United StatesOwnership & classification
Founded: 2006
Ownership
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project was founded in 2006 by journalists Drew Sullivan and Paul Radu as a global investigative-journalism network. It is run as a nonprofit, registered in 2012 under the name Journalism Development Network, and operates as a consortium of member outlets rather than being owned by any individual or company.
Funding
OCCRP is grant-funded. The single largest source historically has been the U.S. government (State Department, USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy), which provided roughly half its budget over 2014-2023, alongside the Soros-founded Open Society Foundations and other philanthropies; it does not run on advertising. After 2025 it moved to reduce reliance on U.S. government money.
Affiliation & stance
OCCRP says it maintains editorial independence and donors do not control coverage, and it is widely cited for cross-border corruption investigations. Critics note its heavy past dependence on U.S. government grants; on balance it is a donor- and grant-funded nonprofit not controlled by a party, owner or state directing its journalism, so it is classified INDEPENDENT (center to center-left).
Editorial lean
- Our estimate
- Lean Progressive
- Measured from coverage
- Centerbased on 61
84/100
Factual
81/100
Objective
63
Articles
63
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
Iran jails psychologist over Trump plea as regime demands he make Americans ‘look stupid’: family
An Iranian psychologist named Seyed Ahmad Seyedabdollahi was sentenced to seven months in prison after posting an English-language video appealing to former U.S. President Donald Trump to support Iranian protesters. The video, which urged Trump to act on his pledges to Iranians, led to his arrest 10 days later. According to multiple reports from Iran International, Iran Wire, Harana, and Hana Human Rights Organization, Seyedabdollahi was detained at his father's home in Borujen, had his electronics confiscated, and was placed in solitary confinement. His family claims he faced ongoing pressure from security authorities, including repeated interrogations and arrests. The Borujen Revolutionary Court convicted him of 'media activities against national security' and banned him from government work for five years. He was transferred to Borujen Prison to serve his sentence.
Liberia Charges Ex-Vice President in Transnational Drug Probe
Liberian prosecutors have charged former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor with drug trafficking, money laundering, and related offenses linked to a major transnational narcotics investigation. Howard-Taylor was arrested at Roberts International Airport on August 19, 2026, following a record $317 million cocaine seizure on July 21, 2026, in Duazon, where nearly four metric tons of cocaine were confiscated. The operation, described as one of the largest in Liberian history, led to the arrest of two foreign nationals, one with dual Spanish-Colombian citizenship and another with a Serbian passport. Authorities also charged three foreign nationals in absentia, including two Croatians and a Ukrainian. The Justice Minister emphasized credible evidence and plans for a grand jury indictment. This follows an earlier June 2026 seizure of 237.6 kg of cocaine at the airport. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, West Africa serves as a key transit route for cocaine heading to Europe.
Zelenskyy Dismisses Senior Aide Suspected in $3.3 Million Money Laundering Case
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed senior aide Iryna Mudra on the same day she stated that anti-corruption investigators had raised suspicions against her in a money laundering case involving 150 million hryvnias ($3.3 million). The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office revealed an operation called 'Forest Gump' that uncovered a group allegedly laundering criminal proceeds through the formal financial system. The group reportedly included high-ranking officials and members of a state-owned bank. Investigators detailed how the funds were moved through shell companies and used to post bail for an individual linked to another corruption case. Sense Bank confirmed cooperation with authorities but withheld specific details. Mudra denied any wrongdoing, stated she was not detained, and vowed to defend herself legally.
French Authorities Investigate Widespread Government Data Breaches
French authorities are investigating multiple large-scale data breaches affecting government agencies. A cyberattack compromised the Ministry of Public Action and Accounts, exposing personal and financial data of nearly 700,000 individuals and businesses, including sensitive information like taxable income and land registry records. These records were reportedly sold on a hacking forum. Separately, a July attack targeted the Ministry of National Education, with reports suggesting the same group claimed responsibility for stealing data from both institutions. Additionally, a breach of Bloctel, a government service for blocking telemarketing calls, exposed 3 million phone numbers. The French National Police’s anticybercrime unit is leading these investigations.
Interrogation Tapes Reveal Journalist Murder Suspect Pointing to Highest Levels of Maltese Power
Audio recordings from police interrogations presented to a Maltese court reveal that Yorgen Fenech, the businessman accused of orchestrating the 2017 car bomb assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, implicated high-ranking figures in the Maltese government. During the interviews, Fenech stated that Keith Schembri, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, pressured him to carry out the murder. Fenech claims the payments made to Melvin Theuma, the confessed middleman, were not for the murder itself but were extorted due to Theuma's possession of incriminating recordings. These revelations add a new layer of complexity to the ongoing trial, which has already relied heavily on secret audio evidence obtained from Theuma. Fenech further alleges that Prime Minister Muscat became aware of the plot after the assassination and discussed potential actions against Theuma.
US Charges Eight More Iranians in Global Hacking Case
On August 19, 2026, U.S. prosecutors announced charges against eight additional Iranians involved in a global hacking campaign attributed to the Mabna Institute based in Tehran. This brings the total number of individuals linked to the case to 17, with nine previously charged in 2018. The indictment alleges that the Mabna Institute conducted cyberattacks on behalf of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other entities, targeting over 100,000 academic accounts across 322 universities, compromising approximately 8,000 of them. These actions resulted in the theft of at least 31.5 terabytes of research and intellectual property. The hackers are also accused of breaching companies, U.S. government agencies, the United Nations, and UNICEF, selling stolen academic materials via Iranian websites. The U.S. State Department has offered rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to the location of five of the defendants.
Indonesia Seizes Record 2.6 Tons of Meth in Major Bust, 10 Arrested
On August 19, 2026, Indonesian authorities seized 2.6 metric tons of liquid methamphetamine from a Tanzanian-flagged vessel, marking one of the country's largest drug busts. The drugs were concealed in eight water barrels and the ship's water tank, alongside 157 boxes of illegal cigarettes. Ten Myanmar national crew members were arrested during the operation. This seizure follows another incident earlier that month where nearly 1.3 metric tons of ketamine was confiscated from a different Tanzanian-flagged vessel.
A Key Food Source Collapsed Off West Africa’s Coast as Chinese Ships Ground the Species Into Fishmeal
In Guinea-Bissau, the sardinella fish population has drastically declined, leading to a government-imposed ban on fishmeal production. The decline is linked to Chinese-owned factory ships operating in the region since 2019, which grind large quantities of sardinella into fishmeal for animal feed. These ships, named Tian Yi He 6 and Hua Xin 17, were previously supported by Turkish fishing vessels supplying them with fish. After the ban, the Chinese ships and Turkish vessels relocated to Sierra Leone, where fish stocks are also under strain. Despite calls for comment from OCCRP, the ship operators did not respond to allegations of contributing to the sardinella collapse.
Fiji Hands Over a Man Suspected of Ponzi-style Crypto Investment Schemes to US
Fiji has extradited Edward Zimbardi, a 59-year-old American citizen, to the United States for his suspected involvement in large-scale cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes. These schemes promised investors returns of up to 25% per month and encouraged recruitment of new participants for bonuses. Zimbardi was removed from Fiji last week as part of a joint effort between the FBI and Fiji’s Ministry of Immigration. He previously faced legal issues in Georgia in 1997 for felony theft and was later targeted by regulators in California and Georgia for operating illegal investment schemes. In 2023, California’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation ordered him and his firm CryptoProgram to stop offering unqualified securities, alleging that funds were misused to pay existing investors rather than being invested as claimed. Zimbardi was reportedly arrested in the Netherlands in 2024, though the case was transferred to a foreign authority. He moved to Fiji in 2025, where he was associated with two local businesses, although there is no indication these firms were involved in the alleged misconduct.
Iraqi Electricity Official Arrested With Millions in Cash as Anti-Graft Campaign Expands
Undersecretary Khalid Ghazay Atiya of Iraq's Ministry of Electricity was arrested on August 14, 2026, by the Federal Commission of Integrity amid Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's anti-corruption campaign. Authorities seized $5.839 million in cash, nearly $900,000 in Iraqi dinars, and seven gold bars from his residences. The arrest marks the first major case targeting the Ministry of Electricity, which has long faced allegations of corruption. The operation follows public pressure and calls from parliamentary officials for deeper investigations into systemic graft within public institutions. While the specifics of Atiya's alleged misconduct remain undisclosed, the move signals a broader effort to address corruption across key sectors like oil and electricity.
Spain Seizes 13 Tonnes of Nitrous Oxide in Tenerife
Spain's Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal network suspected of illegally importing and distributing nitrous oxide, commonly referred to as laughing gas, in Tenerife. Nearly 13 tonnes of the substance were seized during raids in several areas of the island, marking what authorities describe as Europe's second-largest seizure of this type. Six individuals were arrested, while another six are under investigation for charges including drug trafficking, distribution of harmful substances, and money laundering. In addition to the nitrous oxide, police recovered drugs such as cocaine, hashish, and marijuana, along with imitation firearms and bladed weapons. The operation suggests the group operated through multiple branches, handling importation, storage, and distribution across the island. The investigation continues, with the possibility of more arrests.
Brooklyn banker sentenced to 18 months for laundering $8M in fraud proceeds
A Brooklyn man, Renat Abramov, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring to launder over $8 million in proceeds from healthcare fraud through a U.S. bank on behalf of a transnational criminal organization. Abramov, a former relationship manager at a U.S. bank, facilitated the transfer of illicit funds by opening accounts for nominee owners of medical equipment companies involved in a large-scale Medicare and private health insurance fraud scheme. The criminal organization, based in Russia and other locations, submitted fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment to defraud insurers. Abramov pleaded guilty in February 2026 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Justice Department highlighted this case as part of its broader efforts to combat fraud, including supporting President Donald Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Treasury Rolls Back Ownership Reporting Obligations for U.S. Companies
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has permanently removed beneficial ownership reporting requirements for domestic companies and individuals under the Corporate Transparency Act, which was enacted in December 2020 to combat money laundering and corruption. This change means U.S. citizens running domestic businesses are no longer required to disclose their beneficial ownership information. Foreign companies must still report beneficial ownership information for foreign individuals to FinCEN but are exempt from reporting ownership details related to U.S. citizens or Americans assisting them in registering to operate in the U.S. Additionally, FinCEN plans to remove all previously collected data on U.S. business owners from its beneficial ownership database.