Greetings From Amsterdam,

Yesterday, we hosted an informative OCCRP Discussion about our reporting into the Adani Group, a massive Indian conglomerate widely perceived to be close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Everyone who has made a donation by Friday afternoon will receive a recording of the webinar.

The next OCCRP Discussion will focus on our investigations into Lebanon's long-time Central Bank Governor Riad Salame, who was recently sanctioned by the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. 

Sanctions Against Lebanon’s Offshore Governor
Thursday, September 14, 2023
10:00 EST // 16:00 CET

Our live webinars are only available to OCCRP Accomplices, who support our work. All contributions go directly towards funding our global network of journalists. These events are also great resources for journalists, researchers, and activists interested in understanding how corruption works. 

Now, for the latest in global corruption:

NEW INVESTIGATIONS

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across India, major mining and oil company Vedanta quietly lobbied the government to dilute environmental regulations on the oil and mining industries.

The Indian government approved the changes without public consultation and implemented them using what experts say are illegal methods.

🌐 The Big Picture: This investigation shows how powerful companies close to the government are able to undermine efforts to protect the environment. India is the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses, so its climate policies impact us all. 

🤔 Our Data & Sources: This investigation is primarily based on internal memos, formal letters, and other government documents obtained via FOI request. 

>> Read the full story

MORE OCCRP REPORTING

Cyber security experts at Citizen Lab say an Australian-owned mobile phone operator in the Pacific Islands has likely been used by private spy firms to track people on the other side of the world.

The suspected spies-for-hire of unknown nationality had the ability to hack phones worldwide using “global titles,” which are like IP addresses for 3G networks that can be used to send queries aimed at locating a person’s phone, or intercepting their messages and calls.

>> Read the full story

OCCRP HAS IMPACT

🇮🇳 India: Several political leaders, intellectuals, and activists demanded that a parliamentary committee investigate the findings from our recent investigation into Adani Group.

In partnership with the Guardian and the Financial Times, OCCRP revealed that two foreign associates of the Adanis — a wealthy Indian family seen as close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi — secretly held large stakes in the family’s business empire, in possible violation of the country’s securities law.

FOLLOW THE MONEY NEWS

🇨🇭 Switzerland: The Swiss government said it would strengthen anti-money laundering laws that would bring due diligence rules closer in line with international standards.

One proposed reform would establish a federal register of companies' beneficial owners, information that is critical in the fight against corruption. (You can read more about why here.)

CORRUPTION NEWS

🇺🇦 Ukraine: Authorities arrested one of the country's most powerful oligarchs, Ihor Kolomoisky, on fraud and money laundering charges. Kolomoisky has long been accused of leaning on his political connections for illicit enrichment, including when he and his business partner allegedly funneled $5.5 billion out of a bank he owned before it was nationalized. You can learn more about the PrivatBank scandal in this OCCRP investigation from 2019.


🇺🇸 United States: A federal judge threw out the bribery convictions of a former U.S. media executive and a marketing company, who were charged as part of a larger investigation into corruption in FIFA. 

The judge cited legal precedent set by the Supreme Court earlier this year when it overturned a bribery conviction for a former aide of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. That was one of several recent rulings that have restricted federal prosecutors in corruption cases.

ORGANIZED CRIME NEWS

🇷🇸 Serbia: A police operation seized 2.7 tonnes of cocaine believed to have belonged to a Balkan cartel. Europol said the operation relied on data from three encrypted communication tools – Encrochat, Sky ECC, and Anom –  previously used by organized crime groups before European authorities hacked them.


🇺🇸 United States: Two men pleaded guilty to conspiring to import a protected type of sea cucumber into the United States from Mexico. Sea cucumbers, which are prized in China as a delicacy and as a reputed aphrodisiac, are critical for the marine ecosystem and proper ocean alkalinity.

OCCRP IS GROWING

We Have a Podcast! The first episode of "Dirty Deeds: Tales of Global Crime & Corruption" drops on Tuesday.

Hosted by award-winning journalist and broadcaster Nick Wallis, Dirty Deeds features OCCRP journalists who cross borders — and bad guys — to shine a bright light on some of the world’s most dangerous criminal networks. Stay tuned for more :)