United StatesOwnership & classification
Founded: 1997
Ownership
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) is a US-based nonprofit founded in 1997 by journalist Charles Lewis as a project of the Center for Public Integrity. In 2017 it spun off into a fully independent 501(c)(3) organization. It is not owned by any company or individual; it operates as a self-governing network of more than 280 investigative journalists and over 140 partner media outlets across 100-plus countries, directed by its own staff and board.
Funding
ICIJ is funded entirely by philanthropic grants and donations, with major support from foundations such as the Adessium Foundation, the Bertha Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, the Luminate/Omidyar Network, and individual reader donors. It carries no advertising and is not financed by any government or political party.
Affiliation & stance
ICIJ has no party, state, church or commercial-owner control; it is a donor-funded nonprofit governed by its own journalists and board, best known for cross-border projects like the Panama Papers and Pluto/Paradise Papers. Its reporting and funder base lean center-left, but editorial independence from donors is its explicit policy, making it INDEPENDENT.
Editorial lean
- Our estimate
- Lean Progressive
- Measured from coverage
- Centerbased on 10
76/100
Factual
72/100
Objective
11
Articles
11
reports
Factual: How accurately its articles report the facts, judged against primary sources and the cross-outlet consensus. Only articles that cite their sources are counted.
Objective: How neutral the writing is — whether reporting keeps the writer’s own preferences and opinions out of the article.
Recent coverage
Despite years of confiscations, the Met still holds hundreds of pieces linked to alleged trafficking and looting figures
Despite the seizure of over $95 million worth of antiquities from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met), the museum continues to hold hundreds of additional items linked to individuals accused of trafficking and looting cultural artifacts. A report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) reveals that many of these items were acquired from collectors connected to known traffickers such as Subhash Kapoor and Robert E. Hecht. The Met has acknowledged the issue and stated it is conducting extensive research into its collection to identify and address any potentially illicitly obtained items. However, the museum still retains pieces once owned by figures like Douglas Latchford, who was implicated in the looting of Cambodia’s cultural heritage. The Met has emphasized its commitment to ensuring its collection does not include stolen art and has undertaken significant efforts to trace the origins of its artifacts.
How Money Actually Works in Elections
The article titled 'How Money Actually Works in Elections' from RealClearPolitics explores the role of financial contributions in political campaigns. It likely examines the mechanisms through which campaign funding influences electoral outcomes, including the impact of donations on candidate visibility, advertising strategies, and overall campaign effectiveness. The piece may also touch upon regulatory frameworks governing campaign finance and the debate over transparency versus donor influence. While the headline suggests a focus on the mechanics of money in politics, the absence of detailed content makes it difficult to assess specific claims or arguments presented.
Kazakhstan alleges Big Oil corruption tainted $10.7 billion in contracts, delayed key oil project
The Kazakh government has accused international oil companies of corruption in connection with $10.7 billion in contracts related to the Kashagan oil field, alleging that these contracts were secured through bribery or self-dealing and led to unjustified cost increases. These claims are part of a larger $160 billion international arbitration dispute involving the Kashagan project, which has faced significant delays due to technical challenges and alleged mismanagement. The arbitration, handled by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, has not yet ruled on the corruption allegations. The North Caspian Operating Consortium (NCOC), composed of major global oil firms, maintains that it operated in compliance with contracts, Kazakh law, and industry standards. The Kashagan project, originally expected to begin production in the mid-2000s, did not achieve full operation until 2016, leading to financial losses for Kazakhstan.
Alleged Irish Organized Crime Boss Daniel Kinahan Extradited to Dublin from Dubai
Daniel Kinahan, alleged leader of an Irish organized crime syndicate, has been extradited from Dubai to Ireland to face charges related to running an international drug smuggling and money laundering operation. The charges include directing an organized crime group with ties to Britain, Spain, and the U.S. Kinahan is expected to appear before Ireland's Special Criminal Court, which handles serious criminal cases involving organized crime and terrorism. Security measures are being taken to ensure his safe transfer to Portlaoise Prison, including the use of a newly acquired bomb-proof vehicle. The Kinahan gang has been involved in a violent gang war since 2016, leading to multiple murders, including of civilians. The U.S. Treasury Department has previously sanctioned several members of the group and highlighted their activities in smuggling drugs and laundering money through legitimate businesses.
The $200 billion company you can’t look inside
Tether, the company behind the popular stablecoin USDT, is valued at approximately $200 billion, making it one of the most valuable private companies globally. As a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar, USDT plays a central role in a parallel banking system and has been linked to money laundering activities in Southeast Asia. Despite its significant influence in global finance, Tether maintains a high level of secrecy regarding its ownership structure, with conflicting estimates about who controls the company. Recently, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s firm, Cantor Fitzgerald, reportedly acquired a 5% stake in Tether, potentially worth $10 billion, though this remains unconfirmed by Tether. Experts warn that such lack of transparency poses challenges for regulators and raises concerns about the concentration of power and wealth within a small group of individuals.
After cancer drug counterfeiting scandal, India imposes new tracing requirements
India has introduced new measures to combat the counterfeiting of cancer drugs by requiring manufacturers to add QR codes or barcodes to all cancer drug packaging by July. These codes will allow tracking of the medicine's journey from production to the patient. The initiative follows an investigation by The Indian Express and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which uncovered a black market for counterfeit versions of Keytruda, a costly cancer treatment. In 2024, authorities in New Delhi arrested individuals who stole empty Keytruda vials and refilled them with cheaper antifungal drugs, selling them at a fraction of the price. This issue affects not only Indian patients but also others, like a Nepali woman who reportedly bought the fake medication. The move expands existing anti-counterfeit rules to include vaccines, antibiotics, and narcotics, with each QR code containing specific data points for verification.
Companies once tied to Assad kept winning UN contracts under Syria’s new rulers
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) analyzed newly released United Nations procurement data and found that companies previously associated with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime continued to receive U.N. contracts after his ouster in December 2024. At least 11 such companies, including Shorouk and ProGuard, secured over $10 million in payments in 2025 alone. Shorouk, a security firm linked to Assad's intelligence services, received nearly $1.6 million in U.N. contracts in 2025, while ProGuard, owned by a sanctioned individual, earned $2.2 million. These companies appear to have transitioned under a new entity called Defense Safe, which consolidated their operations. Experts warn this secretive reorganization risks undermining transitional justice efforts. The U.N. country team in Syria noted that Shorouk and ProGuard were placed under Defense Safe's management following the removal of their former directors, though the Syrian government has not commented on the process.
Europe sanctioned crypto exchange HTX. Experts say the firm is deploying tactics that could blunt the impact.
European Union sanctions have been imposed on the cryptocurrency exchange HTX, which is linked to billionaire Justin Sun and previously supported the Trump family's digital currency initiatives. The EU alleges HTX is part of Russia's crypto network used to circumvent Western sanctions related to the conflict in Ukraine. Following the UK's earlier sanctions against HTX, the exchange has reportedly created numerous new central cryptocurrency wallets to obscure its financial activities, complicating efforts by regulators and investigators to trace its operations. This strategy involves shifting funds from well-known wallets to newly generated, untraceable accounts, making it challenging to monitor HTX's compliance with international sanctions.
Inside the Matrix: How models, influencers and engagement quotas power the Social Discovery Group’s dating machine and global profits
Maria, a woman from Cyprus, fell victim to a scam on the AmoLatina dating site, where she believed she was building a genuine relationship with a man named Dan. Dan presented himself as a kind, attentive, and financially stable individual, but in reality, he was part of a scheme designed to manipulate users into paying for interactions. AmoLatina charged users for every action, replies, clicks, and video views, while the male profiles were free to use. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) uncovered this pattern through an anonymous tip and identified numerous victims across multiple countries. These individuals were lured by promises of safety and authenticity, only to find themselves trapped in emotional and financial exploitation. The ICIJ investigation revealed that these platforms used attractive, well-crafted profiles to keep users engaged while profiting from their payments.
Canadian intelligence flags crypto-to-cash services as ‘knowingly facilitating money laundering,’ document shows
Canadian intelligence has identified crypto-to-cash services as significant facilitators of money laundering and sanctions evasion, according to a memo obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The report highlights that these services are heavily exploited by transnational criminal networks, including those linked to Iran, for converting cryptocurrency into physical cash anonymously. The findings come from the Strategic Intelligence, Research and Analytics Unit within FINTRAC, Canada's financial intelligence agency. Experts warn that these services bypass traditional banking safeguards, enabling criminals to move large sums of illicit funds without detection. ICIJ and its partners conducted undercover investigations, including a transaction with a Canadian-based service, revealing how these operations operate with minimal verification.
Swedbank fined $50 million by New York authorities over Panama Papers revelations
Swedbank, a Swedish banking group, has agreed to pay a $50 million fine to New York’s State Department of Financial Services (DFS) to resolve allegations of money laundering linked to the Panama Papers. The DFS initiated the investigation in 2019, examining Swedbank’s compliance with anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing regulations between 2007 and 2019. The probe focused on the bank’s disclosure practices and its connections to the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which was central to the 2016 Panama Papers scandal. The DFS alleged that Swedbank withheld information and misled investigators regarding its ties to Mossack Fonseca and its subsidiaries in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The consent order highlights systemic failures in global financial institutions’ adherence to legal obligations to prevent fraudulent activities.