People

Loretta Napoleoni

Loretta Napoleoni

Formal First Name
Loretta
Dates
1955 - present

Loretta Napoleoni is a renowned economist, political analyst, and author of several internationally bestselling books. A recognized expert on terrorist financing and money laundering, Napoleoni advises several governments and international organizations on counter-terrorism and money laundering. As a reputable economist, Napoleoni has worked for both banks and international organizations in Europe and the United States. Her recent work has focused on the global economy, the recent financial crises, and critiques of Western, Islamic, and Chinese economies.

  • Napoleoni was born and raised in Rome.
  • In the mid-1970s, she became an active member of the feminist movement and a political activist.
  • She is credited with having calculated the size of the terror economy
  • She is a regular media commentator for CNN, Sky, and the BBC. 
  • She is among the few economists who predicted the credit crunch and the recession.
  • She advises several banks on strategies to counter the current ongoing crisis.
  • She lectures regularly around the world on economics, terrorism, and money laundering.
  • In the 1990s, she was among the first journalists to interview the Red Brigades, the Italian Marxist armed group. 
  • In 2003, she interviewed followers of al Zarqawi in both Europe and in the Middle East.
  • Her first book, Terror Inc: Tracing the Money Behind Global Terrorism, has been translated into twelve languages.
  • She has appeared as a guest on Real Vision.