The book appears to have originated from the author's columns in a newspaper, tracing HSBC's history.

It highlights how this global bank, in its relentless pursuit of growth between 2003 and 2010, lost its
way. During this period, HSBC became the preferred choice for money laundering by the rapidly
expanding Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico, led by the ruthless El Chapo.

The book recounts how HSBC's acquisition of a Mexican bank without conducting proper due diligence,
combined with that bank's inadequate systems, made it susceptible to facilitating the large-scale
movement of illegal narco-funds through US dollar markets. Numerous warning signs were evident but
were disregarded by senior management as long as the bank was profitable. Additionally, the bank
fostered a culture that encouraged the use of tax havens to hide such funds. This drew the attention of
Mexican and US authorities, eventually resulting in record-breaking financial penalties.

The book emphasizes that the UK government played a pivotal role in shielding its major bank. Most
significantly, the US agencies, especially the Department of Justice, possessed substantial evidence but
showed reluctance to pursue criminal convictions against HSBC's management, despite their clear
failures.

I am concerned that the size of some of these financial institutions becomes so large that it does
become difficult to prosecute them when we are hit with indications that if you do prosecute, if you do
bring a criminal charge, it will have negative impact on the national or perhaps world economy. It’s
official. HSBC and other big banks were too big to jail. If you’re caught with an ounce of cocaine, the
chances are good you’re gonna go to jail. If it happens repeatedly, you may go to jail for the rest of your
life. But evidently if you launder nearly a billion dollar for the drug cartels, your company pays a fine and
you go home and sleep in your bed at night. A nation governed by the rule of law cannot have two tier
system of justice.