And just in time for the holidays! The perfect present for all your criminal and kleptocrat loved ones living abroad. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

ACDC proves that when academics, data scientists and investigative journalists connect their strengths, they can unlock new stories, sharper insights and stronger evidence to challenge illicit finance. We're thrilled to partner with @occrp.org on this new initiative to grow our collective capacity.

Anti-Christ Data Collective? 😈 www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

In a digital world, talking to sensitive sources is nearly impossible without encryption. The EU’s #ChatControl plan is an attack on accountability journalism - and a gift to surveillance

Come work with us!

Are you interested in research on corruption/illicit finance/kleptocracy? We are hiring a Research Fellow at @acdatacollective.bsky.social: acdatacollective.org/wp-content/u... Please share in your networks, this could be a great gig.

The European Commission has opened infringement procedures against Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Croatia, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden after the countries failed to provide comprehensive access to beneficial ownership information ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

New with the @postandcourier.bsky.social, @ajc.com and @istories.bsky.social... After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US sanctioned Sergey Khotimskiy and the bank he co-founded, Sovcombank. He finalized the transfer of as much as $43 million in real estate to his ex-wife before the sanctions.

A new #GIACE blog by Michael Hornsby (@acdatacollective.bsky.social) explores how #BGFIBank DRC enabled embezzlement, disguised bribes, and laundered funds for the Kabila regime — drawing on revelations from the Congo Hold-Up investigation. Read here: bit.ly/ACDCBlog2

The decision to postpone the private investment anti-money laundering rule has been made official today. See the order below, and our full reaction quoted. www.fincen.gov/sites/defaul...

Postponing and reopening last year's groundbreaking anti-money laundering rule for the $130 trillion private investment sector will only serve to heighten existing illicit finance and national security risks. Read FACT's full reaction here: thefactcoalition.org/private-inve...

“This decision sends a signal to criminals and U.S. adversaries that they can continue to move illicit funds through the massive and opaque U.S. private investment sector with impunity.” thefactcoalition.org/private-inve...

The oil and gas industry is complex and notoriously opaque. But with new tools, it’s become easier for investigators to dig into this field. Here, the @acdatacollective.bsky.social and Data Desk share their commonly used resources. https://twp.ai/9PTQTf

Our new briefing & typology on the Congo Hold-Up is out today. More & exciting research to come in the next few months

Financial institutions are the arteries of modern economies—but when captured, they become pipelines for illicit wealth. @acdatacollective.bsky.social's new brief "Inside the Congo Hold-Up" shows how BGFIBank DRC was hijacked by the Kabila regime to launder public funds. 🔗 bit.ly/ACDCPolicyBr...

🔴 How can a captured bank become an engine of grand corruption❓ Our new briefing dives deep into the Congo Hold-Up investigation to reveal the tactics used to embezzle and launder funds through BGFIBank in the Democratic Republic of Congo. acdatacollective.org/work/inside-...

News: The first members of the Global Open Data Integration Network (GODIN) are here! These organisations are pushing #OpenData forward: @globalenergymon.bsky.social, SC-DEX, @acdatacollective.bsky.social, Global Media Registry More: www.gleif.org/en/newsroom/...

Join @szakonyi.bsky.social presenting our new paper on the schemes and tricks deployed at BGFIBank DRC to embezzle and launder public funds, as revealed by the #CongoHoldUp investigations.

🚨 Upcoming ACE Seminar Inside the Congo Hold-Up: How a Captured Bank Enabled Grand Corruption 🗓️ 10 July 2025 🕓 4–5 PM UK Time 💻 Online 🔗 Register: bit.ly/aceseminar8 @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social @sussexscsc.bsky.social @szakonyi.bsky.social @acdatacollective.bsky.social

The oil and gas industry is complex and notoriously opaque. But with new tools, it’s become easier for investigators to dig into this field. Here, the @acdatacollective.bsky.social and Data Desk share their commonly used resources. https://twp.ai/9PU6jJ

Spain's problems with illicit wealth laundered through real estate likely goes deeper than Madrid thinks. acdatacollective.org/blog/spains-...

The top 7 fossil fuel firms & their networks held 1,000+ meetings with MEPs in under a year. @transparency-eu.bsky.social has analysed 31,000+ MEP meetings since June 2024, revealing a sharp rise in fossil fuel lobbying. Learn more ⬇️

The EU Anti-Corruption Directive is a key opportunity to make real progress against corruption across the bloc. But success depends on @europarl.europa.eu & @ec.europa.eu resisting attempts by countries to undermine these efforts from within the Council. ⬇️ www.transparency.org/en/blog/futu...

💸CBS-Princeton in Money in Politics conference starting in ~12 hours 💸

Join @szakonyi.bsky.social presenting our new paper on the schemes and tricks deployed at BGFIBank DRC to embezzle and launder public funds, as revealed by the #CongoHoldUp investigations.

What drives a journalist before war redefines everything? Join us on 26 June in Berlin for the opening of The Only Material, our exhibition on Ukrainian journalists shaped — but not silenced — by war. 📍 Museum for Communication, Berlin 🔗 Register here to join: www.ecpmf.eu/the-only-mat...

🔔 Reminder sent 🔔 60 organisations have sent a timely reminder to EU Climate Commissioner wopkehoekstra.ec.europa.eu calling on him to protect UN climate talks from fossil fuel industry influence at Bonn #SB62 💌: fossilfreepolitics.org/news/reminde... #FossilFreePolitics #PollutersOut 🧵/1

Criminals wanting to formalize their proceeds is the *point* of money laundering www.reuters.com/world/americ...

US tycoon pours $100mn into Trump crypto project after SEC reprieve https://www.ft.com/content/548161ee-0cfb-4f0c-90ea-b3ff3567f09d

🔴 @ec.europa.eu reportedly plans to remove the UAE from the EU’s high-risk list for money laundering. Again. Their justification? “Some progress” in judicial & law enforcement cooperation. That’s not nearly enough. ⬇️

The Corporate Transparency Act levels the playing field for small businesses - @mainstreetalliance.bsky.social www.crainsnewyork.com/op-ed/op-ed-...

The US once again ranks #1 on @taxjustice.net's financial secrecy index, following rollback of anti-corruption measures like the Corporate Transparency Act and the gutting of the IRS' ability to pursue tax avoidance by wealthy individuals and corporations. taxjustice.net/press/financ...

"Critics say the rule contradicts the law’s text and intent, which was shaped over more than a decade with near-universal consensus." Great coverage of the widespread outrage at Treasury's gutting of the Corporate Transparency Act from @occrp.org www.occrp.org/en/news/expe...

Excellent NY Times Magazine coverage of the FACT Coalition's raising the alarm about the Trump administration's dismantling of efforts to fight dirty money. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/m...

🔴 Updates on the Azerbaijani Laundromat. The German MP facing bribery charges disclosed troubling information in his confession this week: the millions in bribes came directly from the Azerbaijani Presidential Chancellery. ⬇️

The COP process currently lacks robust anti-corruption measures. ➡️ Check out here the report we made with @acdatacollective.bsky.social about how to safeguard future COPs from corruption and undue influence: www.transparency.org/en/publicati...

Great to learn via @acdatacollective.bsky.social that a new French bill has widened access to the national beneficial ownership register to NGOs fighting corruption as well as increasing the information people with legitimate interest can access acdatacollective.org/blog/looking...

Huge congrats to @papertrailmedia.de‘s friends @occrp.org for being named a finalist in @macfound.org‘s $100M #100andChange competition! Investigative journalism is vital for democracy — this recognition is well-earned. #PressFreedom #AntiCorruption

FACT member @acdatacollective.bsky.social and @anticorruption.bsky.social n have created a new index to measure how countries perform when it comes to anti-money laundering checks and regulation of the real estate sector. Unsuprisingly, the US has a long way to go. Check it out here:

Malta's golden passport scheme allowed Russians who are under sanctions by Ukraine or connected to politically exposed persons to open companies in France, and declare only their Maltese citizenship. CJEU has made the right call by ending the scheme. www.transparency.org/en/news/eu-g...

🔵 GREAT NEWS! In a landmark judgement, the EU Court of Justice just ruled that Malta cannot continue operating its “golden passports” programme, which has allowed foreigners to acquire Maltese (and therefore EU) citizenship. ➡️ Our statement here: anticorru.pt/3b9

Maltese ‘golden’ passports were sold to Russians with Ukraine war links https://www.ft.com/content/b6accfc5-eeca-4a83-a39d-1dc54a7688dd

The COP process currently lacks robust anti-corruption measures. ➡️ Check out here the report we made with @acdatacollective.bsky.social about how to safeguard future COPs from corruption and undue influence: www.transparency.org/en/publicati...

🗣️“If the UK wants to be the anti-corruption capital of the world, it needs to deal with its enforcement gap". Today it has been revealed the UK has collected just 3% of fines issued to offshore companies that have failed to comply with transparency legislation. Read more below ⤵️

We investigate corruption. Swiss law calls that a crime. Under 🇨🇭 draconian banking secrecy law, even revealing that someone holds an account at a Swiss bank can lead to up to five years in prison. But what if that information is in the public's interest to know? www.occrp.org/en/feature/w...

The influence of fossil fuel interests in climate negotiations is undermining the credibility of global climate diplomacy. #COP30 in Brazil is an opportunity to reset climate diplomacy and restore public trust. Read more: www.opendemocracy.net/en/cop30-rem...

🇨🇭Leaked Letters Give Insight Into Anti-Money Laundering Gaps at Swiss Bank Reyl. The correspondence shows how a Swiss private bank courted a roster of questionable clients linked to autocratic regimes and corruption. www.occrp.org/en/investiga...

I told New York Magazine the Trump administration has gutted the Corporate Transparency Act by "fiat", handing a gift to money launderers, drug traffickers, and kleptocrats. @factcoalition.bsky.social www.curbed.com/article/trum...

Who really owns that apartment down the street? In most countries assessed by the Opacity in Real Estate Ownership Index, real estate can still be held anonymously, especially via foreign companies, allowing corrupt actors to hide in plain sight. Check the #OREOIndex here! ➡️ anticorru.pt/3aq

@repbeatty.bsky.social is right on the money here: "Gutting the CTA eliminates a critical tool for law enforcement to detect and deter fraud cases that involve anonymous shell companies, effectively making the US a haven for money launderers, traffickers and fraundsters."