This blog is part of a summer blog series written by the McCain Institute’s Summer Junior Fellows. Jillian Proshan is a junior fellow for the Human Rights & Freedom program.
“Have any of you seen the TV show Ozark?”
This question began the June 2025 meeting of the McCain Institute’s Global Experts Consortium on Prosecuting Human Trafficking. A guest speaker used a clip of the drama television series to provide a surprisingly accurate explanation of money laundering. Convened by the McCain Institute, these meetings provide a platform for prosecutors to share experiences and insights as they discuss the spread of human trafficking and how to best inform global practices.
Prosecutors face myriad challenges when prosecuting human trafficking. These include navigating a dearth of hard evidence, leading to a strong reliance on witness testimony. However, due to the oftentimes traumatic nature of human trafficking, victims may be reluctant to participate in trials. Furthermore, when victims do testify, their statements may appear inconsistent and weak. Common problems that affect the credibility of witness testimony, whether superficially or on a deeper level, include issues with timeliness when making a complaint, unexpected emotional reactions during testimony, and a lack of corroborating evidence.
To circumvent these issues, prosecutors of human trafficking are turning to other sources of evidence, implementing a strategy referred to as “following the money.” This is where Ozark’s “Money Laundering 101” comes into play. According to the State Department, human trafficking grosses $150 billion internationally each year. These funds are generated from practices including the transporting of victims, funds obtained through the exploitation of victims or the “sale of goods produced through their exploitation,” and the movement of these funds. By targeting these financial crimes, prosecutors can combat human trafficking by defunding the criminal enterprise.
The financial approach to combating human trafficking benefits prosecutors by presenting hard evidence to corroborate or replace witness testimony, allowing reprieve for the victims, and providing irrefutable evidence for the court. This method demonstrates a high level of efficacy in its use in legal cases and its impact on criminal networks. The Council of Europe’s review explains: “Experience shows, however, that the fight against organised crime is only effective when criminals are deprived of the assets obtained through their activities. Depriving criminals of the profits derived from criminal activities can act as a deterrent by eliminating the primary motive, namely profit, and in particular prevent these proceeds from being re-invested in criminal enterprises.”
Although “following the money” has its advantages in contributing hard evidence and targeting the flow of funds, it can introduce further complications for prosecutors, as they must work with financial investigators and institutions. While some countries, such as the United States, mandate that banks “monitor and report suspected illegal activity,” the lack of collaboration among financial institutions, prosecutors, and law enforcement makes it difficult for prosecutors to gain access to pertinent financial information. Moreover, prosecutors may struggle to analyze complex financial trails, often involving multiple shell companies and overseas bank accounts, without the assistance of specialists such as forensic accountants.
In the United States, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick recently introduced the “End Banking for Human Traffickers Act of 2025” in an attempt to address the issues American prosecutors face when combating the financing of human trafficking. The bill entails a comprehensive review of procedures to monitor and report human trafficking, and it requires feedback and recommendations from government agencies, stakeholders, and financial institutions.
The 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report estimates that there are 27 million victims of human trafficking worldwide, with the number of detected instances rising annually. With recent funding cuts to U.S. government offices, including the Trafficking in Persons Office at the State Department, it is more important than ever to strengthen the ties between financial institutions and prosecutors to support best efforts against human trafficking.