When American Democracy Meets Digital Kleptocracy: A Conversation with Casey Michel

What happens when the rule of law meets the rule of money and money wins? It's a question that's becoming impossible to ignore as we witness foreign-owned skyscrapers in Manhattan, crypto networks operating without accountability, and current presidents receiving $400 million jets from foreign governments.

In this episode of AI for All Tomorrows, host Dylan Thomas Doyle sits down with journalist and researcher Casey Michel, author of American Kleptocracy: How the U.S. Created the World's Greatest Money Laundering Scheme in History and Foreign Agents: How American Lobbyists and Lawmakers Threaten Democracy Around the World.

Fresh off his Atlantic article "America Has Never Seen Corruption Like This," Casey takes us on a journey through the international political ecosystem, revealing how kleptocratic regimes exploit legal loopholes to shift foreign policy and how anonymous money flows into PR firms, think tanks, crypto markets, and even professional sports.

Discussion Points:

• The evolution of kleptocracy from "over there" to "right here"
• How foreign influence operations have adapted to digital infrastructure
• The intersection of AI acceleration and democratic vulnerabilities
• Anonymous money flows in the age of cryptocurrency
• What reform looks like when the system itself seems compromised

Casey reminds us that democratic reform isn't impossible. We've rebuilt these systems before, and if we understand them well enough, we can do it again.

About the Guest:

Casey Michel is a journalist and researcher specializing in authoritarianism, kleptocracy, and foreign influence operations. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Foreign Affairs, among others. He's one of the most thoughtful voices on how authoritarian regimes export their influence into democratic countries.

Why This Episode Matters:

As artificial intelligence reshapes everything from information flow to financial systems, understanding the invisible wires running beneath our democracy becomes crucial. This conversation explores what happens when AI is layered onto a political system already vulnerable to money laundering, disinformation, and unchecked influence.

If you've ever wondered who democracy really serves in the digital age,or what role we each still play in shaping it, this episode is essential listening.

AI for All Tomorrows explores how artificial intelligence intersects with democracy, society, and the future we're building together. Hosted by Dylan Thomas Doyle, each episode examines how emerging technologies shape not just what we can do, but who we become.

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