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🧭 Navigate this Newsletter
1. New Investigations
+ A Chinese Influence Campaign in Palau
2. OCCRP in the News
+ Oath Keepers in DC
+ Payments to Bangladesh SEC Chairman
3. The OCCRP Network
+ Russia: The Family of a Drone Maker
+ Ukraine: Doc on Abducted Children
+ Czechia: Selling IDs on Telegram
+ Italy: Firefighters and PFAs
+ Netherlands: Unilever Ties to EU Regulators
+ D.C: Publisher joins Helsinki Commission
4. Journalism News: EU’s New Anti-SLAPP Law
5. Corruption News
+ Guatemala: Pushback from election interference
+ Mozambique: Embezzlement scandal update
+ Sri Lanka: IMF requires anti-graft bill
6. Organized Crime News
+ US: Sanctions on alleged Antwerp gangsters
+ Bangladesh: Gangs target Rohingya
+ Spain: BLOODs come to Europe
** NEW INVESTIGATIONS
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🇨🇳 Inside a Chinese Influence Campaign in Palau 🇵🇼
[link removed]
Records show how investors connected to Chinese security services have tried to influence local media in Palau, an archipelago in the Pacific region and one of the few countries to officially recognize Taiwan.
🌐 The Big Picture: In recent years, Beijing has used aid and diplomacy to convince Kiribati and the Solomon Islands to align with China, leaving Taiwan with formal relations in only four Pacific Island nations. Could Palau be next?
>> Read the full story ([link removed])
** OCCRP IN THE NEWS
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🇺🇸 United States: The Washington Post reports ([link removed]) that over 65 congressional Democrats have asked the Department of Homeland Security what steps have been taken to remove extremists within its ranks. This comes after OCCRP revealed ([link removed].) that hundreds of members of the Oath Keepers, a right-wing militia, claimed they were either currently or formerly employed by the federal agency.
🇧🇩 Bangladesh: The Daily Star covers ([link removed]) our recent investigation ([link removed]) into payments made to the chairman of Bangladesh’s Securities and Exchange Commission from bank accounts used in an alleged fraud.
🌎 OCCRP Testifies: Our publisher spoke at a Helsinki Commission hearing in Washington D.C. about Switzerland’s key role in laundering Russian money and facilitating sanctions evasion schemes. You can watch it here. ([link removed])
** THE OCCRP NETWORK
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🇷🇺 IStories: Our Russian member center reports ([link removed]) on the £1.5-million London apartment owned by the family of Alexander Zakharov. The U.K. has sanctioned Zakharov’s company, which makes Lancet “suicide” drones that have been used in Ukraine. Zakharov’s son, Lavrentiy, who co-owns the flat, ironically works at a UN division dedicated towards disarmament.
🇺🇦 Kyiv Independent: Our Ukrainian member center made a gripping documentary ([link removed]) about Russian efforts to kidnap Ukrainian children in occupied areas, and the people who risk their lives to bring them back.
🇨🇿 Investigace.cz: Our Czech member center reports on Telegram channels ([link removed]) that buy and sell bank details and identification documents to help money launderers create Paypal and Revolut accounts.
🇮🇹 IrpiMedia: As more studies show the toxicity of polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAs, our Italian member center reports on the risk facing local firefighters ([link removed]) , who are in constant contact with the “forever chemicals.”
🇳🇱 Follow the Money: Our Dutch partner reports on how the former CEO of Unilever ([link removed]) , a multinational prominent in the food and agricultural sectors, may be influencing EU regulations on pesticides.
** JOURNALISM NEWS
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📃 SLAPP Legislation: The European Union isimplementing a law ([link removed]) that will protect journalists and activists from “strategic lawsuits against public participation,” spurious legal actions designed to silence critical voices.
But press freedom advocates say the new rules may not be strong enough.
Join the fight against corruption.
SUPPORT OCCRP ([link removed])
** CORRUPTION NEWS
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🇬🇹 Guatemala: The government’s brazen attempts to remove a left-leaning candidate ([link removed]) from the presidential runoff elections has sparked condemnation from abroad as well as from political conservatives in the country.
🇲🇿 Mozambique: The country’s former finance minister will be extradited to the U.S. to face trial over his suspected role ([link removed]) in the mass looting of $2 billion in government loans in a scandal that has deeply shaken the country’s credibility.
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka: As the country reels from a massive financial crisis, parliament approved an anti-corruption bill ([link removed]) in order to meet the preconditions of a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
** ORGANIZED CRIME NEWS
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🇺🇸 United States: The U.S sanctioned three Belgians ([link removed]) accused of running a cocaine smuggling racket, including alleged drug kingpin Othman El Ballouti, who is believed to be holed up in Dubai, where OCCRP revealed ([link removed]) his secret ties to luxury properties.
🇧🇩 Bangladesh: Gangs and Islamist armed groups are increasingly attacking Rohingya refugees ([link removed]) , most of whom have fled atrocities at the hands of the Myanmar military.
🇪🇸 Spain: Authorities in Spain are increasingly cracking down on the BLOOD youth gang ([link removed]) , which originated in Los Angeles but has since spread throughout Western Europe.
P.S. Thank you for reading the OCCRP newsletter. Feel free to reply with any feedback.
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