This work investigates the complex relationship between global financial systems and the proliferation of illicit economic activities. Vincenzo Ruggiero, a professor of sociology, utilizes his extensive background in criminology to analyze how legitimate markets often facilitate or intersect with criminal enterprises. The book argues that the distinction between legal and illegal capital is frequently blurred by the mechanisms of modern globalized finance.

Experts in the field of criminology frequently cite this text for its rigorous sociological approach to understanding financial crime. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which is well-suited for students and researchers of political economy.