Continuing its series of practical training sessions, the Special Investigation Service (STT) of Lithuania, in cooperation with national and international partners, is strengthening efforts to detect, investigate, and prevent the bribery of foreign officials in international business transactions. The latest training focused on the role and potential of data analysis in identifying, investigating, and proving cases of international bribery. More than 100 representatives from nearly all Lithuanian law enforcement agencies, courts, and the prosecution service participated.
The training was held as part of the project “Prevention and Detection of Corruption, Including Bribery in International Business Transactions” (VSF/2023/331), implemented by STT and funded by the Internal Security Fund. The project aims to enhance the competencies of STT officers and their partners in investigating and combating these forms of corruption. It consists of several components: the exchange of best practices through international visits, practical seminars for STT officers and domestic partners, and the development of an educational training platform.
“Investigating cases of international bribery requires a high level of professionalism and close inter-agency cooperation. Through this project, we aim to strengthen the capacities of both STT and our partners to respond decisively and effectively in uncovering and investigating international corruption crimes,” said Jovitas Raškevičius, First Deputy Director of STT.
This one-day training, held in Vilnius and Klaipėda, featured expert presentations by Andrea de Tommaso, an international consultant on complex financial crime investigations and former head of an Italian Guardia di Finanza unit, and Bernd Kieber, Head of the Department for Corruption and Official Misconduct at the State Criminal Police Office of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The seminar explored practical data usage methods in investigating international bribery cases, including tracing financial flows, detecting illegal transactions, and applying data-driven risk assessment and prevention strategies. Case studies of international bribery investigations in Germany were also discussed.
The first seminars of this series took place in November of last year in Vilnius and Klaipėda. They introduced STT officers and partners to foreign bribery case investigation practices and featured insights from FBI Special Agent Katherine Adam (USA) and Andrejs Lisenko from Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB).
Four more seminars are planned, which will present best practices in coordinating international bribery cases, international cooperation, prevention, and engagement with the private sector. The training sessions are attended by representatives of Lithuanian law enforcement, the prosecution service, and the judiciary.
More photos.
International consultant on complex financial crime investigations, Andrea de Tommaso
Participants of the seminar in Vilnius
Head of the Department for Corruption and Official Misconduct at the State Criminal Police Office of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Bernd Kieber
A moment from the seminar in Klaipėda
