Coercive Capital with Elaine Dezenski – Details, episodes & analysis

Andrew King, Executive Director of Future Union, joins Coercive Capital to expose how authoritarian financial flows are quietly reshaping democratic institutions—from pensions and universities to policy circles.

In this 50-minute interview, King breaks down:

– The origins of Future Union and why clean capital is essential

– The real-world risk of foreign influence in American finance

– The Clean Capital Pledge and how reform is starting to take hold

– Concrete examples of capture—and what we can do about it

Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of finance, power, and democracy.

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Questions? Contact: elaine@illicitedge.com 

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How did the Chinese Communist Party build near-total control over the world’s most critical battery inputs? And how can the U.S. respond before it’s too late?

Josh Birenbaum of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) joins Elaine Dezenski on Coercive Capital to discuss their new report which breaks down the CCP’s strategic capture of the global battery supply chain—and outline what it will take for the United States to regain control.

Based on FDD’s July 2025 report, “Unplugging Beijing,” this episode offers a practical, urgent blueprint for restoring American battery independence.

Topics include:

How China cornered the lithium, nickel, and graphite markets

The role of state-backed firms in Beijing’s battery dominance

Why market solutions alone won’t solve the problem

What U.S. policymakers must do now—and who’s already behind

Hosted by Elaine Dezenski.

New episodes weekly on Coercive Capital.

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Sanctions enforcement is at the forefront of modern economic statecraft and the challenges are escalating. As governments confront increasingly-sophisticated evasion tactics and geopolitical challenges, the need for robust collaboration with the private sector has never been greater. Whether focusing on the latest sanctions targeting Russian financial institutions and tracing their impact on global financial networks, or examining how Russia’s sanctions-evasion strategies are interconnected with the tactics of China, Iran, and North Korea, creating a web of illicit activity that tests the limits of enforcement, understanding these complex threats is paramount. 

Cari Stinebower, is a Partner and Chair of the International Trade Practice at Winston and Strawn, with over 25 years of experience in both government and the private sector. Cari recently spoke with Coercive Capital host Elaine Dezenski and helped to break down and examine the tools, strategies, and partnerships necessary to strengthen enforcement and safeguard the integrity of international commerce. 

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Reading the tea leaves of the US-China relationship is challenging, even in times of relative calm. From anticipating supply chain disruptions and the risk of military conflict... to considering the impact of tariffs and how the US banking sector’s assessment of doing business in China may diverge from the US government's prevailing view.... understanding and managing the risks for US companies doing business in China is no small task.

There is perhaps no more articulate voice on navigating the challenges ahead for US companies operating in China than Isaac Stone Fish. Isaac is a scholar, author, and expert on doing business in China. He's the Founder and CEO of Strategy Risks .... a research and data company focused on reducing US companies’ exposure to China.   

Coercive Capital host Elaine Dezenski recently spoke with Isaac on the evolving risks of doing business in China and his Strategy Risks’ index... The SR 250....  that tracks China risk exposure of the top 250 public companies in the U.S.

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In this episode of Coercive Capital, Elaine Dezenski hosts David Rader, Senior Advisor at the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Adjunct Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies along with Wes Spurlock, Senior Advisor and Co-Founder of the Office of Strategic Capital at the Department of Defense and a former U.S. Air Force Military Officer. They discuss the supply chain economics of the Department of Defense, adversarial capital, and much more.

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In the 1970s, corruption in the U.S was often not considered a problem. Or it was viewed as a problem that happened “over there”.... in other parts of the world. But in retrospect, the reality and our perception of corruption has changed.   And even though anti-corruption legislation like the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act was implemented to help combat the issue, corruption continues and grows in ways that no one could have predicted. 

Kleptocrats around the world are uniting to attack us- in Russia, China, Venezuela, North Korea, and Iran- use their power to attack their neighbors, and destabilize the global economy… allowing dictators and criminals to leverage our own system against us – hiring lobbyists, lawyers, and corporate service agents to influence our elections, buy off our politicians, move dirty money, compromise our economy, and weaken our resilience.

To help understand the urgency of these new risks and the tools needed to protect America, democracy, and, maybe, the world, Coercive Capital host Elaine Dezenski speaks with Scott Greytak, the Director of Advocacy of Transparency International US, and Casey Michel, Director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program at the Human Rights Foundation.

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The ongoing fentanyl crisis in America shows few signs of abating. Roughly 200 people per day, more than 75,000 Americans per year, lose their lives due to fentanyl use. But how do we stem the tide?  Looking through a financial and national security lens to follow the money, Coercive Capital host Elaine Dezenski and Ray Donovan, a 28-year veteran of the DEA, serving as its Head of Operations, and a leading voice on the matter take a deep dive on the Chinese underground money laundering networks and manufacturers of precursor chemicals that ensure that criminal networks get paid and that chemicals flow to the Mexican cartels producing and distributing fentanyl in the United States.  

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In the debut episode of Coercive Capital, Elaine Dezenski hosts Juan Zarate, who served as the Deputy National Security Advisor for Counterterrorism in the George W. Bush administration and is also the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Center on Economic and Financial Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. In a wide-ranging discussion, Elaine and Juan discuss today’s economic security landscape, America’s complex and vulnerable relationship with China, and the growing weaponization of trade. They also discuss transparency, ally-shoring, and new economic alliances as well as the critical role that private capital and American companies play in the global economic realignment that is shaping our world.

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Coercive Capital explores the intersection of U.S. economic and national security and global financial reform. Global adversaries are weaponizing our trade and financial systems, while Illicit financial flows, kleptocracy, and organized crime continue to erode democratic systems and destabilize economies. Elaine Dezenski brings together experts who understand these emerging threats and provide insights into the risks and emerging opportunities to strengthen our collective response.

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From the jungles of Mindanao to the back alleys of Damascus, Tom Sanderson has gathered intelligence the hard way. This episode of Coercive Capital is a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of global risk, drawn from firsthand encounters in conflict zones worldwide.

Host Elaine Dezenski and Sanderson explore:

The role of fieldwork in modern intelligence

How proxy networks and non-state actors shape today’s power landscape

The blind spots that leave institutions vulnerable

What Sanderson is watching next

Essential listening for anyone navigating today’s complex risk environment.

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