In an unprecedented era in American history, the scale and scope of crimes committed by private and state elites have reached new heights.

Federal authorities are investigating Meta Platforms for its role in the illicit sale of drugs. U.S. prosecutors in Virginia have been sending subpoenas and asking questions as part of a criminal grand jury probe looking into whether the company’s social-media platforms are facilitating and profiting from the illegal sale of drugs, the people familiar with the matter said. Meta is the owner of Instagram and Facebook.

Funds are flowing through the metaverse. Once the sole preserve of gamers, this 3D immersive world of virtual and augmented reality has seen its potential amplified by big brand and celebrity endorsement, predicted to generate up to $5 trillion by 2030, according to McKinsey.

Aware that new technologies are outpacing existing anti money laundering (AML) frameworks, authorities are responding, though a sense of playing catch up prevails.

James Henry, an economist with an unblemished reputation and former chief economist at McKinsey & Company, had uncovered the staggering amount of tax evasion perpetrated by the super-wealthy.

His research revealed that up to $32 trillion in hidden assets were stashed in offshore tax havens, resulting in an estimated $280 billion in lost income tax revenue annually. This figure doesn’t even account for non-financial assets like real estate and luxury goods.

A United Nations Special Committee on Money Laundering report highlights that US and European banks launder over $300 billion each year, with $30 billion originating from Mexican drug cartels alone.

Meanwhile, new reports emerge weekly detailing multi-billion dollar financial scams involving major US and European banks. The LIBOR scandal, involving top English banks like Barclay’s, and money laundering accusations against giants like the Bank of New York and Citibank, paint a grim picture of the financial landscape.

Despite the vast resources poured into the Department of Homeland Security and other investigatory agencies, not a single banker has faced jail time. Instead, minor fines are levied, and the likes of Jerry Del Missier, COO of Barclay’s Bank, walk away with multi-million dollar severance packages.

The contrast couldn’t be starker when it comes to law enforcement’s treatment of ordinary citizens and immigrants. Millions have been uprooted from their homes, subjected to police brutality, and racially profiled, while the financial elite enjoy impunity.

The breakdown of the US police and judicial system is evident in its failure to enforce laws against the financial, banking, and corporate elite. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that $1.6 trillion was laundered in 2009, with a significant portion coming from the drug trade. The lack of prosecution is not due to ignorance but rather the fear of destabilizing major banks and the financial system.

The financial elite wield enormous political power, influencing the judiciary and the economy. This power is manifested in the ‘golden parachutes’ awarded to disgraced CEOs and the state’s doctrine of ‘too rich for jail, too big to fail,’ leading to multi-trillion dollar bailouts and tolerance for tax evasion and money laundering.

The consequences of this systemic injustice are dire. Twenty million mortgage holders have lost their homes, and tens of millions of taxpayers bear the brunt of upper-class tax evasion. The laundering of drug money has eroded neighborhoods and escalated crime, destabilizing family life for the middle and working classes.

Many Americans now find themselves aligning with conservative values, not out of a desire for regression but in a bid to preserve the remnants of the welfare state. They seek stability in their jobs, neighborhoods, and the cost of living, demanding the prosecution of financial criminals who have thus far operated with impunity.

The radical changes pushed by the elite have wreaked havoc across the nation, destabilizing families and perverting the justice system. The majority’s first line of defense is to resist these changes and strive for a legal system that embodies ‘equality before the law.’ Achieving this will require a fundamental shift in political power from the boardrooms to the communities, ensuring that the voices of the majority are heard and heeded.