Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project

Fueling Secession, Promising Bitcoins: How a Russian Operator Urged Catalonian Leaders to Break With Madrid

Catalonian leaders referred to the man who offered them troops and money to secede from Spain as “Putin’s envoy.” Reporters identified him as Nikolai Sadovnikov, a longtime ...

8 May 2022

Antonio Baquero (OCCRP), Kevin G. Hall (OCCRP), Alina Tsogoeva (OCCRP ID), Jesús G. Albalat (El Periódico), Christo Grozev (Bellingcat), Lorenzo Bagnoli (IRPI), IStories, Stefano Vergine (Il Fatto Quotidiano)

SLAPP Webinar: OCCRP editors discuss how frivolous lawsuits hurt journalism

OCCRP journalists will share insights and answer questions about their experiences with “strategic lawsuits against public participation” (also known as ...

OCCRP Welcomes Five New Member Centers in Central Asia, Europe

Global Network Expands in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Bulgaria, and Croatia.

Dutch Postcode Lottery Announces New Grant to OCCRP

Investment Supports Global Headquarters Move to the Netherlands.

Features

Putin’s Daughter in Relationship with Ex-Head of Bavarian State Ballet, New Investigation Reveals

During his more than 20 years in power, Russian President Vladimir Putin has kept his family a closely guarded secret. ...

Kyrgyzstan: Confidential Documents Show Authorities Covered Up Destruction of Hundreds of Historical Artifacts in Bishkek Museum Fire

Initially, museum administrators said that only a few worthless objects had been lost. Then, in an earlier investigation, OCCRP and ...

A Most Reliable Ally: How Corruption in the Russian Military Could Save Ukraine

The Russian army, considered one of the strongest in the world, has suddenly found itself bogged down in Ukraine. How ...

From Our Member Centers

iStories: Top Russian FSB Official Has Multiple Underworld Ties

Sergei Korolev, who was appointed to a key FSB position earlier this year by President ...

Asset Declarations of Kyrgyz Officials Increasingly Useless as Anti-Corruption...

Kyrgyzstan is the only Central Asian country that publishes its officials’ asset declarations. But the ...

Slovak Businessman Accused of Masterminding Ján Kuciak's Murder Had...

Thousands of Marian Kočner’s text messages, backed by court testimony, provide a remarkable inside look ...

Featured

Putin’s Daughter in Relationship with Ex-Head of Bavarian State Ballet, New Investigation Reveals

During his more than 20 years in power, Russian President Vladimir Putin has kept his family a closely guarded secret. Relatively little is known about his two adult daughters, who do not bear his surname.

GHH5DX1 Igor Zelensky in 2016 (Photo: dpa picture alliance / Alamy Stock Photo)

Kyrgyzstan: Confidential Documents Show Authorities Covered Up Destruction of Hundreds of Historical Artifacts in Bishkek Museum Fire

Initially, museum administrators said that only a few worthless objects had been lost. Then, in an earlier investigation, OCCRP and Kloop found dozens more. New documents show the true number is in the many hundreds — and officials still aren’t talking.

Kyrgyzstan’s National Historical Museum (Photo: Azat Ruziev/Kloop)

Lebanon Central Bank Governor’s Son Moved Millions Abroad While Lebanese Watched Blocked Savings Dwindle

In late 2019, a financial crisis led Lebanese banks to block most depositors from withdrawing or transferring U.S. dollars. But the central bank governor’s son was able to move more than $6.5 million overseas, leaked documents show.

Lebanon-Bank-Final

Fueling Secession, Promising Bitcoins: How a Russian Operator Urged Catalonian Leaders to Break With Madrid

Catalonian leaders referred to the man who offered them troops and money to secede from Spain as “Putin’s envoy.” Reporters identified him as Nikolai Sadovnikov, a longtime diplomat who reportedly worked as a strategic adviser to the Russian foreign minister.

‘Smoke-Free’ Cities and Islands — Sponsored by Philip Morris

Municipalities from the Czech Republic to Greece are signing partnership agreements with tobacco giant Philip Morris International, in violation of international anti-smoking treaties.

IQOS-STORY-TOP

SLAPP Webinar: OCCRP editors discuss how frivolous lawsuits hurt journalism

OCCRP journalists will share insights and answer questions about their experiences with “strategic lawsuits against public participation” (also known as SLAPPs) in a live webinar on May 10.

Webinar-Fighting-SLAPP

Dubai Uncovered: Data Leak Exposes How Criminals, Officials, and Sanctioned Politicians Poured Money Into Dubai Real Estate

Russian politicians under Western sanctions, financial criminals, and corrupt European officials all own real estate in the emirate, which attracts investors with liberal residency rules and a ‘few questions asked’ approach to regulation.

Dubai-Uncovered-Top

Below the Radar: How an Indian Tycoon’s Petrochemicals Empire Quietly Dodged Iran Sanctions

Indian tycoon Yogesh Mehta has made a fortune with Petrochem, his Dubai-based petrochemicals distributor. But one aspect of that business empire has remained hidden from public view: A trade in sanctioned Iranian goods.

Yogesh-Final-Sketch

The Kremlin Connections Behind Cyprus’s RCB Bank

RCB Bank was set up and owned by a Russian bank dubbed Putin’s “piggy bank." Despite making moves to obscure its Russian ties following the invasion of Ukraine, current and former RCB executives have ties to the Kremlin and acquired Cypriot passports under dubious circumstances.

RCB-Bank-Top

OCCRP Welcomes Five New Member Centers in Central Asia, Europe

Global Network Expands in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Bulgaria, and Croatia.

New Member Centers 2022

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Intro

Slideshow

Putin’s Daughter in Relationship with Ex-Head of Bavarian State Ballet, New Investigation Reveals

Liberia Rocked with Another Diplomatic Passport Abuse Scandal

US: Boss of ‘Group America’ Gang Accused of Misusing COVID-19 Bailout Funds

US Designates Guatemalan Attorney General over Corruption

SLAPP Webinar: OCCRP editors discuss how frivolous lawsuits hurt journalism

Kyrgyzstan: Confidential Documents Show Authorities Covered Up Destruction of Hundreds of Historical Artifacts in Bishkek Museum Fire

Lebanon Central Bank Governor’s Son Moved Millions Abroad While Lebanese Watched Blocked Savings Dwindle

Fueling Secession, Promising Bitcoins: How a Russian Operator Urged Catalonian Leaders to Break With Madrid

‘Smoke-Free’ Cities and Islands — Sponsored by Philip Morris

SLAPP Webinar: OCCRP editors discuss how frivolous lawsuits hurt journalism

Dubai Uncovered: Data Leak Exposes How Criminals, Officials, and Sanctioned Politicians Poured Money Into Dubai Real Estate

Resources

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