FINANCIAL SECRECY
Middle East
Nov 14, 2022
Accused terror financiers, arms traffickers and drug runners among hundreds of rogue diplomats, global investigation reveals
Honorary consuls are meant to foster ties between countries. But criminals and others accused of exploiting the position have infiltrated their ranks.
Nov 14, 2022
Watch: Investigating the global threat of rogue diplomacy
The Shadow Diplomats investigation identified at least 500 current and former honorary consuls who have been accused of crimes or embroiled in controversies including drug and weapons trafficking, murder, fraud and terror financing.
Nov 12, 2022
A drug cartel godfather bid millions to buy a fleet of obsolete Egyptian military aircraft
A cache of documents reveals how Christopher Kinahan Sr. masqueraded as a relief flight consultant before the bid was put to four high-ranking Egyptian military officers.
Oct 28, 2022
Companies secure new US military contracts even after labor trafficking incidents
U.S. military bases are home to hundreds of thousands of troops around the globe. But behind the scenes, thousands of low-paid employees work in kitchens and clean the barracks, including victims of labor trafficking, NBC reports.
Oct 27, 2022
Abuses on US bases in Persian Gulf ensnare legions of migrant workers
Defense contractors hire thousands of foreigners. Many are trapped by employment practices banned by the U.S. government.
Oct 27, 2022
Human trafficking perpetrators in Massachusetts ‘almost never held accountable’
Victims of human trafficking are hiding in plain sight in the state, according to an investigation by GBH News.
Oct 27, 2022
Frequently asked questions about the Trafficking Inc. investigation
What sort of trafficking does this investigation cover? Are there any leaked files? How can I send ICIJ tips? These questions and more, answered.
Oct 27, 2022
New ICIJ investigation takes on scourge of human trafficking
An ICIJ investigation examines networks of companies, people and business practices that draw profit from cross-border labor trafficking and sex trafficking.
Aug 05, 2022
Families of slain and injured sue Ericsson over claims it funded Middle East terror
A new lawsuit alleges the company routed funds through partners to terrorists while Americans were risking their lives in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.
Jun 09, 2022
US securities regulator opens probe into Ericsson’s conduct in Iraq
The Swedish company is now under investigation by the SEC, as well as the Justice Department, on matters described in a 2019 internal Iraq bribery report that was leaked to ICIJ.
May 06, 2022
Europol links Kinahan drug cartel to murders in four countries
A new report connects widespread violence to cocaine wars involving the sanctioned Irish family, whose connections to companies and enablers in Dubai and Panama were revealed in recent ICIJ investigations.
Apr 23, 2022
How a ruthless Irish gang found a home away from home in Dubai and an enemy in the White House
Documents leaked to ICIJ tie the Kinahan organized crime cartel to companies and enablers in the Middle East’s top secrecy haven.
Mar 28, 2022
Meet the Investigators podcast: Behind the Ericsson List
Journalists Maggie Michael, Amir Musawy and Delphine Reuter talk about the challenges of unpacking the Ericsson List leaked files, and finding sources willing to speak out about corruption, ISIS and the real, human cost of continuing to do business in a warzone.
Mar 04, 2022
United Arab Emirates placed on money laundering ‘gray list’
The UAE hasn’t done enough to crack down on dirty money flows and needs extra monitoring, the Financial Action Task Force says.
Feb 27, 2022
Leak exposes Ericsson’s secret dealings with ISIS amid Iraq corruption spree
The embattled Swedish telecom giant concealed years of bribery and fraud in the war-torn nation and grappled with undisclosed corruption allegations in more than a dozen other countries.
Feb 27, 2022
What is the Ericsson List, and other frequently asked questions about the investigation
What sort documents were leaked? Will ICIJ publish the Ericsson List files? Who was in the data? Frequently asked questions about the Ericsson List investigation, answered.
Feb 26, 2022
Held hostage on the job
An Iraqi engineer says telecom giant Ericsson made him deliver a message to the notorious terrorist group. He’s never been the same.
Jan 25, 2022
Designing a sustainable business model for ‘mesmerizing’ journalism
In our latest episode of Meet the Investigators, we speak with ICIJ member Malek Khadhraoui about the founding of the mission-driven Tunisian investigative outlet Inkyfada, and its innovative business model.
Dec 01, 2021
Pandora Papers reporting from the Middle East and North Africa
ICIJ’s partners in the region investigated the offshore dealings of government officials, contracts, royals, business tycoons and more.
Nov 16, 2021
United Arab Emirates a go-to offshore haven for Africa’s political and business elite, leaked records show
The UAE’s record on illicit finance raises concerns for its relationship with the world’s poorest continent, experts say.
Nov 16, 2021
Pandora Papers reveal Emirati royal families’ role in secret money flows
From skyscrapers rising in the desert to free-trade zones hawking gold and diamonds, the UAE is open for business. Sometimes that business involves shadowy companies and international crimes.
Oct 03, 2021
While foreign aid poured in, Jordan’s King Abdullah funnelled $100m through secret companies to buy luxury homes
Wealth advisers in Switzerland and the Caribbean sought to protect the identity of a client they referred to as “you know who,” leaked files show.
Jun 21, 2021
Facing global pressure, UAE to begin fining violators of new corporate transparency rules
Advocates question whether the country’s new rules for reporting companies’ beneficial ownership are enough to crack down on money laundering.
Jun 07, 2021
Watch: Press freedom in the Middle East, 10 years after the Arab Spring
To mark the 10th anniversary of the Arab Spring, ICIJ hosted a panel of journalists to discuss the current state of press freedom in the MENA region, what can be done to combat threats and how global collaborations help free press thrive.
May 03, 2021
Covering corruption, coups, and war crimes in the Middle East
ICIJ’s Cairo-based investigative reporter Maggie Michael talks about the challenges of unearthing secrets and atrocities in a region where threats to press freedom abound.
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