How Billion-Dollar Bank Fraud Actually Works | How Crime Works | Insider

Nick Leeson is an English former derivatives trader who caused the collapse of Barings, London’s oldest merchant bank, which had operated for 233 years. Working in the bank’s Singapore office, he made a series of unauthorized speculative trades that ultimately lost $1.2 billion. Leeson joined Barings in 1989 and by 1992 was running its new futures operation in Singapore. Concealing losses in a secret “88888” error account, he hid the scale of his bets from London as deficits ballooned. By 1994, his risky “long straddle” trades were losing millions. After doubling down during the 1995 Kobe earthquake, his losses exploded, wiping out the bank. Leeson fled to Malaysia but was caught and extradited to Singapore, where he served over four years for fraud. In 1999, he published his memoir which was made into a 1999 film, "Rogue Trader." Leeson speaks to Business Insider about the lifestyle of bankers in Singapore, how illegal trades happen, and the early signs of fraud. Leeson is now active on the keynote and after-dinner speaking circuit, advising companies about risk and corporate responsibility. Since 2023, he has been a private investigator dealing with cases of financial misconduct. He also hosts the "Rogue Trader" podcast. For more: https://www.nmplive.co.uk/nick-leeson https://www.nickleeson.com/ 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - The 88888 Account 05:52 - The Trades 08:04 - The Bonuses 10:43 - The Denial 13:04 - The Losses 18:29 - The Downfall 24:48 - The Manhunt 27:40 - The Arrest 29:42 - The Prisons 37:11 - The Fallout 39:44 - The Aftermath 42:27 - The Future 47:59 - Credits ------------------------------------------------------ #roguetrader #bankfrauds #speculative #illegaltrade #financialmisconduct #fraud #derivativestrading #howcrimeworks MORE HOW CRIME WORKS VIDEOS: How The Dark Web Actually Works https://youtu.be/5HfeIAsQKCE How Illegal Sports Betting Actually Works https://youtu.be/4OkOLPx8H6w How Drug Pilots Actually Work (Medellin Cartel) https://youtu.be/UdzxHnzgbOI Insider's mission is to inform and inspire. Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com/ Insider on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insider Insider on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insider Insider on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisisinsider Insider on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Insider/2708030621 Insider on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@insider How Billion-Dollar Bank Fraud Actually Works | How Crime Works | Insider