The World's Biggest Cash Machine: Manchester United, the Glazers, and the Struggle for Football's Soul

From Chris Blackhurst, the former Editor of the Independent, comes The World's Biggest Cash Machine, a gripping and tightly reported account of how the Glazers, owners of Manchester United, became the most maligned figures in the Premier League, and how they changed the beautiful game forever. Manchester United's supporters span the globe and cross generations. But, with few exceptions, they are united in their anger with the American family who bought their club in 2005, plunging it into record levels of debt. The Glazers' reign has become synonymous with the financialization of football, and has coincided with fan protests and a decline of Manchester United's fortunes on the pitch . . . if not on the balance sheet. But what defines this secretive family, and do these astute businessmen deserve the opprobrium they receive? In this captivating account, informed by interviews with key figures behind the scenes, journalist and commentator Chris Blackhurst charts the gripping story of the world's biggest football club - as well as exploring the wider transformation of the Premier League into a playground for billionaire owners. 'Packed with insights and details that will both amaze and appal you . . . if it doesn't make you angry, you need to check your pulse' - Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland, on Too Big to Jail

Biographies & Memoirs

Blackhurst, Chris

Professionals & Academics

Macmillan, UK

'Jaw-dropping' - Daily Mail 'A gripping tale, full of insight. Blackhurst is an enormously talented writer' - City A.M. Manchester United is more than just a football team; it's an institution. But, when the Glazer family took charge in 2005, they immediately plunged it into record levels of debt. Their reign has coincided with fan protests and a decline in Manchester United's fortunes on the pitch . . . if not on the balance sheet. In The World's Biggest Cash Machine, award-winning reporter Chris Blackhurst charts the history of Manchester United, from its start as a community-driven club to the sale of a minority stake to British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe. In this captivating account, informed by interviews with key figures behind the scenes, Blackhurst charts the gripping story of the world's biggest football club - as well as exploring the wider transformation of the Premier League into a playground for billionaire owners. 'Packed with insights and details that will both amaze and appal you . . . if it doesn't make you angry, you need to check your pulse' - Oliver Bullough, author of Butler to the World, on Too Big to Jail

Pan.

Too Big to Jail: Inside HSBC, the Mexican drug cartels and the greatest banking scandal of the century

Across the world, HSBC likes to sell itself as ‘the world’s local bank,’ the friendly face of corporate and personal finance. And yet, a decade ago, the same bank was hit with a record U.S. fine of $1.9 billion for facilitating money laundering for ‘drug kingpins and rogue nations.’\nIn pursuit of their goal of becoming the biggest bank in the world, between 2003 to 2010, HSBC allowed El Chapo and the Sinaloa cartel, one of the most notorious and murderous criminal organizations in the world, to turn its ill-gotten money into clean dollars and thereby grow one of the deadliest drugs empires the world has ever seen.\nHow did a bank, which boasts ‘we’re committed to helping protect the world’s financial system on which millions of people depend, by only doing business with customers who meet our high standards of transparency’ come to facilitate Mexico’s richest drug baron? And how did a bank that as recently as 2002 had been named ‘one of the best-run organizations in the world’ become so entwined with one of the most barbaric groups of gangsters on the planet?\nToo Big to Jail is an extraordinary story brilliantly told by writer, commentator, and former editor of The Independent, Chris Blackhurst, that starts in Hong Kong and ranges across London, Washington, the Cayman Islands and Mexico, where HSBC saw the opportunity to become the largest bank in the world, and El Chapo seized the chance to fuel his murderous empire by laundering his drug proceeds through the bank. It brings together an extraordinary cast of politicians, bankers, drug dealers, FBI officers, and whistle-blowers, and asks what price does greed have? Whose job is it to police global finance? And why did not a single person go to prison for facilitating the murderous expansion of a global drug empire?

Too Big To Jail: Inside HSBC, the Mexican drug cartels and the greatest banking scandal of the century

Business & Money

Biography & History

'Packed with insights and details that will both amaze and appal you' - Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland and Butler to the World From journalist Chris Blackhurst, Too Big to Jail unveils how HSBC facilitated mass money laundering schemes for brutal drug kingpins and rogue nations - and thereby helped to grow one of the deadliest drugs empires the world has ever seen. While HSBC likes to sell itself as 'the world's local bank' - the friendly face of corporate and personal finance - it was one decade ago hit with a record US fine of $1.9 billion. In pursuit of their goal of becoming the biggest bank in the world, between 2003 and 2010, HSBC allowed El Chapo and the Sinaloa cartel, one of the most notorious and murderous criminal organizations in the world, to turn its ill-gotten money into clean dollars. How did a bank, which boasts 'we're committed to helping protect the world's financial system on which millions of people depend, by only doing business with customers who meet our high standards of transparency' come to facilitate Mexico's richest drug baron? And how did a bank that as recently as 2002 had been named 'one of the best-run organizations in the world' become so entwined with one of the most barbaric groups of gangsters on the planet? Too Big to Jail is an extraordinary story, brilliantly told by writer, commentator and former editor of The Independent, Chris Blackhurst, that starts in Hong Kong and ranges across London, Washington, the Cayman Islands and Mexico, where HSBC saw the opportunity to become the largest bank in the world, and El Chapo seized the chance to fuel his murderous empire by laundering his drug proceeds through the bank. It brings together an extraordinary cast of politicians, bankers, drug dealers, FBI officers and whistle-blowers, and asks what price does greed have? Whose job is it to police global finance? And why did not a single person go to prison for facilitating the murderous expansion of a global drug empire?

Macmillan Business UK

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Blackhurst, Chris. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Blackhurst, Chris

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Blackhurst, Chris. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The World's Biggest Cash Machine: Manchester United, the Glazers, and the Struggle for Football's Soul

The World's Biggest Cash Machine: Manchester United, the Glazers, and the Struggle for Football's Soul

Too Big To Jail: Inside HSBC, the Mexican drug cartels and the greatest banking scandal of the century

Too Big to Jail: Inside HSBC, the Mexican drug cartels and the greatest banking scandal of the century