Social Architecture of Modern-day Political Extortion
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Ballroom A
Start Date
17-5-2012
End Date
17-5-2012
Abstract
What is the social architecture of modern-day political extortion rackets? Sociometrics will be created using the book Heist by Peter Stone. Sociometrics offers a set of analytical tools that enable social researchers and criminal investigators to "map out" the social action of criminal conspiracies. This study uses sociometrics of archival data to map out who did what with whom in the infamous Jack Abramoff political extortion racket involving some of the biggest political stars in recent US history. The findings show that Abramoff used his structural position of betweenness to extort millions of dollars from Indian casinos. The Heist involves six casinos, dozens of congressional politicians and others. The study shows the utility ofsocio metrics in criminal investigations in mapping out the social relations between the targets of political extortion, politicians, shell companies, conduits and the extortionists themselves.
Recommended Citation
McFadden, Joseph, "Social Architecture of Modern-day Political Extortion" (2012). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 90.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2012/posters/90
Poster Number
32
Additional Mentoring Department
Sociology
Social Architecture of Modern-day Political Extortion
SURC Ballroom A
What is the social architecture of modern-day political extortion rackets? Sociometrics will be created using the book Heist by Peter Stone. Sociometrics offers a set of analytical tools that enable social researchers and criminal investigators to "map out" the social action of criminal conspiracies. This study uses sociometrics of archival data to map out who did what with whom in the infamous Jack Abramoff political extortion racket involving some of the biggest political stars in recent US history. The findings show that Abramoff used his structural position of betweenness to extort millions of dollars from Indian casinos. The Heist involves six casinos, dozens of congressional politicians and others. The study shows the utility ofsocio metrics in criminal investigations in mapping out the social relations between the targets of political extortion, politicians, shell companies, conduits and the extortionists themselves.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Erik Cheney