ICYMI: Our analysis and data supported a recent @rferl.org.web.brid.gy investigation into how sanctioned Putin ally Sergei Chemezov lives in luxury in Dubai, using complex corporate ownership structures and shell companies to hide wealth. From Sergei Titov 👇 www.rferl.org/a/russia-wea...

ICYMI: We're proud to have contributed analytical support and satellite imagery to this report from Sudan Women Rights Action (SUWRA) on the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict on the Sudanese healthcare system. Read 👇

We're proud to see our Keeping the Lights On report mentioned — and Analyst Sara Nix quoted — in this recent @washingtonpost.com deep dive into the environmental and labor abuses prevalent in Chinese squid-fishing industry. From Katrina Northrop 👇

Last year, poachers killed at least 80 rhinos in Namibia and 420 in South Africa. In 2025, we’ve documented global seizures representing ~50 more deaths. #WorldRhinoDay is a reminder that disrupting trafficking networks is critical for saving this species — and so many more. More 👇

ICYMI: We’re proud to have supported this report from Sudan Women Rights Action (SUWRA) exploring the collapse of civic space in Sudan, combining 80+ testimonials with data from hundreds of arrests and human rights violations to map how the RSF and SAF target civil society. Read 👇

Just one example of Horizons in action: Thanks to our OCR feature, we were able to quickly examine almost 5k images to map how diverted firearms move from manufacturers to criminal networks in Guatemala. Learn more 👇 buff.ly/zndPWJP

What is the human cost behind the cobalt powering your laptop, phone, and electric vehicles? In Cobalt Red, author Siddharth Kara sheds light on exploitation and human rights violations rampant in the mineral’s supply chain, and the effects of that illicit activity on the DRC.

ICYMI: We provided data for a recent @danwatch.dk investigation into a 2023 Mærsk shipment of ~160 tons of sodium cyanide to a Sudanese company tied to both of the nation's warring parties — months after the entity was sanctioned. Read 👇

Our satellite data and analysis informed @SudanHRH’s report on 35k+ verified violations in Sudan from 2023 to 2025, exposing systematic patterns of abuse in the country. Read the full report 👇

ICYMI: We’re featured in Irregular Warfare Initiative’s latest on how open-source intelligence is reshaping technological accessibility — exposing hidden networks with publicly available data and rigorous analysis. Read 👇

8 jurisdictions. 14 partners. 100+ investigations since 2023. Horizons powers real results for our counter-wildlife trafficking community, helping us identify the patterns in this illicit activity that allow us to close enforcement gaps. Learn more 👇 buff.ly/00BFuwK

ICYMI: Analyst Omar Al-Ghusbi joined @npr.org to discuss how Russia has shifted from importing Iranian systems to mass producing its own — spotlighting our Airborne Axis report outlining the multi-billion-dollar deal that made this possible. Listen 👇

ICYMI: We partnered with the @ayinnetwork.bsky.social to investigate how roughly 100 kg of Sudanese gold is smuggled into Egypt every day — and from there is funneled into the UAE, ultimately propping up both sides of Sudan’s ongoing conflict. Read 👇

ICYMI: We supported a recent @Meduza.io investigation into 2,000 metric tons of "explosive materials" delivered to Russia last year, with evidence suggesting that it may have come directly off Iranian production lines. Read 👇

“[Suniel] Sharma is the LeBron James of issuing fraudulent flags.” C4ADS Analyst Alex Kung joined Tradewinds’ Wavelength podcast to unpack the story of Suniel Kumar Sharma — the man at the center of a web of illicit ship registries used to help rogue vessels hide in plain sight. Listen 👇

ICYMI: We provided analytical and data support to SUWRA’s Hell on Earth report, detailing Sudan’s systemic and coordinated assaults on civilians and the networks enabling them. Read 👇 suwra.org/blog/2025/08...

Defeat the illicit networks that threaten global peace and security! @c4ads.org is hiring! Role: Data Analyst Location: Washington, DC Learn more 👉 https://loom.ly/1nQoxU8 #TechForGood #TechJobs #Hiring #JobAlert #DataJobs

We’re proud to have partnered with Tom Wilson of @financialtimes.com to uncover how a shadow fleet has quietly moved 130M barrels of sanctioned oil – worth nearly $10B – from Iran, Russia, and Venezuela to China. Read 👇

Another Beijing-Tehran-Moscow nexus. Analysis of ship tracking data by the FT and C4ADS, a non-profit research group that studies illicit networks, suggests the vessels were used almost exclusively to transport billions of dollars’ worth of oil from Iran, Venezuela and later Russia.

Last month, we launched Horizons — our next-gen investigative platform built to meet the operational needs of our analysts and partners. A huge thank you to everyone who came out and joined us for our launch! Learn more and request access👇 buff.ly/fDr1Act

ICYMI: C4ADS Analyst Alex Kung spoke to @financialtimes.com, detailing how false-flag registries enable sanctioned and dangerous vessels to evade oversight worldwide. From Polina Ivanova and @chriscook.news ‬ 👇

Today is #WorldElephantDay 🐘 — a reminder that protecting elephants is urgent. This year alone, 50+ global ivory seizures totaling ~1,500 kg have already been recorded, an amount that represents the loss of around 75 elephants. 🧵1/3

ICYMI: We're proud to have supported this recent @rferl.org.web.brid.gy investigation into Sergei Chemezov — CEO of Russian weapons manufacturer Rostec and key ally to Vladimir Putin — with our Dubai Property Database holdings. Read 👇 buff.ly/VoERB7s

From uncovering illicit networks to tracing financial flows, strong investigations demand more than access — they demand tools that keep up. So we built our own. Introducing Horizons: a platform by investigators, for investigators. 1/4 🧵 More 👇 buff.ly/N6VHbUp

Thank you to @infobae for highlighting our recent Intercepted in Motion report, which analyzes wildlife seizure data to trace the evolving networks trafficking illicit elephant ivory, pangolin scales, rhino horn, and more. From Yalilé Loaiza 👇 www.infobae.com/america/amer...

Mark your calendars — Horizons launches July 31st! C4ADS’ new investigative platform built to handle high-volume, cross-jurisdictional data, Horizons is designed for real-world impact and is already used by analysts, journalists, and investigators around the world. 🧵 1/6

Turquoise Roof partners with @c4ads.org and uses their investigative platform to power our open-source/PAI research and investigative work in #Tibet & China turquoiseroof.org/about-turquo... #osint

Can AI help stop the sale of looted antiquities? At the AI+ Expo hackathon, C4ADS built a tool to detect looted Sudanese artifacts on platforms like eBay—using image matching and OpenAI’s reasoning engine to flag listed items and protect cultural heritage in conflict zones.

Investigations aren’t just about access to data – they're about structure, continuity, and trust in your sources. That’s why we built Horizons, our analyst-inspired platform for unified search, saved workflows, and data transparency. 🧵 1/5

Investigations move fast — your tools should too. We’re excited to introduce Horizons, a new platform coming soon for high-speed investigative discovery across 2+ billion public records. Built by and for investigators. 🧵 1/5

ICYMI: C4ADS Analyst Michael Di Girolamo joined @osint-community.bsky.social’s Aaron Roberts for a fireside chat about scam centers in Southeast Asia, staffed by victims of forced trafficking – discussing how AdTech data can be leveraged. Watch 👇 buff.ly/AF8kTAv

ICYMI: @WSJ.com's @janelytv.bsky.social highlighted our Airborne Axis report, which goes behind the scenes to map a multi-billion-dollar deal to localize Iranian-designed drone production in Russia. Read 👇

NEW: Wildlife trafficking networks remain active, adaptive, and complex. In this new update to our 2024 Intercepted report, we track seizures of ivory, rhino horn, and pangolin scales to reveal evolving smuggling and trafficking tactics. 🧵 1/7 Read 👇 buff.ly/WopFx1z

NEW: Since 2019, a fleet of at least 56 supertankers has funneled 400M+ barrels of illicit oil between sanctioned states like China, Iran, and Russia. In Oil and Water, we map the beneficial ownership networks behind this China-based "Protean Fleet." 🧵1/5 Read 👇 c4ads.org/reports/oil-...

ICYMI: C4ADS supported a recent @globalwitness.org investigation into the expansion of Indonesia’s nickel industry — a key component used in EV batteries. Read 👇

ICYMI: The Joint Analytical Cell has a new website! We're proud to be a part of this coalition, and to now be able to showcase our collective work to disrupt #IUUfishing through data-driven investigations and cross-sector collaboration. Explore 👇

ICYMI: C4ADS Lead Analyst Min Chao Choy spoke to ICIJ about gaps in maritime enforcement, highlighting our investigations into global shadow fleets. From @ICIJ.org 👇

We were thrilled to host @c4ads.org Michael Di Girolamo for a Fireside Chat with the @osint-community.bsky.social 🔥 He joined @aaroncti.bsky.social to unpack scam centres in SE Asia, links to trafficking, and how OSINT helps close gaps in global investigations. Full video coming soon 👀

What’s C4ADS reading 📚 this week? In “The World for Sale,” Jack Farchy and Javier Blas explore the world of commodities traders who’ve quietly risen to global power — creating empires that continue to shape policy and control critical resources worldwide.

ICYMI: We joined the Adala Center for Research and Studies for a new investigation into — Sudanese mining operations, analyzing the RSF and SAF’s continued reliance on gold to power their respective operations. From Darfur 24👇

ICYMI: We partnered with Sudan Human Rights Hub to track crop health with satellite imagery, investigating how conflict in Sudan’s Jazirah region has led to the collapse of agriculture and fueled famine across the country. Read 👇

ICYMI: @npr.org's Greg Myre highlighted our new Airborne Axis report — detailing a multi-billion dollar deal that allowed Russia to bypass sanctions and localize production of Iranian-designed drones — in a recent story on drone warfare in Ukraine. Read 👇 buff.ly/AmnMZ3X

📢 Join us on June 11, 2025, for our Staying Afloat webinar featuring @artis0nal's Eloy Aroni — we'll discuss key enablers of the distant water squid fleet, related #IUUfishing activity, and more. Audio available in English and Spanish. Register 👇

Russia transferred 1.8 tons of gold bars worth about $104 million to Iran’s Sahara Thunder as payment for Shahed-136 kamikaze drones, according to U.S. analysts at C4ADS.

Russia paid Iran $104M in gold for Shahed drones to avoid dollar transactions under sanctions, according to research group C4ADS. Payments were also made in UAE dirhams via a Dubai bank, and Iranian entities may have used crypto as well.

ICYMI: Global Trade Review’s John Basquill highlighted our recent Bullion for Bullets report, analyzing the #gold and #mineral mining mechanisms funding #RSF and #SAF operations in #Sudan. Read👇

NEW: The distant water squid fleet continues to operate with little accountability across international waters off South America — driving exploitation of two specific squid species and contributing to environmental damage and labor abuses. 🧵1/5 Read 👇 buff.ly/MWRGmyY

Airborne Axis - Inside the Deal That Brought Iranian Drone Production to Russia | May 29, 2025, C4ADS c4ads.org/reports/airb... @c4ads.org

And a huge thank you to @ilyushina.bsky.social for covering this critical analysis with a stellar article in the @washingtonpost.com! Read👇 www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...

NEW: #Russia has launched at least 8,000 Iranian-designed #drones since war with #Ukraine first broke out in 2022. Now, Airborne Axis traces how those drones were produced — and how a $1.75B deal ushered in a new era of Russo-Iranian collaboration. 🧵1/6 Read 👇 buff.ly/DsR1w3K