their fight to stop this corrupt financial pipeline. But is it a losing battle? Taking readers deep into the heart of the battle, "The Washing Machine" reveals that the forces of globalisation and a lack of true international co-operation are playing directly into the hands of the criminals. In the hands of the author, the sophistication of the laundering schemes become understandable and fascinating, and the characters and stories woven into that explanation are vividly brought to life as they engage in operations on an often mind-blowing scale.