List of Top 10 Corrupt Politicians in the World
List of Top 10 Corrupt Politicians in the World
There is no definitive list of the “most corrupt politicians in the world.” However, here is the list of the top 10 politicians of the world, current and former leaders, who have been embroiled in major corruption scandals over the years.
1. Silvio Berlusconi – Italy
Silvio Berlusconi is an Italian billionaire and former Prime Minister of the country. He has been convicted of tax fraud and has been accused of bribing officials, embezzlement, and other corruption-related offenses.
Berlusconi has been involved in numerous corruption cases throughout his career in business and politics.
In the early 1990s, he was charged with bribing judges in order to gain control of a major state-owned broadcaster, but the charges were eventually dropped.
In 1997, he was charged with bribing tax inspectors, but was acquitted. In 2000, he was charged with false accounting and embezzlement, but was again acquitted.
In 2011, Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s Prime Minister, was convicted of tax fraud and sentenced to four years in prison, which was later reduced to one year. He was also banned from holding public office for five years.
He was convicted of paying for sex with a minor and sentenced to seven years in prison, which was later reduced to four. In 2014, he was convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to two years in prison. He has appealed all of his convictions.
His political party, Forza Italia made a comeback in political scenes outperforming expectations of everyone in May 2019 with Berlusconi winning his electoral seat first time since his ban from serving in Italy’s parliament by the court was lifted. The echo of corruption and power influence is still put against Berlusconi.
2. Nicolas Sarkozy – France
Nicolas Sarkozy is a former President of France, who served as president from 2007 to 2012. He has been convicted of corruption and influence peddling.
Nicolas Sarkozy was investigated for improper practice in taking money from donations from Liliane Bettencourt, heiress to the world-famous L’Oreal cosmetic business.
Mr. Sarkozy, 66, has denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyers have vowed to fight the charges.
Sarkozy also faced allegations in a case involving some $70m illegal contributions accepted from Al-Qaddafi, the political leader hailing from Libya.
The charges against Mr. Sarkozy are the latest development in a long-running investigation into the financing of his successful 2007 presidential campaign.
The allegation expectedly cast a shadow over Mr. Sarkozy’s political comeback attempt. He was seeking the nomination of the center-right party for the 2017 presidential election.
In March, he was found guilty on corruption charges involving the Monaco-influence peddling scheme and sentenced to a 3-year prison term. However, two years of his sentence were later suspended and he was allowed to serve the remaining one year on house arrest.
3. Salman bin Abdul Aziz (King of Saudi Arabia)
Salman bin Abdulaziz became King of Saudi Arabia on January 23, 2015, following the death of King Abdullah. Salman is one of the sons of the first Saudi king, Abdulaziz bin Saud.
During his more than 50 years in government, King Salman has served in a number of key roles, including the governor of Riyadh Province, deputy prime minister, and defense minister. In 2012, he was named Crown Prince, making him first in line to the Saudi throne.
With the death of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz on January 2015, Salman was crowned as the King.
He appointed his son as the minister of defense. And now, the 37-year-old is considered the ruler of the world’s biggest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia.
The crown prince has initiated war in neighboring Yemen and also started diplomatic issues involving Qatar. He is also accused of silencing voices that speak against him and his methods of ruling the Kingdom.
4. Robert Mugabe – Zimbabwe
Since the early 1990s, Zimbabwe’s economy has been in a downward spiral. The country has been plagued by high unemployment, hyperinflation, and collapsing infrastructure.
In recent years, the situation has only gotten worse, as the country has been hit by a severe drought and a major financial crisis.
The root of the problem is the country’s corrupt and incompetent government, led by Robert Mugabe. Mugabe has been in power since 1980, and during that time he has looted the country’s resources and ruined its economy.
He has also been accused of human rights abuses and of rigging elections.
The latest crisis began in November 2017, when Mugabe fired his vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa. This triggered a power struggle within the ruling party, which led to Mugabe’s ouster in November 2017.
Robert Mugabe is the former President of Zimbabwe. He has been accused of human rights abuses, corruption, and electoral fraud.
5. Vladimir Putin – Russia
It’s no secret that Vladimir Putin and his allies are no strangers to corruption.
In fact, a new report from Transparency International details just how widespread corruption is in Russia, with the country’s president and his cronies at the top of the food chain.
The reports have found that the country’s elites are “deeply involved” in corrupt activities, including bribery, money laundering, and kickbacks.
And it’s not just Putin himself who is corrupt. The report found that his allies in the government and in business are also engaged in corrupt practices.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to Putin’s Russia. For years, the country has been plagued by corruption, and it seems to be only getting worse.
The good news is that the Russian people are becoming more aware of the problem and are demanding change.
6. Narendra Modi (Prime Minister of India)
Since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of India in 2014, there have been allegations of corruption against him and his government. These include allegations of nepotism, crony capitalism, and favoritism.
Modi has denied all allegations of corruption, and no formal charges have been filed against him. However, the perception that he is corrupt persists, in part because of the number of scandals that have surfaced during his tenure.
The most recent and high-profile of these is the Rafale deal, in which the Indian government purchased 36 fighter jets from the French company Dassault Aviation. The deal has been mired in controversy, with allegations of favoritism and corruption.
The Indian government has denied any wrongdoing, but the perception that Modi is corrupt continues to dog him.
7. Kim Jong Un (President of North Korea)
Kim Jong Un is the President of North Korea and is considered to be one of the most corrupt leaders in the world.
He has been accused of using his position to amass wealth and power for himself and his family. He has been accused of human rights abuses, including torture and executions.
He has also been accused of using his position to consolidate power and suppress dissent.
8. David Cameron (Ex-British Prime Minister)
There have been a number of corruption cases involving British Prime Minister David Cameron. He served office from 2010 to 2016 as prime minister of the United Kingdom.
In 2012, it was revealed that Cameron had accepted donations from News International executives during his time as leader of the opposition.
In 2013, it was revealed that Cameron had intervened in a bid by Chinese investment firm Groupe Danone to buy a stake in a UK water company.
In 2014, it was revealed that Cameron had accepted donations from a number of wealthy individuals and companies, including Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska and investment bank Goldman Sachs.
In 2015, it was revealed that Cameron had been a paid consultant for a company that was later revealed to be a front for the Chinese government.
9. Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson (Former PM of Iceland)
Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, the former prime minister of Iceland, is facing allegations of corruption after it was revealed that he had offshore accounts containing millions of dollars.
Gunnlaugsson has denied any wrongdoing, but the allegations have sparked outrage in Iceland, with many calling for his resignation.
The allegations against Gunnlaugsson stem from the Panama Papers, a massive leak of documents from the law firm Mossack Fonseca.
The documents show that Gunnlaugsson and his wife had an offshore company called Wintris Inc., which held millions of dollars in assets.
Gunnlaugsson did not declare his ownership of the company when he was elected to parliament in 2009, as required by law.
Gunnlaugsson has denied any wrongdoing, saying that he and his wife only used the offshore company to avoid paying taxes on her inheritance.
10. Khalifa Bin Zayed AL Nahyan (Late President of the United Arab Emirates)
The President of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has been accused of corruption on a massive scale. The allegations include money laundering, bribery, and embezzlement.
The allegations against Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan have been made by a number of whistleblowers, including a former member of the UAE’s royal family.
Top Corrupt Politicians in Pakistan
There is no denying the fact that corruption is rampant in Pakistan. From the top echelons of power to the lowest rungs of society, everyone seems to be involved in some form of corruption.
The country’s politicians are no exception. Over the years, there have been numerous allegations of corruption leveled against Pakistan’s politicians.
It has permeated all facets of society and is a major hindrance to the country’s development.
Corruption in Pakistan takes many forms. It ranges from petty corruption such as bribing a traffic policeman to get out of a ticket, to grand corruption such as embezzlement of public funds by government officials.
The main reason for the high levels of corruption in Pakistan is the lack of accountability. There is no effective system in place to hold corrupt officials accountable for their actions. This has resulted in a culture of impunity, where corrupt officials believe they can get away with anything.
Another factor that contributes to corruption in Pakistan is the lack of transparency in government dealings. There is very little transparency in the way government contracts are awarded, for example. This lack of transparency creates opportunities for corruption, as officials can award contracts to companies that they have a financial interest in.
Corruption is a major problem in Pakistan
Some of the most prominent names in Pakistani politics have been embroiled in corruption scandals. Here is a list of the top most corrupt politicians in Pakistan:
1. Asif Ali Zardari
Former President Asif Ali Zardari is no stranger to corruption allegations. Asif Ali Zardari is a Pakistani politician who served as the 11th President of Pakistan from 2008 until his impeachment in 2013.
He is the husband of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He was elected as the President of Pakistan on 6 September 2008, a position he held until his impeachment on 19 June 2012.
He has been accused of involvement in a number of corruption scandals, including the infamous Pakistan Steel Mills case.
2. Nawaz Sharif
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is another prominent Pakistani politician who has been embroiled in corruption scandals. He is currently facing trial in the Panama Papers case.
Nawaz Sharif was the Prime Minister of Pakistan from 2013 to 2017. He was disqualified from office by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on 28 July 2017 following the Panama Papers case.
Sharif has been accused of corruption and is the subject of several investigations. Sharif was disqualified from office by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on grounds of corruption.
Sharif is the son of Muhammad Sharif, a business tycoon who founded the Ittefaq Group. He served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1985 to 1990 and as the Finance Minister of Pakistan from 1990 to 1993.
He was elected as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for the first time in 1990 but was removed from office by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1993.
Sharif was elected as the Prime Minister for the second time in 1997 but was again removed from office by the military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf in 1999.
Sharif was born in Lahore on 25 December 1949. He graduated from Government College Lahore and the University of Punjab. He is fluent in Urdu, English, and Punjabi.
3. Shehbaz Sharif
In Pakistan, the prime minister is the head of government and is responsible for running the government.
The current prime minister is Shahbaz Sharif, who has been in office since Imran Khan was ousted from office after a no-confidence motion by the National Assembly of Pakistan. Sharif is from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.
Sharif has been accused of corruption and nepotism. In 2016, the Panama Papers revealed that Sharif’s family had offshore assets totaling $831 million.
Sharif has also been accused of using his office to benefit his family’s business interests. In 2017, Nawaz Sharif was disqualified from office by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for not being honest and truthful about his assets.
4. Altaf Hussian
The former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader, who is currently in London, has been accused of being involved in a money laundering case.
According to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Hussain has been accused of illegally transferring funds to the UK through different bank accounts and properties.
The NAB has also accused Hussain of laundering money through shell companies and benami accounts.
5. Maulana Fazul ur Rahman
Maulana Fazul ur Rehman is a Pakistani politician who is currently a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. He is also the head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) political party.
Rehman was born into a religious family in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. He received his early education from a local madrassa before going on to study at the University of Karachi. After graduation, he became a lecturer at a madrassa in Karachi.
In the early 1990s, Rehman became involved in politics and was elected to the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
NAB has summoned Rehman to appear for a hearing for the inquiry against corruption charges and having assets beyond means.