NEW INVESTIGATION

South Africa’s Moti Group was granted mining concessions in neighboring Zimbabwe where geologists would search for lithium –– a key element in batteries that power electric vehicles.

Later on, the Moti Group announced plans to bring jobs to Zimbabwe by mining lithium and building a $1 billion battery factory in the country. 

But there appears to be a problem…

Leaked audio and documents obtained by OCCRP indicate that there are likely no meaningful lithium deposits in those concessions –– and Moti Group executives knew it.

While internally casting doubt on the value of their concessions, the Moti Group brought a major Chinese investor on to develop the lithium mining project.

The company’s founder, Zunaid Moti, dismissed the leaked files, telling OCCRP he “continues to believe” in the project.

🌐 The Big Picture: As the electric vehicle industry booms, companies and states around the world are racing to secure lithium, which is also used in batteries that provide storage for renewable energy. Elon Musk previously referred to the refining of lithium as a “license to print money.” 

But OCCRP’s investigative reporting has shown that high demand for a product — whether its for minerals or coronavirus personal protective equipment — can be fertile ground for questionable business practices. 

>> Read the full story

THE OCCRP NETWORK

🇺🇦 Kyiv Independent: Our Ukrainian member center premiered "Bullet Holes,” an investigative documentary into the killings of Ukrainian children by the Russian army.

🇨🇿 Investigace.cz: Our Czech member center reports on the influence of Alliance Defending Freedom, a U.S.-based conservative advocacy group with ties to Donald Trump in Czechia.

🇬🇧 The Bureau of Investigative Journalism: Our British partner reports on food companies that continue to supply supermarkets even after their salmonella-contaminated meat has been linked to the deaths of four people.

🇦🇹 DOSSIER: Our Austrian member center reports on the rise of sports gambling in Vienna, which recently placed restrictions on slot machines and other casino-related games.

🌎 The OCCRP Organization: OCCRP Senior Investigator Khadija Sharife was just elected to the Global Investigative Journalism Network board by GIJN's members. Khadija is a board member at-large and will play an active leadership role and provide strategic direction.

✍️ PRESS FREEDOM NEWS

🇫🇷 France: France’s intelligence agency detained journalist Ariane Lavrilleux and searched her home to gather information about sources she used in her Egypt Papers investigation. Her 2021 reporting, which French authorities claim harmed national security, revealed France’s secret role in Egyptian air strikes that killed civilians. 

🇷🇺 Russia: An iPhone belonging to the CEO of Meduza, an internationally-renowned Russian news organization that currently reports from exile in Latvia, was infected with Pegasus spyware. Cybersecurity analysts say there are more than five governments that could have credibly targeted the journalist with the malware. 

🇵🇭 Philippines: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, the founder of Rappler Media, was acquitted on tax evasion charges after a five-year legal process. Press freedom advocates around the world have said the charges were politically motivated attacks by former president Rodrigo Duterte.

💸 FOLLOW THE MONEY NEWS

🇺🇸 USA: Nine more members of congress announced support for Senator Elizabeth Warren’s regulatory legislation on the cryptocurrency industry. The proposed law would impose stricter anti-money laundering and “Know Your Customer” regulations on crypto wallet providers and miners.

CORRUPTION NEWS

🇿🇦 South Africa: The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is considering paying whistleblowers for legal assistance and other financial hardships that come with reporting corruption.

🇬🇹 Guatemala: The United States has granted asylum to Juan Francisco Sandoval, the former head of Guatemala’s anti-corruption office. Guatemala’s Attorney General, who is targeting Sandoval, has also gone after the country’s new president with raids and legal threats. 

🇨🇳 China: Bloomberg reports that China’s sweeping anti-graft probe into the healthcare industry has led to physicians working fewer hours and delays in the procurement of needed medical products. 

ORGANIZED CRIME NEWS

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Police said they apprehended two suspected hitmen from the Kavač, a notorious Montenegrin mafia group.

• Not familiar with the Kavač vs. Škaljari rivalry? Our Balkan Cocaine Wars investigations provide the first detailed account of the gang war that has left a trail of bodies throughout Europe. 

🇲🇽 Mexico: In the past two weeks the Mexican Navy announced that its personnel have seized more than 45 tonnes of cocaine and methamphetamine, which the agency says is a record amount for the department. 

🇺🇸 USA: The FBI issued a warning about online groups that try to convince minors to self-harm or post sexual content. These criminal groups appear to be mainly motivated by a desire for notoriety within online communities.

EVENTS

iMedD Forum: OCCRP, GIJN and our member centers IRL and Kloop will speak at this year's conference, which will be held in Athens.

• September 28 to 30. Register here.