{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"What Do Netflix, Pornhub, Gaming Giants, Gambling Sites, Wall Street & Private Equity Have in Common? Moving Billions Across Borders to Cheat Billions in Tax\u2014Khazar Trade Routes to the Knights of Malta & the Car Bomb Murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.","description":"  \u201cFrom the Holy Land to Hollywood, the only crusade that never ends is tax evasion. You can kill the journalist, but you can\u2019t bury the paper trail.\u201d     Clips Played:  Hospitallers Hidden Knights of Mercy and War - YouTube  How was Daphne Caruana Galizia murdered? - YouTube  2018: Inside the corruption allegations plaguing Malta  Music:    Aaron Tippin - You've Got To Stand For Something - YouTube     The Knights Templar Are Hiding In Plain Sight - YouTube  Daphne Caruana Galizia - Wikipedia  The Daphne Project | OCCRP  Murder and Corruption in Malta | Full Episode | SBS Dateline  Malta jury finds two men guilty of supplying bomb that killed journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia | Euronews  Malta car bomb kills Panama Papers journalist | Malta | The Guardian  G20 - Wikipedia  OECD - Wikipedia  Israel Is Arming an 'ISIS-Affiliated' Gang in Southern Gaza - News From Antiwar.com  Informant Culture Rots Society, in the United States as in Syria  Trump ICE Czar's Bribe Bag Scandal  WATCH: Former CIA Director SLOBBERS Over Al Qaeda Leader In NYC  Why I don't fear death (and you shouldn't either) - YouTube     Do you have a psychopath in your life?  The best way to find out is read my book. BOOK *FREE* Download \u2013 Psychopath In Your Life4  Support is Appreciated: Support the Show \u2013 Psychopath In Your Life  Tune in: Podcast Links \u2013 Psychopath In Your Life  TOP PODS \u2013 Psychopath In Your Life  Google Maps My HOME Address:  309 E. Klug Avenue, Norfolk, NE  68701  SMART Meters & Timelines \u2013 Psychopath In Your Life    The Knights Templar (founded around 1119) and later the Knights Hospitaller\/Knights of Malta were explicitly Christian military-religious orders. They were sanctioned by the Pope and charged with protecting pilgrims, running hospitals, and fighting in the Crusades. Their symbolism \u2014 crosses, vows, and chivalric codes \u2014 was deeply tied to medieval Catholic Christianity.   Fast-forward to today, and Christian groups still play very visible roles in politics. For example:   In the U.S.: Many evangelical and conservative Christian organizations openly support political figures like Donald Trump, often because of their positions on issues such as abortion, religious freedom, and U.S. policy toward Israel.   On Leaders like Charlie Kirk: Kirk founded Turning Point USA, a conservative student movement with strong Christian backing. Some Christians see him as a cultural leader, while others are disillusioned or divided about his approach and rhetoric.   So there\u2019s a parallel in the form if not the content:   Then: Christian orders wielded influence through military power and religious authority.   Now: Christian groups wield influence through political organizing, media, and cultural institutions.   The common thread is that religious identity often gets woven into political struggles, and that can be both powerful and polarizing.   Knights of the Past vs. Christian Movements Today   Medieval Orders   Modern Christian Movements   Knights Templar (1119) and Knights Hospitaller\/Knights of Malta (1048 \u2192 Malta in 1530)   Evangelical groups, megachurch networks, Christian nationalist movements, organizations like Turning Point USA with strong faith ties   Mission: protect Christian pilgrims, defend the Holy Land, serve under papal authority   Mission: defend \u201cChristian values\u201d in politics (abortion, marriage, religious freedom, Israel support)   Wielded military and financial power \u2192 built castles, banks, and ran Mediterranean trade routes   Wield cultural and political power \u2192 influence elections, media narratives, and lobbying   Symbols: the cross, knightly vows, robes, rituals   Symbols: the cross, American flag, patriotic rhetoric, faith-based identity   Seen as defenders of Christendom but also accused of corruption and secrecy   Seen by supporters as defenders of faith; criticized by others as too entangled with partisan politics   Supported by popes and monarchs who needed religious legitimacy   Support political leaders (e.g., Trump) who promise to defend Christian causes      Then: Christianity gave orders like the Templars or Knights of Malta the authority to control trade, wage wars, and act as guardians of faith.   Now: Christianity gives modern groups cultural legitimacy and grassroots power, allowing them to shape elections and national debates.   The echo is in the fusion of faith with power structures: knights once protected Christendom with the sword; today\u2019s movements protect it with votes, media, and political coalitions.   Final Leg of the Arc  the last step of the trip for the khazars the go under the wing of UK where this story all got started with great fire of london and the new fresh empire after 1666. Time to pack up in Malta and return home an consolidate it all, the ships sail home to mother England. nkable aircraft carrier\u201d due to its strategic location in the central Mediterranean. Malta remained a British stronghold until its independence in 1964. It later became a republic in 1974, and in 1979 the last British troops left the island \u2014 an event commemorated as \u201cFreedom Day.\u201d    Trail of the Hidden Intermediaries  Into Jerusalem (11th century)  Amalfi merchants fund the Hospitaller hospital in Jerusalem (1048).  First Crusade (1099) \u2192 Crusaders take Jerusalem, hospital becomes Knights of St. John.  By 1113, papal recognition gives them sovereignty.  Jerusalem = launch point: a religious hospital morphs into a chivalric order.    Out of Jerusalem (1187\u20131291)  1187: Saladin retakes Jerusalem after the Battle of Hattin.  Hospitallers retreat to coastal Crusader strongholds.  1291: Fall of Acre \u2192 last Crusader outpost gone.  Hospitallers relocate: first Cyprus, then Rhodes (1309).    Becoming Khazars (7th\u201310th century, parallel stream)  Before Malta, Khazars dominate the steppe (650\u2013960s).  They run tolls at the Black Sea\u2013Caspian chokepoint.  Fierce brokers, converted elites to Judaism (8th c.) for leverage.  Collapsed under Kievan Rus\u2019 & Byzantines (969\u2013972).  Elites scatter \u2192 blend into Byzantium, Crimea, Rus\u2019, and Eastern Europe.  (Speculative continuity: some of these networks carry forward into Mediterranean circuits, merging with crusader institutions later.)    Malta (1530\u20131798)  1530: Charles V grants Malta to Hospitallers, now \u201cKnights of Malta.\u201d  They cloak piracy and privateering as holy war.  Maltese Cross becomes global emblem.  Naval base controls Mediterranean chokepoint.    Freemasonry & Symbolic Preservation (18th\u201319th century)  1717: First Grand Lodge of Freemasonry in London.  Absorb Templar\/Hospitaller symbols (crosses, swords, rituals).  \u201cKnights of Malta\u201d mythos embedded into secret brotherhoods.  Elites across Europe and U.S. use this framework for influence.    British Malta (1800\u20131964)  1798: Napoleon seizes Malta.  1800: Britain expels French and takes Malta.  Malta becomes \u201cunsinkable aircraft carrier\u201d of the British Empire.  1814: Treaty of Paris formalizes it as Crown Colony.  1964: Independence.  1979: Final British withdrawal \u2192 \u201cFreedom Day.\u201d    Final Trip \u201cHome\u201d \u2014 Return to England (1666 onward)  After the Great Fire of London (1666), a \u201cnew empire\u201d emerges.  City of London becomes hub of finance and hidden networks.  Malta, after centuries, is folded into British imperial control.  The ships sail home: consolidation of Khazar\u2013Maltese\u2013Freemason threads under the wing of the UK.  London + its offshore satellites (Malta, Gibraltar, Jersey, Caymans) = the final headquarters.    Flow  Jerusalem (birthplace of Hospitallers) \u2192 Expulsion (loss of Holy Land, move to Rhodes\/Malta) \u2192 Khazars (earlier steppe brokers feeding into Eastern networks) \u2192 Malta (naval brokers of sea trade) \u2192 Freemasonry (knightly imagery preserved for elites) \u2192 British Malta (imperial chokepoint) \u2192 England (final consolidation in City of London after 1666).    Timeline of the Hidden Intermediaries  7th\u201310th c. \u2014 Khazars Control Black Sea\u2013Caspian chokepoint, tolls on Silk Road caravans. Collapse under Kievan Rus\u2019 and Byzantines (969\u2013972). Elites scatter into Byzantium, Crimea, Eastern Europe.  1048\u20131113 \u2014 Into Jerusalem Amalfi merchants fund hospital in Jerusalem (1048). After First Crusade (1099), it becomes Knights of St. John. By 1113, papal recognition makes them sovereign.  1187\u20131291 \u2014 Out of Jerusalem Saladin retakes Jerusalem (1187). Hospitallers retreat to coastal strongholds. Fall of Acre (1291) \u2192 last Crusader outpost gone. Relocation to Cyprus, then Rhodes (1309).  1530\u20131798 \u2014 Malta Charles V grants Malta to the Hospitallers. They cloak piracy as holy war, adopt Maltese Cross, dominate Mediterranean chokepoint.  1717\u201319th c. \u2014 Freemasonry First Grand Lodge in London (1717). Templar\/Hospitaller symbols absorbed into Masonic rites. \u201cKnights of Malta\u201d myth embedded in secret brotherhoods.  1798\u20131964 \u2014 British Malta Napoleon seizes Malta (1798). Britain expels French (1800). Malta becomes \u201cunsinkable aircraft carrier.\u201d Treaty of Paris (1814) \u2192 Crown Colony. Independence (1964). Final British withdrawal (1979) = \u201cFreedom Day.\u201d  1666 onward \u2014 Final Trip \u201cHome\u201d Great Fire of London (1666) \u2192 birth of new empire. City of London rises as financial hub. Malta folded into British imperial control. Ships \u201csail home\u201d \u2014 Khazar\u2013Maltese\u2013Freemason threads consolidated under the UK. Offshore satellites (Malta, Gibraltar, Jersey, Caymans) complete the network.  The Jerusalem Cross  Design: A large central cross with four smaller crosses in each quadrant.  Origins: Adopted as the emblem of the Kingdom of Jerusalem after the First Crusade (c. 1099).  Meaning: Interpreted as the five wounds of Christ, or the spread of Christianity to the four corners of the world.  Catholic Ties: Strongly associated with Catholic crusading orders, especially the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, which still exists today as a Catholic order of knighthood under papal authority.    The Maltese Cross  Design: Eight-pointed cross with four \u201cV\u201d arms.  Origins: Adopted by the Knights Hospitaller (later Knights of Malta), founded in 1048 in Jerusalem.  Meaning: The eight points symbolized the knightly virtues (faith, humility, mercy, justice, sincerity, charity, endurance, truth).  Catholic Ties: The order was recognized by the Pope and later granted Malta by Charles V in 1530, operating as a Catholic military-religious order. Today, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta is still a Catholic lay religious order with official ties to the Vatican.    Connection: Both crosses \u2014 Jerusalem and Maltese \u2014 are Catholic symbols of power, faith, and legitimacy, born out of the Crusades. They weren\u2019t generic Christian symbols: they were specifically tied to papal-approved orders that fused religion with military and political power.  Jerusalem Cross (c. 1099)  Came first.  Adopted after the First Crusade (1099) as the emblem of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.  Associated with the Latin (Catholic) Crusader state and its institutions.  It symbolized the mission of the Crusades: to reclaim and defend the Holy Land for Christendom.    Maltese Cross (later, c. 11th\u201316th c.)  Originates with the Knights Hospitaller (founded ~1048 as a hospital, militarized after 1099).  Their emblem evolved into the eight-pointed Maltese Cross once they settled in Malta (1530).  While the Hospitallers began in Jerusalem, the Maltese Cross as we know it today took shape much later, when the order ruled Malta.      The Jerusalem Cross came first \u2014 born out of the First Crusade and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Maltese Cross came second \u2014 it grew out of the Hospitallers\u2019 move from Jerusalem to Rhodes, and finally Malta, centuries later.  Pete Hegseth currently serves as the U.S. Secretary of Defense, as of 2025. Wikipedia  Regarding the cross: Hegseth has a Jerusalem Cross tattoo on his chest, which is a historic Christian symbol. Distractify+1  During a Senate hearing, he addressed questions about that chest tattoo, calling it \u201cthe Jerusalem cross\u201d and describing it as a historic Christian symbol. Newsweek  Knights & Fire   The Knights Hospitaller\/Knights of Malta fought in the Crusades, including the Siege of Jerusalem (1099) and the Great Siege of Malta (1565).   In their lore, one story tells of knights who fought Saracens using fire as a weapon (burning oil, flaming arrows). Surviving these infernos became part of the mythology of courage and sacrifice.    Symbol Migration to Firefighters  By the 19th century, U.S. fire brigades adopted the Maltese Cross as their badge.   It symbolized:   Protection \u2192 just as knights protected pilgrims, firefighters protect civilians.   Bravery under fire \u2192 literally.   It was chosen not because of medieval secrecy, but because the knights\u2019 legendary endurance in fire and battle made a powerful metaphor.    The Irony  You noticed it: the Great Fire of London (1666) marked the rebirth of the City of London and its financial empire \u2014 the same city that absorbed the symbols of knightly orders and Masonic lodges.   Now, centuries later, fire brigades across the U.S. carry the Maltese Cross on trucks, helmets, patches.   What was once the mark of crusader-brokers at sea has become the modern emblem of those who run into burning buildings.     Yes, it is curious. A symbol born in war and fire in Malta ended up on every U.S. firehouse. It shows how these old emblems keep finding new life \u2014 shifting from religious orders, to fraternal societies, to civic services.   Knights of Columbus   Catholic fraternal order founded in 1882 in the U.S.   Their emblem features a sword, anchor, and a form of the cross patt\u00e9e (very close to Maltese).   Used in regalia, lapel pins, banners, and ceremonial uniforms.    Masonic & Fraternal Orders  Many higher degrees in Freemasonry (like the Knights Templar branch) use Maltese-style crosses in jewelry, aprons, and lodge d\u00e9cor.   The Shriners sometimes blend it with their fez imagery, mixing Crusader and Middle Eastern revival symbols.    Military & Veteran Units  U.S. Navy & Coast Guard insignia sometimes incorporate cross patt\u00e9e \/ Maltese variations in unit patches.   Certain Army divisions and state National Guard units have used Maltese-style crosses in logos, inspired by their meaning of courage and protection.    Medical & Humanitarian Groups  The Order of Malta (still active today under Catholic authority) operates globally in hospitals and relief services. Their symbol (Maltese Cross) appears on medical banners, ambulances, and uniforms.   The St. John Ambulance service (from the same knightly heritage) uses the Maltese Cross in its branding worldwide \u2014 and it has chapters in the U.S.    Police & Civic Badges  Some U.S. police departments use Maltese-style crosses in badge design, echoing \u201cservice and sacrifice.\u201d   Also seen in sheriff stars that blend Christian cross forms with geometric shapes.     Besides firemen, you\u2019ll see the Maltese Cross carried forward by Catholic fraternals (Knights of Columbus), Masons, some military units, humanitarian groups like St. John Ambulance, and even in certain police insignia. All of them borrow the knightly aura of sacrifice, service, and courage.   Groups & Titles with \u201cKnightly\u201d Echoes  Ku Klux Klan (KKK)  Titles: Grand Wizard, Imperial Wizard, Grand Dragon, Exalted Cyclops, Knights of the Klan.   Borrowed the \u201cknightly\u201d mystique from Freemasonry & medieval orders.   Used ritual, oaths, robes, and crosses to mimic secret chivalric orders.      Freemasonry (esp. Knights Templar Degrees)  Titles: Knights Templar, Sovereign Grand Commander, Grand Master.   Draws directly from the lore of the Crusades and Hospitallers.   Lodges often decorated with swords, banners, and Maltese\/Templar crosses.      Knights of Columbus (Catholic Fraternal Order)  Titles: Supreme Knight, Deputy Knight.   Uses medieval-style uniforms, plumed hats, swords, and crosses.   Explicitly framed as Catholic defenders, echoing Templar\/Hospitaller language.      Odd Fellows & Other Fraternals (19th c.)  Adopted knightly or medieval roles like Noble Grand, Grand Patriarch.   Used pageantry, robes, and ritual to signal moral authority.      Military Orders (Historic & Modern)  Order of the Garter (UK), Order of St. John, Order of Malta.   Titles: Grand Master, Commander, Knight.   Still active today \u2014 royals and elites hold these honors.      Pop Culture & Civic Groups  Boy Scouts borrowed the chivalric \u201ccode of honor\u201d language.   Groups like the Knights of Pythias (1860s onward) framed themselves as guardians of loyalty, friendship, and charity, again echoing Templar ideals.   Motorcycle clubs: Knights Templar MC, Crusaders MC \u2014 modern symbolic borrowings.   The U.S. has a long tradition of groups dressing up in knightly language. From the KKK\u2019s fake nobility (\u201cGrand Wizard\u201d) to Catholic fraternal titles (\u201cSupreme Knight\u201d), to Masonic \u201cTemplars,\u201d all of them hijack medieval titles to project authority, mystery, and sacred mission.    Timeline of Knightly Titles & Symbolism   Medieval Crusaders (11th\u201316th c.)  Knights Templar, Knights Hospitaller, Teutonic Knights   Titles: Grand Master, Commander, Knight.   Real Catholic military orders with swords, crosses, castles, and rituals.      Freemasonry & Templar Revival (18th c.)  Freemasons create \u201chigher degrees\u201d called Knights Templar, Sovereign Grand Commander, Grand Master.   Adopt crosses, swords, robes, and secret oaths.   Shift from real knights \u2192 symbolic, elite brotherhoods.      Civic & Catholic Fraternals (19th c.)  Knights of Columbus (Catholic, 1882): Supreme Knight, Deputy Knight.   Knights of Pythias (1864): Chancellor Commander, Grand Knight.   Decorative swords, plumed hats, robes \u2014 a theatrical revival of knighthood.      Odd Fellows & Others (1800s America)  Borrow knightly\/medieval flair with titles like Noble Grand, Grand Patriarch.   Used ritualized secrecy and rank names to echo ancient orders.      Ku Klux Klan (20th c.)  Reinvented itself as a \u201csacred order\u201d using knightly cosplay.   Titles: Grand Wizard, Imperial Wizard, Grand Dragon, Exalted Cyclops, Knights of the Klan.   Crosses, robes, rituals mimic Masons + medieval orders \u2192 cloaked terror in false nobility.      Civic \/ Modern Symbolism (20th\u201321st c.)  Boy Scouts: adopted knightly \u201ccodes of honor.\u201d   Firefighters\/Police: Maltese Cross as badge of service & sacrifice.   Motorcycle Clubs: Knights Templar MC, Crusaders MC echo old orders.   Military Orders Today: Order of the Garter (UK), Knights of Malta, Order of St. John. Titles: Grand Master, Knight Commander. Still used by royals, elites, and politicians.    Through-Line:   Crusaders (real knights) \u2192   Freemasons (symbolic knights) \u2192   19th c. fraternals (civic knights) \u2192   KKK (fake racist knights) \u2192   Modern civic\/military\/club uses (firefighters, veterans, bikers).   All of them use knightly titles, robes, crosses, and ritual to claim moral authority and secret power.   Medieval knights had real military power + religious authority.  Freemasons kept the rituals, crosses, and titles alive after the Crusades ended.  19th-century fraternals in America (Knights of Columbus, Pythias, Odd Fellows) copied the knightly theater for civic identity and bonding.  The KKK twisted it into terror cloaked in nobility \u2014 fake knights with robes and invented titles.  Modern civic\/military groups (firefighters, police, veterans, clubs) still carry crosses and knightly titles as symbols of sacrifice, honor, and authority.          The Maltese Falcon (1941, dir. John Huston)  Star: Humphrey Bogart as private detective Sam Spade.  Plot in Brief:  The story kicks off when a mysterious woman (Mary Astor as Brigid O\u2019Shaughnessy) hires Spade to follow a man. Quickly, Spade\u2019s partner is murdered, dragging Spade into a dangerous case.  It turns out everyone is chasing a legendary artifact: the Maltese Falcon, a jewel-encrusted statuette said to be priceless.  Spade encounters a colorful cast of crooks, including Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre) and Kasper Gutman (Sydney Greenstreet), all obsessed with the Falcon.  Through lies, betrayals, and shifting alliances, Spade keeps his cool and plays each side against the other.  In the end, the \u201cFalcon\u201d they fight over is revealed to be a worthless fake. The treasure everyone killed for never materialized.  Spade hands Brigid over to the police for murdering his partner \u2014 a cold but principled choice.  Themes:  Greed, betrayal, obsession, and the futility of chasing illusions.  Classic noir cynicism: people destroy themselves over shadows of wealth and power.  Why It Matters:  Often credited as the movie that launched film noir.  The \u201cMaltese Falcon\u201d itself is a symbol: something seemingly valuable, but ultimately empty \u2014 a perfect MacGuffin.    The Maltese Falcon is about crooks killing each other over a supposed treasure, only for it to be fake. Bogart\u2019s detective survives by staying sharp and refusing to be duped, even by a woman he cares for.    The Knights of Malta, also known as the Hospitallers or the Order of St. John, are a chivalric order founded in the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century. The order was led by an elected prince and grand master.  The order's motto is \u201cTuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum\u201d (defence of the faith and assistance to the poor).  The Knights of Malta are divided into three classes:  The First Class. It includes Knights of Justice, or Professed Knights, and the Professed Conventual Chaplains, who have made vows of \u201cpoverty, chastity, and obedience aspiring to perfection according to the Gospel.\u201d They are religious for all purposes of Canon Law but are not obliged to live in community.  The Second Class. Its members, by virtue of the Promise of Obedience, are committed to living according to Christian principles and the inspiring principles of the Order.  The Third Class. It consists of lay members who do not profess religious vows or the Promise, but who live according to the principles of the Church and of the Order.     The modern-day role of the order is largely focused on providing humanitarian assistance and assisting with international humanitarian relations. The Order employs about 52 000 doctors, nurses, auxiliaries, and paramedics assisted by 100 000 volunteers in more than 120 countries.  The order traces its institutional continuity with the Knights Hospitaller, a chivalric order that was founded about 1099 by the Blessed Gerard.     Knights of Malta (Hospitallers \/ Order of St. John)  Their traditional headgear was more European\/medieval: helmets in battle, and later black mantles with the white Maltese Cross.  They did not historically wear fezzes \u2014 their style was Crusader and Catholic knightly, not Ottoman.  Ottoman & Mediterranean Influence  Malta sat between Europe and North Africa. When the Ottomans dominated the Mediterranean, the fez spread widely as everyday wear.  Maltese civilians, dockworkers, and even some local elites adopted the fez under Ottoman influence in the 18th\u201319th centuries.  British Period (1800 onward)  After the British took Malta in 1800, the fez became more of a \u201cMediterranean identity marker.\u201d  Some British colonial troops recruited from Malta (and North Africa) wore fezzes as part of their uniforms in the 19th century.  Secret Societies & Fraternals  Later, in the 19th\u201320th centuries, groups like the Shriners (a Masonic appendant body in the U.S.) adopted the red fez as their symbol.  This fez connection has confused people, since Freemasons also borrowed crusader\/Maltese symbols.  The Knights of Malta themselves didn\u2019t wear fezzes, but in Malta the fez was common civilian wear during Ottoman times and lingered into the British colonial era. That overlap \u2014 Knights + fez-wearing locals + later Masonic Shriners \u2014 is probably why it feels like Malta and the fez go together.    BEFORE Khazars  Sarmatians & Alans (c. 500 BC \u2013 400 AD)  Iranian-speaking nomads who dominated the Pontic\u2013Caspian steppe.  Known to the Romans as fierce cavalry; some Alans later merged into Europe (even Spain and Gaul).  They ran parts of the trade in furs, slaves, and steppe horses to Rome and Byzantium.    Huns (4th\u20135th century)  Nomadic confederation from Central Asia.  Swept into Europe around 370 AD, smashing Gothic kingdoms and threatening Rome.  Controlled large swathes of the steppe trade until Attila\u2019s death (453 AD) caused collapse.    Avars (6th\u20138th century)  A Turkic or Mongolic steppe power, centered in the Carpathian Basin (Hungary).  Pressured Byzantium, fought Charlemagne.  Controlled parts of the steppe corridor before the Khazars rose.    G\u00f6kt\u00fcrks (Turkic Khaganate) (6th\u20138th century)  A vast Central Asian empire stretching into the Caspian region.  The western half of the G\u00f6kt\u00fcrk realm overlapped Khazar territory.  The Khazars were originally part of this Turkic confederation before breaking away in the 7th century.    Transition to Khazars  By the mid-600s, the G\u00f6kt\u00fcrk empire fragmented.  The Khazars emerged out of this collapse \u2014 probably a Turkic subgroup that seized control of the lower Volga and Don regions.  They filled the vacuum left by Huns, Avars, and G\u00f6kt\u00fcrks, inheriting the steppe toll role at the Black Sea\u2013Caspian chokepoint.      Before the Khazars, the same steppe corridor was ruled by nomadic empires \u2014 Sarmatians, Huns, Avars, and G\u00f6kt\u00fcrks. The Khazars were the next in line, carving out a state from the wreckage of the G\u00f6kt\u00fcrk realm and mastering the same old business: controlling east\u2013west trade routes.  Khazars (7th\u201310th c.) \u2192 brokers of land trade along Silk Road corridors.  Malta (11th\u201316th c.) \u2192 brokers of sea trade, cloaked as Catholic knights.  Russia (15th\u201317th c.) \u2192 integration into nobility and merchant elites.  Eastern Europe (17th\u201319th c.) \u2192 spread through Jewish\/merchant diaspora networks.  Freemasonry (18th\u201319th c.) \u2192 preservation and retooling of knightly symbols for elite brotherhoods.  KKK (20th c.) \u2192 crude American imitation, hijacking knightly\/Masonic imagery.  United States (19th\u201320th c.) \u2192 global center of finance, media, and hidden influence \u2014 the final stage of Khazar-style brokerage.      If the Khazars survived underground, their legacy would look like this: from controlling Silk Road caravans to hiding in Malta\u2019s crusader orders, then embedding in Russian and Eastern European elites, to resurfacing in Freemasonry, imitated by the KKK, and finally consolidating in the U.S. as the invisible brokers of global finance and information.  Timeline: Khazars \u2192 Malta \u2192 Freemasonry \u2192 KKK \u2192 Modern Malta    7th\u201310th Century: The Khazars \u2014 Brokers of Land Trade  650\u2013960s: Khazar Khaganate rules the steppe between Black Sea & Caspian.  Chokepoint: Controls Silk Road branches, taxing caravans of furs, slaves, silver, silk, spices.  Religion: Elites convert to Judaism (8th c.), balancing between Byzantium & Islam.  969\u2013972: Collapse under Kievan Rus\u2019 and Byzantines.  Legacy: Ruthless middlemen, thriving on tolls, tribute, and intelligence-gathering.  Behavior: They weren\u2019t shy about violence. Contemporary sources describe them as fierce enforcers of their monopoly \u2014 taxing caravans, raiding neighbors, and crushing rivals. Their model was \u201cpay us or else.\u201d Rus\u2019 and Byzantines finally broke them when they became too predatory.    11th\u201316th Century: Knights Hospitaller \/ Malta \u2014 Brokers of Sea Trade  1048: Hospitaller order founded in Jerusalem, caring for pilgrims.  1113: Recognized by Pope Paschal II \u2192 becomes a military order during Crusades.  1309: Headquarters in Rhodes.  1530: Granted Malta by Charles V \u2192 renamed Knights of Malta.  Symbol: Maltese Cross adopted, tied to sacrifice, protection, naval supremacy.  Function: Military monks and privateers \u2014 raiding Ottoman shipping, taxing Mediterranean trade.  Reputation: Branded as holy warriors, but also notorious for piracy and ruthlessness.  Behavior: They ran hospitals and carried Christian banners, but were also warriors and privateers. Based in Rhodes and Malta, they raided Muslim shipping, seized cargo, and sold captives into slavery. Naval campaigns were brutal \u2014 the 1565 Great Siege of Malta showed their willingness to fight to the last man and slaughter enemies. Critics later accused them of being closer to pirates than noble knights.    17th\u201318th Century: Decline & Transformation  Military power fades, prestige remains.  Maltese Cross becomes a pan-European chivalric emblem.  1717 onward: Freemasonry rises, borrowing crusader imagery, secrecy, and ritual.  Maltese Cross absorbed into higher Masonic degrees (Knights Templar rites).    18th\u201319th Century: Freemasonry \u2014 Secret Brotherhood of the Elite  Freemasons present themselves as heirs of Templars and Hospitallers.  Adopt knightly language, oaths, and symbols (crosses, swords, rituals).  Spread through Europe and the U.S., embedding in political, banking, and merchant elites.  Malta connection: some Masonic orders explicitly tie themselves to the \u201cKnights of Malta\u201d mythos.  Function: elite brotherhood for influence, protection, and finance.    1800\u20131964: British Colonial Malta \u2014 Naval Chokepoint  1798: Napoleon seizes Malta en route to Egypt.  1800: Maltese, aided by Britain, expel the French. Britain assumes control.  1814: Treaty of Paris formally recognizes Malta as part of the British Empire.  1800\u20131964: Malta remains a British colony and key naval base \u2014 the \u201cunsinkable aircraft carrier.\u201d  1964: Malta gains independence within the Commonwealth.  1974: Malta becomes a republic.  1979: Final withdrawal of British forces (\u201cFreedom Day\u201d).    20th Century: Ku Klux Klan \u2014 Invention Styled as Knightly  1915\u20131920s: Second Klan revival in the U.S.  Symbol: The \u201cBlood Drop Cross\u201d (MIOAK) \u2014 crude imitation of medieval crosses with a red drop.  Language: Members styled as \u201cKnights of the Klan.\u201d  Regalia: White robes and hoods as uniforms of a sacred order.  Rituals: Oaths, initiations, and ranks copied from Freemasonry and knightly orders.  Purpose: Terror and intimidation cloaked in fake nobility.  Borrowed Knightly Language & Symbolism:  They called themselves \u201cKnights,\u201d using titles like Grand Dragon, Imperial Wizard, Exalted Cyclops.  Their emblem mimicked medieval crosses (Maltese, Teutonic, Celtic).  Robes and hoods resembled knightly mantles.  Rituals echoed Masonic and crusader traditions.  Purpose: to disguise racial terror as chivalric guardianship of \u201ccivilization.\u201d    21st Century: Malta Again \u2014 Brokers of Offshore Finance  2013\u20132021: OECD\/G20 BEPS reforms phase out Dutch\/Irish schemes.  Result: Profits shift into Luxembourg, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus.  Malta: Emerges as a \u201csubstance\u201d hub for iGaming, porn platforms, private equity shells.  2017: Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia assassinated while investigating Malta\u2019s offshore networks.  Continuity: Malta returns to chokepoint role \u2014 this time for digital payments and tax flows.    Flow of Control & Symbolism  Khazars (7th\u201310th c.) \u2014 Land trade brokers on Silk Road.  Malta (11th\u201316th c.) \u2014 Sea trade brokers cloaked as holy knights.  Freemasonry (18th c.) \u2014 Elite brotherhood reinventing knightly orders.  British Malta (1800\u20131964) \u2014 Empire\u2019s naval hub at the Mediterranean chokepoint.  KKK (20th c.) \u2014 Pseudo-knights copying Masonic\/medieval symbols to cloak terror.  Modern Malta (21st c.) \u2014 Offshore finance brokers cloaked in EU respectability.    Through-Line  Khazars: used force to dominate overland trade.  Knights of Malta: used force to dominate sea trade.  Freemasons: ritualized secrecy and knightly imagery for elite networks.  KKK: racist vigilantes cloaking themselves in knightly cosplay.  Modern Malta: financial brokers cloaking themselves in \u201ccompliance\u201d rhetoric.    Plain English Takeaway  From Khazar tolls on Silk Road to Knights taxing Mediterranean shipping, from Freemasons reworking knightly myths to the Klan hijacking crosses, and finally back to Malta as a global tax haven \u2014 the pattern repeats. Ruthless middlemen seize chokepoints, cloak themselves in religious or knightly imagery, and project legitimacy while extracting profit.  Both the Khazars and the Knights of Malta acted like militarized mafias, cloaked in faith and honor. The KKK did the same in the 20th century, dressing racism as knighthood. Today Malta hosts the same pattern again \u2014 this time cloaked in EU respectability and financial compliance.  When the Khazar empire collapsed, some elites went north\/east into Jewish and merchant networks, but it\u2019s also possible others slipped into Mediterranean circuits \u2014 eventually resurfacing in institutions like the Hospitallers\/Knights of Malta. Both streams kept the same specialty: controlling chokepoints and commerce while cloaking themselves in religion or legitimacy.  The Arc of Hidden Intermediaries  7th\u201310th Century: Khazars  650\u2013960s: Khazar Khaganate dominates Black Sea\u2013Caspian corridor.  969\u2013972: Defeated by Kievan Rus\u2019 and Byzantines.  After collapse: Khazar elites scatter into Byzantium, Crimea, and Eastern Europe.  Survive in merchant-financial networks, blending into Jewish, Byzantine, and steppe communities.    11th\u201316th Century: Hospitallers \/ Knights of Malta  1048: Hospital founded in Jerusalem.  1099\u20131113: Militarized after First Crusade, papal recognition.  1309: Move HQ to Rhodes.  1530: Given Malta by Charles V (Habsburg), anchoring them under Habsburg patronage.  Function as sea-trade brokers, cloaked in Catholic chivalry.    16th\u201318th Century: Habsburg Control  1519\u20131556: Charles V reign \u2014 ruler of Spain, Holy Roman Empire, Naples, Netherlands.  1530: Grants Malta to Knights Hospitaller.  Habsburg dynasty (Spain and Austria) dominates European politics, embedding knightly orders into aristocratic structures.  Model: brokered power through dynastic marriages, Catholic legitimacy, and trade monopolies.    1800\u20131964: British Malta  1798: Napoleon seizes Malta.  1800: British help Maltese expel the French \u2192 Britain assumes control.  1814: Treaty of Paris formalizes Malta as a British colony.  1800\u20131964: Malta as \u201cunsinkable aircraft carrier\u201d and naval chokepoint.  Britain globalizes the chokepoint model \u2014 controlling sea lanes from Gibraltar to Singapore.    19th\u201320th Century: City of London Ascendant  1717: First Grand Lodge of Freemasonry established in London \u2014 rituals echo Hospitallers\/Templars.  1800s: London emerges as world\u2019s financial capital, anchoring global trade and empire.  1945\u20131970s: British Empire fades, but City of London\u2019s offshore network (Caymans, Jersey, Gibraltar, Malta) expands.  Malta gains independence (1964), but remains tied to British financial-legal structures.    Final Home: City of London Offshore Finance  Hidden intermediaries now center in London\u2019s financial core and its global satellite havens.  Malta continues as a node \u2014 this time in tax avoidance and digital flows.  Khazars (7th\u201310th c.) \u2014 land brokers of Silk Road trade.  Knights of Malta (11th\u201316th c.) \u2014 sea brokers cloaked as crusader knights.  Habsburgs (16th\u201318th c.) \u2014 embed these orders into European aristocracy.  Britain (1800\u20131964) \u2014 takes Malta, globalizes the chokepoint empire.  City of London (19th\u201320th c.) \u2014 becomes the final headquarters of hidden finance networks, with Malta still in orbit.     Romanovs and the Khazar Scenario  Chronology mismatch (surface level)    Khazars collapse 969\u2013972.  Romanov dynasty begins 1613, with Michael Romanov as Tsar.  That\u2019s ~600 years later, so a direct, continuous line is unlikely on the surface.  Possible indirect continuity  After the Khazar collapse, elites scattered into Byzantium, Crimea, and Eastern Europe.  Some of those networks blended into Rus\u2019, Polish, and Lithuanian nobility by the late Middle Ages.  By the 1500s, certain merchant\/elite families had already become part of the Russian boyar (noble) class.  The Romanovs themselves were boyars before rising to the throne in 1613.  Romanov origins  The Romanovs claimed descent from Andrei Kobyla, a 14th-century boyar.  Kobyla\u2019s ancestry is mysterious \u2014 chroniclers say he \u201ccame from Prussia\u201d (possibly meaning the Baltic), but others have speculated a foreign or semi-legendary origin.  If Khazar remnants migrated into Eastern Europe\u2019s nobility, it\u2019s not impossible that some families entering Muscovy\u2019s elite ranks carried Khazar blood or networks.  Why it would \u201cfit\u201d the hidden broker model  The Romanovs rose during Russia\u2019s consolidation after the Mongol Yoke \u2014 exactly when merchant-financial intermediaries were most useful to rulers.  They presided over an empire stretching into the old Khazar heartland (Caspian\u2013Black Sea corridor).  A Khazar-descended elite embedding into Muscovy\u2019s ruling class would be consistent with the long arc: steppe brokers \u2192 noble families \u2192 dynasties.    Speculative Scenario (if we connect Khazars \u2192 Romanovs)  10th\u201313th c.: Khazar remnants disperse into Byzantine, Crimean, and Eastern European nobility.  14th c.: Some integrate into Muscovite boyars (like Andrei Kobyla\u2019s mysterious line).  1613: Michael Romanov elected Tsar, establishing a dynasty that rules until 1917.  Through-line: The Khazar tradition of ruling as hidden brokers and middlemen reappears as the Romanovs \u2014 outwardly Orthodox monarchs, but possibly with deeper merchant-financial roots.    It\u2019s a stretch to say \u201cthe Romanovs were Khazars,\u201d but it makes sense in a speculative continuity model. Khazar elites didn\u2019t vanish; they embedded in noble and merchant houses. By the time Russia needed stability after the Time of Troubles, it could well have been a Khazar-descended family \u2014 the Romanovs \u2014 that rose to the top.  Master Timeline of Hidden Networks  Khazars (7th\u201310th c.) \u2192 Land Trade Brokers  Controlled the Black Sea\u2013Caspian\u2013Silk Road chokepoint.  Taxed caravans of furs, slaves, silver, silk, spices.  Elite conversion to Judaism (~8th c.) for political leverage.  Collapsed under Kievan Rus\u2019 and Byzantines (~969\u2013972).  Legacy: ruthless middlemen living off tolls, tribute, and intelligence.    Knights of Malta (11th\u201316th c.) \u2192 Sea Trade Brokers  1048: Hospitaller hospital founded in Jerusalem.  1113: Papal recognition \u2192 becomes a sovereign religious-military order.  1309: Headquarters in Rhodes.  1530: Given Malta by Charles V (Habsburg) \u2192 tied directly to Europe\u2019s most powerful dynasty.  Cloaked as Catholic knights, but acted as naval brokers \u2014 taxing and raiding Mediterranean shipping.  Symbol: Maltese Cross.    Eastern Europe (14th\u201317th c.) \u2192 Nobility & Romanovs as Hidden Khazar Thread  After Khazar collapse, elites scatter into Byzantium, Crimea, and Rus\u2019.  Some possibly absorbed into Russian boyar families.  1613: Romanov dynasty begins, ruling over former Khazar lands.  Hidden continuity: financial and merchant expertise resurfacing as noble dynasties.    Freemasonry (18th\u201319th c.) \u2192 Elite Brotherhoods  1717: First Grand Lodge founded in London.  Adopted knightly\/Maltese symbolism (crosses, swords, rituals).  Spread across Europe and the U.S., embedding in merchant, banking, and political elites.  Function: secret brotherhood providing influence, protection, and financial networking.    Ku Klux Klan (20th c.) \u2192 Knightly Cosplay  1915\u20131920s: Second Klan revival in the U.S.  Emblem: MIOAK \u201cBlood Drop Cross\u201d \u2014 imitation of Maltese\/medieval crosses.  Styled themselves as \u201cKnights,\u201d using robes, rituals, and Masonic borrowings.  Purpose: racial terror disguised as sacred brotherhood.    British Malta (1800\u20131964) \u2192 Empire\u2019s Naval Hub  1798: Napoleon seizes Malta.  1800: Britain, with Maltese aid, expels the French.  1814: Treaty of Paris formalizes Malta as British.  1800\u20131964: Malta = Crown Colony, \u201cunsinkable aircraft carrier.\u201d  1964: Independence.  1979: British military withdraws (\u201cFreedom Day\u201d).    Modern Malta (21st c.) \u2192 Offshore Tax Haven  2013\u20132021: OECD\/G20 BEPS reforms push profits from Dutch\/Irish schemes to Malta, Luxembourg, Cyprus.  Malta emerges as a hub for iGaming, porn platforms, and private equity shells.  2017: Daphne Caruana Galizia assassinated while investigating Malta\u2019s offshore finance.  Today: A global financial chokepoint cloaked in EU respectability.    Summary: The story runs in stages:  Khazars controlled land trade.  Knights of Malta took over sea trade, under Habsburgs from 1530.  Eastern Europe\/Romanovs may reflect Khazar remnants embedding in nobility.  Freemasons rebranded knightly symbolism for elite brotherhoods.  KKK crudely copied that imagery to mask terror.  British Malta became the imperial naval hub.  Modern Malta is back as a financial chokepoint in the age of offshore capital.    Master Timeline of Hidden Networks, Symbols, and Trade Control  Khazars (7th\u201310th c.)  Geography: Black Sea\u2013Caspian\u2013Silk Road chokepoint.  Role: Brokers of land trade; taxed caravans and controlled river corridors.  Religion: Conversion to Judaism (~8th c.) gave flexibility between Byzantium and the Caliphates.  Collapse: Defeated by Kievan Rus\u2019 (~965\u2013972).  Aftermath: Elites scattered into Byzantium, Crimea, and Eastern Europe \u2014 possibly hiding within merchant and Jewish diasporas.  Core Theme: Controlled overland routes; pioneered the \u201cbroker-state\u201d model.    Knights Hospitaller \/ Knights of Malta (11th\u201316th c.)  1048: Founded in Jerusalem.  Context Leading to 1048: Hospitaller Origins  After the Khazars (10th century): Their empire collapses, Byzantium and Kievan Rus\u2019 expand. Power shifts west and south. The Mediterranean becomes the main arena for trade and faith-driven conflict.  Jerusalem in the 11th century:  Still under Muslim control (Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt).  Pilgrims from Christian Europe were increasingly visiting Jerusalem.  Italian merchant cities (Amalfi, Pisa, Venice) were setting up trading colonies and hospices in the Holy Land.  Amalfi Merchants (Italy): Around 1048, merchants from Amalfi financed the creation of a hospital in Jerusalem to care for poor and sick pilgrims. This hospital was next to the Church of St. John the Baptist \u2192 hence the name \u201cHospitallers.\u201d  First Crusade (1096\u20131099): When Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099, this humble hospital staff transitioned into a religious-military order. They were no longer just caregivers, but also armed \u201cKnights of St. John.\u201d  Papal Recognition (1113): Pope Paschal II granted the order sovereignty \u2014 meaning they answered only to the Pope, not kings. That made them independent power brokers.    1048: Founded in Jerusalem\u201d really means: Not yet knights, but an Amalfi-funded hospital for pilgrims inside Muslim-controlled Jerusalem. After the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem, that hospital community transformed into a military order, later known as the Knights Hospitaller \u2192 eventually the Knights of Malta.  The Capture of Jerusalem (1099)  The First Crusade ended with the sack of Jerusalem.  Crusaders established the Kingdom of Jerusalem as a Christian state in the Holy Land.  Pilgrims poured in from Europe, now under Crusader protection.    Transformation of the Hospital (1099\u20131113)  The little Amalfi-run hospital (founded ~1048) became central.  Its leader, Blessed Gerard, expanded it and organized both care and defense.  The community shifted from just charity to a religious order with military functions.    Papal Recognition (1113)  Pope Paschal II issued a bull recognizing the Hospitallers as an independent religious order.  They were placed directly under papal authority \u2014 not subject to kings or princes.  This gave them sovereignty: they could own land, collect money, and answer only to Rome.    Becoming a Military Order (12th century)  Originally caregivers, by the mid-1100s they were also armed knights defending pilgrims and Crusader castles.  They built fortresses (like Krak des Chevaliers in Syria).  They fought alongside the Templars as one of the two great military-monastic orders.    Loss of Jerusalem (1187)  Saladin reconquered Jerusalem in 1187 after the Battle of Hattin.  The Hospitallers retreated with the Crusaders to coastal cities (Acre, Tripoli).    After the Crusader States Collapse (1291)  The Crusaders lost Acre (last stronghold) in 1291.  The Hospitallers fled to Cyprus, then seized Rhodes (1309).  From there, they became naval power-brokers.  In 1530, they were given Malta by Charles V \u2192 hence \u201cKnights of Malta.\u201d      After the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem in 1099, the Hospitaller hospital transformed into a sovereign military-religious order. They grew rich, ran castles, and fought in the Crusades. When Jerusalem was lost in 1187, they retreated to the coast, then to islands \u2014 Rhodes and finally Malta. From there they controlled Mediterranean trade routes for centuries.  1099\u20131113: Militarized in Crusades, papally recognized.  1309: HQ in Rhodes.  1530: Moved to Malta, controlling central Mediterranean sea lanes.  Symbol: Maltese Cross (8 points).  Function: Cloaked as Catholic knights but operated like maritime brokers, taxing, raiding, and securing convoys.  Core Theme: Brokers of sea trade, wrapped in religious legitimacy.    Russia (15th\u201317th c.)  After Mongol decline, Muscovy rises.  Khazar-descended elites (speculative) blend into boyar nobility, financiers, and merchant networks.  Retain old skillset: mediating trade between steppe, Baltic, and Black Sea.  Core Theme: Adaptation \u2014 from fallen Khazar brokers to Russian nobles\/merchants.    Eastern Europe (17th\u201319th c.)  Regions: Poland-Lithuania, Hungary, Galicia, Ukraine.  Merchant and Jewish networks take central role in grain trade, tax farming, estate management.  Resembles Khazar model: control commerce and finance without ruling openly.  Continuity: diaspora families specialize in brokerage and finance.  Core Theme: Dispersed networks in Jewish\/merchant diasporas \u2014 hidden continuity of Khazar model.    Freemasonry (18th\u201319th c.)  1717: First Grand Lodge in London.  Adopt knightly and crusader imagery (crosses, rituals, oaths).  Maltese Cross and Templar symbols appear in higher degrees.  Becomes a fraternity of elites, cloaking influence in ritual and secrecy.  Core Theme: Preservation of medieval knightly symbols and brotherhood structures in modern secret societies.    Ku Klux Klan (20th c. revival, esp. 1920s)  1920s: Second Klan formalizes symbols and regalia.  Creates the MIOAK Blood Drop Cross, modeled on medieval cross styles.  Adds red blood drop to make it distinct, but echoes knightly\/Masonic forms.  Ranks, robes, and rituals mimic chivalric orders and Masonic ceremonies.  Claims role as \u201cknights\u201d defending Christian civilization \u2014 propaganda rooted in old imagery.  Core Theme: A racist American spin on knightly and Masonic symbolism, hijacking it to project false nobility.    United States (19th\u201320th c.)  Migration of Eastern European merchant and Jewish families to America.  Specialize in:  Banking & finance (Wall Street).  Media & publishing (control of information routes).  Political lobbying and think tanks (influence networks).  Symbolic carryover: fraternal societies, Masonic orders, patriotic groups adopt knightly and cross imagery.  Core Theme: The Khazar model fully reborn in the U.S. \u2014 hidden brokers of money, trade, and information.    Flow of Influence (Summary)  Khazars (7th\u201310th c.) \u2192 brokers of land trade along Silk Road corridors.  Malta (11th\u201316th c.) \u2192 brokers of sea trade, cloaked as Catholic knights.  Russia (15th\u201317th c.) \u2192 integration into nobility and merchant elites.  Eastern Europe (17th\u201319th c.) \u2192 spread through Jewish\/merchant diaspora networks.  Freemasonry (18th\u201319th c.) \u2192 preservation and retooling of knightly symbols for elite brotherhoods.  KKK (20th c.) \u2192 crude American imitation, hijacking knightly\/Masonic imagery.  United States (19th\u201320th c.) \u2192 global center of finance, media, and hidden influence \u2014 the final stage of Khazar-style brokerage.    Takeaway: If the Khazars survived underground, their legacy would look like this: from controlling Silk Road caravans to hiding in Malta\u2019s crusader orders, then embedding in Russian and Eastern European elites, to resurfacing in Freemasonry, imitated by the KKK, and finally consolidating in the U.S. as the invisible brokers of global finance and information.  Full Circle: From Medieval Malta to Modern Malta  Medieval Stage  1530\u20131798: Knights of Malta control the island as a naval fortress and trade choke point.  They taxed shipping, ran privateer fleets, and cloaked themselves in religious legitimacy.  The Maltese Cross became their global emblem of chivalry and power.  Decline  1798: Napoleon seizes Malta.  1800: Britain expels France and makes Malta a crown colony.  Malta becomes a British naval hub until independence (1964).  Modern Stage (21st c.)  Instead of corsairs and knights, Malta becomes a tax haven hub.  Part of the OECD\/G20 BEPS reforms, Malta positioned itself as a \u201csubstance-first\u201d jurisdiction to attract finance, iGaming, crypto, and corporate tax flows.  Journalists like Daphne Caruana Galizia (assassinated in 2017) exposed how Malta sat \u201cin the weeds\u201d of global tax avoidance, just as it once sat in the middle of Mediterranean trade.    The Pattern Repeats  Khazars (7th\u201310th c.): controlled trade tolls at a land chokepoint.  Knights of Malta (16th c.): controlled trade tolls at a sea chokepoint.  Modern Malta (21st c.): controls financial tolls at a tax chokepoint.  Plain English:  It\u2019s the same playbook, just updated. What used to be caravans and convoys are now bank wires and shell companies. Malta \u2014 once a fortress for knights \u2014 is now a fortress for corporate profits.        IMF (International Monetary Fund) \u2013 Created in 1944 after World War II, alongside the World Bank. Its job is to keep the global financial system stable, lend money to countries in crisis, and set rules for currency and debt.  OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) \u2013 Founded in 1961 in Paris. It\u2019s a policy club of mostly rich countries. It doesn\u2019t give loans like the IMF but instead sets guidelines and best practices, including on taxes, trade, and development.  G20 (Group of Twenty) \u2013 Formed in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis. It\u2019s not an institution but a forum where the 20 biggest economies (rich countries plus big emerging economies like China, India, and Brazil) meet to coordinate global economic policy.  BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) \u2013 Launched in 2013 when the G20 asked the OECD to fix corporate tax avoidance. It\u2019s a set of 15 international rules meant to stop multinationals from shifting profits to tax havens. In practice, it reshaped the system but allowed companies to keep paying much lower tax rates than ordinary citizens.     This Week\u2019s Episode Focus  What Do Netflix, Pornhub, Gaming Giants, Gambling Sites, Wall Street & Private Equity Have in Common?  They all moved billions across borders to dodge taxes and hide profits.  Their moves were coordinated, using the same advisors, same loopholes, and same safe havens.  At the very center: the October 16, 2017 assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who investigated corruption, money laundering, and Malta\u2019s role in offshore finance.  Thesis: Over the last decade, these industries migrated as a herd across Europe, rebranding tax avoidance as compliance under BEPS. Effective tax rates stayed low. Profits stayed mobile. And those who probed too deep, like Daphne, paid a heavy price.  Trigger Incident (2012\u20132013)  In the UK, Parliament grilled Starbucks, Google, and Amazon over how little tax they paid despite huge local sales.  In the U.S., the Senate investigated Apple, exposing its Irish subsidiaries that claimed no tax residency anywhere.  Media coverage highlighted the \u201cDouble Irish\u201d and \u201cDutch Sandwich\u201d as the tricks making this possible.  These hearings fueled public outrage, especially in Europe, and put political pressure on the Netherlands and Ireland.  That embarrassment is what pushed the G20 in 2013 to ask the OECD to launch the BEPS project and rewrite the rules.    The Push for Reform  Around 2012\u20132013, growing public outrage over Apple, Google, and Starbucks using Amsterdam\u2019s Dutch Sandwich made the Netherlands politically vulnerable.  Amsterdam wanted the OECD process to move quickly\u2014both to protect its reputation inside the EU and to secure a managed transition that kept financial flows stable, rather than risk unilateral crackdowns.  By 2018\u20132019, as Netflix\u2019s tax practices in Europe began drawing scrutiny in Italy and the UK, the migration away from Amsterdam was already underway\u2014marking the herd\u2019s next phase.    The OECD, G20, and BEPS Explained  The G20, a group of the world\u2019s largest economies, met in 2013 and asked the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, founded in Paris in 1961) to deal with corporate tax avoidance.  In response, the OECD launched the BEPS project (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) in July 2013, publishing a 15-point action plan.  BEPS aimed to stop companies from shifting profits into tax havens instead of paying where they do business.  The goal was to close loopholes, but in practice it became a managed reset: old schemes like the Double Irish and Dutch Sandwich were phased out, new rules rolled in (2015\u20132021), and big players kept profits flowing under a polished, compliant framework.    The Global Economic Clubs  IMF and World Bank: Created in the 1940s, formal institutions with staff, programs, and loans.  World Trade Organization: Founded in 1995, manages trade rules.  G20: Founded in 1999, not a permanent institution but a forum where the 20 largest economies coordinate economic priorities.  G20 sets direction.  IMF, World Bank, and OECD carry out the technical work.  Example: in 2013, the G20 asked the OECD to design the BEPS plan.  The G20 acts like the steering committee of the global economy; the IMF\/World Bank\/OECD are the machinery.    Who\u2019s in the G20?  Advanced Economies (old guard):  United States  Canada  United Kingdom  France  Germany  Italy  Japan  European Union (bloc)  Australia  South Korea  Emerging Economies (newer giants):  China  India  Brazil  Mexico  Indonesia  Turkey  Saudi Arabia  South Africa  Argentina  Russia  Together, these 19 countries plus the EU = 85% of global GDP, 75% of global trade, and two-thirds of the world\u2019s population.    Inside the Herd: Roles in BEPS  Core Drivers (rich OECD members, heavy users of BEPS tools):  United States: Home to Big Tech multinationals; wanted reforms to look tough but still protect U.S. firms.  United Kingdom: Under pressure after Starbucks\/Google hearings.  Germany, France, Italy: EU leaders demanding \u201cfair taxation\u201d of U.S. tech firms.  Japan, Canada, Australia: Aligned with OECD, worried about lost revenue.  European Union (bloc): Pressured hubs like Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands to reform.  Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg: Not in G20 but central tax hubs; had to bow to OECD\/EU pressure.  Emerging Market Advocates (wanted bigger slice):  India: Pushed for digital taxation; later launched its own \u201cequalization levy.\u201d  China: Supported reforms but protected investment flows.  Brazil: Wanted stronger rights for \u201csource\u201d countries (where goods are sold).  South Africa: Highlighted developing country losses.  Indonesia, Mexico, Argentina, Turkey: Supported reforms but had limited power.  Resource-Rich Players (wanted stability):  Saudi Arabia, Russia: Focused less on tech\/IP, more on stable energy revenues and safe investment flows.  Bottom line: The rules were written mainly by rich OECD economies. Emerging markets were at the table but sidelined. BEPS gave political cover to the rich while offering small gains to poorer states.    The Dutch Sandwich (Explained Simply)  A tax avoidance strategy used mainly by U.S. multinationals.  Profits routed through the Netherlands to avoid EU withholding taxes, then shifted to non-EU havens like Bermuda.  Often paired with Irish schemes like the Double Irish, Single Malt, or CAIA.  By 2010, Ireland updated its tax code so companies no longer needed the Dutch Sandwich to skip withholding taxes.    Core Drivers (Rich OECD Members, Heavy Users of BEPS Tools)  These are the countries that pushed for BEPS at the G20 but also hosted or benefited from tax-avoidance structures:  United States \u2014 home base for most multinationals (Google, Apple, Netflix, Facebook, etc.). Wanted reforms to look tough but still favorable to U.S. firms.  United Kingdom \u2014 political pressure after Starbucks\/Google hearings; wanted to appear tough on avoidance.  Germany, France, Italy \u2014 EU heavyweights pressing for \u201cfair taxation,\u201d especially of U.S. tech firms.  Japan, Canada, Australia \u2014 aligned with OECD, concerned about revenue leakage.  European Union (as a bloc) \u2014 pressured Ireland, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands to clean up but also tolerated loopholes for years.  Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg \u2014 not G20 members themselves, but central in the story because they were the hubs. They had to bow to EU\/OECD pressure.    Emerging Market Advocates (Wanted Bigger Slice)  These countries argued they lost the most under profit shifting, but they had less negotiating power in shaping BEPS rules:  India \u2014 very vocal, pushed hard for digital taxation rules; later introduced its own \u201cequalization levy.\u201d  China \u2014 supported reforms but carefully protected its ability to attract investment.  Brazil \u2014 pressed for stronger source-country rights (where goods\/services are sold).  South Africa \u2014 emphasized developing country losses.  Indonesia, Mexico, Argentina, Turkey \u2014 supported reforms but lacked leverage to change the design.    Resource-Rich Players (Wanted Stability)  Saudi Arabia, Russia \u2014 less focused on tech\/IP avoidance, more on stable energy revenues. Interested in keeping investment inflows safe.    What This Means  The rules were designed mostly by the rich OECD economies (U.S., EU core, Japan, etc.).  Emerging G20 members (India, Brazil, South Africa) were at the table, but their proposals for simpler, fairer rules were sidelined.  The result: BEPS gave political cover to the rich while promising scraps of new revenue to poorer members.  Russia is still formally a member of the G20.  After the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, many G20 members (like the U.S., UK, EU, Canada, Japan, and Australia) pushed to isolate Russia. There were boycotts, walkouts, and diplomatic pressure to suspend Moscow. But the G20 works by consensus, and countries like China, India, Brazil, and South Africa opposed expelling Russia.  So while Russia is diplomatically sidelined at many meetings, it remains one of the 19 country members plus the EU that make up the G20.    What Do Netflix, Pornhub, Gaming Giants, Gambling Sites, Wall Street & Private Equity Have in Common?  Moving Billions Across Borders to Dodge Taxes, Hide Profits \u2014 and the Car Bomb Murder of Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta    Publish-Ready Show Notes (Expanded)  These show notes expand the thesis, timeline, actors, mechanisms, receipts, and resources discussed in the episode. You can paste sections directly to WordPress, or keep this full version as the canonical page and cross-link to companion posts.  Thesis: Over the last decade, Big Tech, adult platforms, iGaming\/gambling sites, and their financiers migrated as a herd across a handful of jurisdictions (Netherlands \u2192 Luxembourg\/Ireland\/Malta\/Cyprus and others), re-badging old schemes under the OECD\/G20\u2019s BEPS \u201cfairness\u201d narrative. Effective tax rates stayed compressed and profits remained highly mobile. The assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia (2017) sits in the middle of this pivot, underscoring the risks of exposing the networks moving the money.       Key Takeaways (Executive Summary)  Herd dynamics: Shared advisors, shared deadlines, and shared payment constraints produce synchronized restructurings across industries.  Narrative vs. math: The BEPS promise (\u201ctax where value is created\u201d) sat alongside complex rules that are hardest for low-capacity states to administer, and easiest for large multinationals to navigate.  Compression not cessation: Effective tax rates tended toward low double digits under new, compliant frameworks rather than converging on statutory rates.  Investigative risk: Daphne Caruana Galizia\u2019s murder in 2017 coincided with heightened scrutiny and rule rollouts, signaling the stakes of probing these networks.    The Story So Far  Initial update on Pornhub revealed consolidated holdings and finance footprints in favored EU jurisdictions, aligning with pressure from card networks and regulators.  Cross-referencing G20\/OECD communiqu\u00e9s with EU anti-avoidance directives showed a managed reset: outlaw the most egregious conduits while blessing BEPS-compliant alternatives with \u201csubstance.\u201d  The timeline alignment with Malta\u2019s role in financial intermediation, shell companies, and passport-for-sale programs raised the question: who was protected, and who was silenced?    Timeline: The Pack Migration (2012\u20132025)  Early Expos\u00e9s (2012\u20132013)  Parliamentary and media scrutiny of high-profile profit shifting.  Amsterdam widely described as a royalty\/holding \u201csweet spot.\u201d  Blueprinting the Reset (2013\u20132015)  2013: OECD launches BEPS; the 15-Action plan becomes the new playbook.  2015: Finalization of BEPS; advisors push clients toward \u201cnext-jurisdiction\u201d plans.  Awareness & Implementation (2016\u20132017)  Public leak-driven outrage collides with the first-wave rules.  Oct 2017: Daphne Caruana Galizia is assassinated; Europe condemns; rule-of-law questions spike in Malta.  Planning & Scouting (2018\u20132019)  Corporations model exits from legacy Dutch\/Irish hybrids.  Payment processors tighten standards for adult\/content platforms.  The Pivot (2020\u20132021)  Netherlands introduces withholding tax on certain outbound payments; classic conduits sunset.  \u201cSubstance\u201d becomes the keyword; IP, licensing, and billing units reposition to Luxembourg\/Ireland\/Malta\/Cyprus.  Consolidation & Enforcement (2022\u20132025)  Local-market entities report more revenue; HQ\/holding entities still optimize globally.  Investigations and raids test the \u201cnew normal;\u201d Pillar Two phases in across many jurisdictions.    The Mechanisms (How It Works)  IP Holding & Royalty Chains   Trademarks, code, media libraries, and patents sit in entities designed to receive royalties.  Intercompany agreements set transfer prices; operating subsidiaries show slim margins.  Substance Tests   Post-BEPS, zero-employee shells are risky; firms add small teams, local directors, and real office leases to pass smell tests.  Treaty Networks & Routing   Payments routed through jurisdictions with broad treaty coverage to avoid or reduce withholding taxes.  Hybrid Mismatch Cleanup   Old \u201cdeduct-here, untaxed-there\u201d tricks replaced by cleaner but still advantageous structures.  Minimum Tax Layering (Pillar Two)   Global floor targets the most aggressive outcomes, but planning shifts to credits, timing differences, and base calculations.    Industry Map  Big Tech \/ Streaming: Ad and subscription platforms with vast cross-border IP.  Adult Platforms: High compliance pressure from card networks \u2192 preference for \u201crespectable\u201d EU bases.  iGaming & Gambling: License-centric models aligning with Malta\/Gibraltar\/Cyprus frameworks.  Fintech & Processors: Payment gateways and acquirers shaping what jurisdictions are bankable.  Private Equity: Funding consolidations and rebrands, arbitraging rules and reputational risk.    Malta & Daphne: Why It Matters  Malta\u2019s role as a hub for corporate shells, passport schemes, and gaming licenses placed it inside the European regulatory perimeter yet close to offshore-style services.  Daphne Caruana Galizia investigated corruption, money trails, and elite networks that intersected with these financial architectures.  Her assassination sits within the period when secrecy was being challenged publicly while new compliance narratives were locking in.    Critics vs. Official Narrative  Official: Fairness, level playing field, taxing profits where value is created, inclusive framework for developing nations.  Critics: Complex rules entrench advantages for well-advised firms and high-capacity states; developing countries receive marginal gains relative to global flows; public pressure dissipates under the banner of reform.    Case Snapshots (Illustrative)  Streaming: European subscribers billed by non-local entities; local subsidiaries record service fees and slim margins; production hubs still collect subsidies and credits.  Adult Networks: Consolidated holdings in EU financial centers; compliance upgrades to keep access to card networks; billing entities set where regulatory risk is lowest.  iGaming: Licensing and IP in Malta\/Cyprus\/Gibraltar; marketing and data ops spread across the EU; payments routed through preferred acquirers.    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)  Q: Did BEPS end profit shifting?  A: It changed the routes and raised the floor, but planning continues under compliant frameworks.  Q: Why do industries move together?  A: Shared advisors, shared calendars for regulator            ","author_name":"Psychopath In Your Life with Dianne Emerson","author_url":"http:\/\/psychopathinyourlife.com","html":"