The Pyramid of Lies: Lex Greensill and the Billion-Dollar Scandal (Hardback) - Duncan Mavin

The inside story of Lex Greensill's meteoric rise and fall, and the billion dollar scandal that ensared David Cameron, SoftBank and Credit Suisse.

An epic true story of ambition, greed and hubris that nearly brought down the British government.

In March 2021, an obscure financial technology company called Greensill Capital collapsed, going into administration. As it unravelled, a multibillion-dollar scandal emerged that would shake the very foundations of the British political system, drawing in swiss bankers, global CEOs, and world leaders, including former British Prime Minister, David Cameron. At the centre was an Australian financier named Lex Greensill.

Pyramid of Lies charts the meteoric rise and spectacular downfall of Greensill and his company. He had a simple idea - democratising supply chain finance - and disrupted a trillion dollar industry in the process. But a staid business model concealed dubious practices as Greensill made increasingly risky loans to fraudulent companies using other people's money.

Financial journalist Duncan Mavin, who has reported on the scandal for over three years, tells the incredible story of how a former sugar-cane farmer would go on to put tens of thousands of jobs at risk and gain unfettered access to the inner workings of the British government. With a globe-circling narrative full of scandal and intrigue, Pyramid of Lies reveals how the grubby world of shadow banking really operates.

About the Author

Duncan Mavin is a seasoned international financial journalist and started his career as a chartered accountant in the City and in Toronto. He has been a reporter and editor for Dow Jones publications including the Wall Street Journal and was the Journal's Financial Editor for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He has also been Managing Editor for Barron's Group and a reporter for Canada's National Post. He lives with his family in the UK, and is a long-suffering fan of Sunderland football club. The Pyramid of Lies is his first book.