Meantime, bankruptcy filings are leading to multi-million dollar expenses at a time when businesses can ill-afford to forfeit vast sums of money.

FORBES: Energy Companies Pursue Justice at a Fixed Cost

The government has also announced sanctions to deal with benefit cheats, promising that anyone with three convictions could forfeit their rights to claim money from the state for up to three years.

BBC: George Osborne

Under the law, they must give a voluntary account of their crimes and forfeit illegally acquired goods, such as lands bought with drug money.

ECONOMIST: Colombia