Couple of Daily Beast exclusives out in the past few days from the ever-joyful world of MAGA public contracting. 1/4

This morning, the UK sanctioned Georgia’s largest broadcaster, Imedi TV. No media organization has done more to amplify the regime’s anti-Western propaganda amid the war on Ukraine, or to rationalize Georgia’s descent into violent authoritarianism. 1/9

Federal law enforcement agents shot and killed a man in Minneapolis on Jan. 24 according to local police officials. DHS told Fox News that the man was “armed with a gun”. A video of the shooting appears to show that a gun was taken from the man before the first shot was fired. x.com/BillMelugin_...

A letter to the master of Trinity Hall, in response to her email to alumni regarding the Guardian's reporting this week: www.theguardian.com/education/20...

When they kick you out of Georgia and you make it 9,000 miles to Argentina before the universe starts mocking you…

EXCLUSIVE: A top attorney behind MAGA’s push to see Hunter Biden jailed for violating foreign influence laws was at the same time working for an abusive foreign regime that tried to buy sinister surveillance software in the U.S. Latest for @thedailybeast www.thedailybeast.com/magas-hunter...

When journalist @willneal.bsky.social was barred from #Georgia, his life was turned upside down. But for citizens, the country’s slide into violent authoritarianism has left them in a far more dangerous position. Read his account in our latest magazine issue ⬇️ journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

It’s been more than four months since I was expelled from Georgia with no word on a hearing date for my appeal. Here’s my latest for Index on Censorship about the ban, and what it says more broadly about the dire situation the country now finds itself in. papyrus.exacteditions.com/issues/14183...

Spoke with Daniel Boffey for his @theguardian.com piece today on Hunnewell Partners. Good to see the issue getting more attention. Some links to my prior reporting on the group below. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s... Article doesn't have much that's new for people following #Georgia & reading @willneal.bsky.social coverage of Imedi and Hunnewell but at least brings the malfeasance to an even wider audience.

Pleased that our co-founder @nealysart.bsky.social contributed to this deep dive by @theobserveruk.bsky.social on #SpaceX investment fraud from @willneal.bsky.social Scammers are leveraging AI & sophisticated tactics to defraud investors globally #osint #investigations #investment #fraud #spaceX

🚨NEW: Amid Musk’s turn to Dark MAGA, the rush for SpaceX shares has seen fraudsters mercilessly targeting investors with no means of buying into the firm’s success. My debut @theobserveruk.bsky.social, on how one group used AI to dupe victims out of millions.👇 observer.co.uk/news/busines...

the entire section is worth reading. @blairmcdougall.com "The complaint of the democracy activists I used to work with is that all of this brutality is happening while the regime’s money is washed through business associates in London." Hello @willneal.bsky.social ! No mincing of words there.

Mamuka Mdinaradze, a key architect of Georgia's authoritarian shift, has just been appointed head of the state security service. Last May, @willneal.bsky.social reported on the government unit funded by Western countries, before being used against them. newlinesmag.com/reportage/na...

A gripping exposé by @willneal.bsky.social unravels the billion-dollar legal intrigue linking oligarchs, offshore financiers, and sanctioned assets — all playing out in UK courts. A must-read for anyone curious about lawfare, kleptocracy, and shadow geopolitics

🚨NEW: Latest for @bylinetimes.bsky.social with Josimar's Paul Brown, on how an Israeli tycoon, a shady Miami investment group, and a UK firm controlled by enablers of the Georgian regime became embroiled in a £1bn legal spat between powerful Russian business interests. 1/13 👉 shorturl.at/8hHYG

New report from the folks at Civic Idea on how Iranian companies appear to be using Georgian markets to circumvent international sanctions → civicidea.ge/en/georgian-...

In the past, #Georgia was open to international press. In the last ten months, this, like so much else, has gone into full reverse. Here is the story. @clementgirardot.bsky.social @willneal.bsky.social cpj.org/2025/07/geor...

🇬🇪A country once seen as the democratic bright spot of the post-Soviet space is now undergoing the fastest authoritarian regression in modern European history. 🧵Here’s a thread to keep you updated on what’s happening - and why it matters. 1/23

When the Epstein files enter the chat…you know the bromance may actually be over…

Oh nothing, just the world’s most divorced man casually finding out why they call it regretamine.

#Georgia 🇬🇪 British journalist Will Neal investigated Georgian power circles and was expelled from the country following a smear campaign against him by pro-government politicians. @rsf.org‬ tells his story.

Freelance British Journalist @willneal.bsky.social Denied Entry to Georgia Find out more 👉 go.coe.int/nYCUw Alert submitted by @globalfreemedia.bsky.social & JFJ #EuropeForFreeMedia Photo: social media

🇬🇪 Georgia has shown a growing pattern of denying entry to Western journalists, including those critical of the Russian government. The latest case involves British journalist @willneal.bsky.social, who was barred from entering the country without explanation after reporting on Russian links 1/3

🇬🇪🇬🇧A must-read investigation by @willneal.bsky.social in Byline Times: How Hunnewell Partners, a UK firm tied to Georgian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, allegedly facilitated Kremlin-linked financial schemes through London’s elite circles. bylinetimes.com/2025/03/31/m...

Terrible news that @willneal.bsky.social has been barred entry to Georgia, his home, because of his tireless reporting on money and power. The Georgian authorities should reverse themselves immediately. rsf.org/en/between-h...

"5th European journalist expelled from #Georgia in 7 months: Will Neal, a resident of Tbilisi since 2022, was refused entry on May 20 after being the target of a hate campaign in response to one of his investigations. RSF is calling for this arbitrary ban to be lifted."

5e journaliste européen refoulé de #Géorgie en 7 mois : résident à Tbilissi depuis 2022, le 🇬🇧 Will Neal s’est vu refuser l’entrée sur le territoire le 20 mai, après avoir fait l'objet d'une campagne de haine en réaction à l’une de ses enquêtes. RSF demande la levée de cette interdiction arbitraire.

British journalist Will Neal was denied entry into Georgia, where he has lived since 2022, upon returning from a trip to the UK and EU, Reporters Without Borders said, condemning the decision as arbitrary and political, calling for its reversal.

Georgia-based British journalist Will Neal has been denied entry to Georgia. Neal linked the move to his investigation into alleged ties between the owners of pro-government TV channel Imedi and the sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

I've had the pleasure of working with Will on several stories and he's a professional to his core, a journalist who cares deeply about Georgia, its people, and getting the story right. Now, he's been denied entry into Georgia for his work investigating the powers that be.

👀 All the more reason to go check out Will’s Byline Times story (see thread for a link).

Fucked up, unsurprising but absolutely fucked up. Remember reading his article and loving it. The whole thread is worth looking into.

@willneal.bsky.social was arbitrarily refused entry into Georgia although he's lived here for 3 years. His research must have hurt them a lot, but it's not like they only limit themselves to major journalists either. Soon it won't be possible for Western journalists to operate in Georgia.

as international journo, report on what *actually* goes on in #Georgia? They will not let you back into the country. Under Otsneba, being Persona Non Grata seems like the ultimate compliment to @willneal.bsky.social rsf.org/en/between-h...

5e journaliste européen refoulé de #Géorgie en 7 mois : résident à Tbilissi depuis 2022, le 🇬🇧 Will Neal s’est vu refuser l’entrée sur le territoire le 20 mai, après avoir fait l'objet d'une campagne de haine en réaction à l’une de ses enquêtes. RSF demande la levée de cette interdiction arbitraire.

Another journalist refused re-entry into Georgia. Will Neal is based in Tbilisi and upon return from a visit to the UK and EU he was refused at the Armenian-Georgian land border. This followed a smear campaign in Georgia against him after he wrote a critical article. rsf.org/en/between-h...

This reporting has now resulted in Neal being denied re-entry into Georgia, the country has lived in since 2022. A blow not just against Neal, but against free speech and independent reporting on Georgia rsf.org/en/between-h...

Please read, share and repost this brave piece of journalism by Will Neal @willneal.bsky.social‬ about Georgia and the dealings and Russia connections of London-based Hunnewell Partners which owns Imedi TV amongst other assets, is a close partner of Georgian Dream. bylinetimes.com/2025/03/31/m...

My good friend and an amazing investigative journalist @willneal.bsky.social was barred from entering Georgia. Will has worked on several important investigative stories on Georgia rsf.org/en/between-h...

Between harassment and expulsion, Georgia is bent on silencing British journalist @willneal.bsky.social The attacks followed the publication of his investigation for Byline Times, on business ties between UK private equity Hunnewell Partners and Roman Abramovich rsf.org/s/95157

Another day and another journalist barred from Georgia

The #British journalist @willneal.bsky.social, who has lived in Tbilisi since 2022, was denied entry into #Georgia on 20 May. This followed a government-backed smear campaign against him over one of his investigations. RSF condemns this arbitrary decision and calls for its immediate reversal.

On Tuesday night I was barred from entering Georgia, my home for the last three years. Official reasons were given as “other,” but from the circumstances of my departure in April it’s clear the refusal is directly tied to my work covering the country as a journalist. 1/ rsf.org/en/between-h...

We are thrilled that New Lines was named a Livingston Award finalist for our piece by @willneal.bsky.social on NATO funding a Georgian government troll division. This is the 2nd year in a row that New Lines was named a finalist. Check out the original story here!

PERSONAL: Belated post to say I’m delighted to have been named as a Livingston Award finalist for my New Lines Magazine piece on Nato funding for a Georgian government troll division: newlinesmag.com/reportage/na...

‼️Announcement in French, English, and Georgian about my deportation — another attack on press freedom by Georgian Dream.

🚨NEW: Leaked corporate documents reveal Putin crony Roman Abramovich’s previously unreported ties to key “enablers” of Georgia’s ‘pro-Russian’ Ivanishvili regime. Long 🧵on my latest for @bylinetimes.bsky.social👇1/ bylinetimes.com/2025/03/31/m...

Great story anyway who follows Georgia 🇬🇪 should read, on the power and assets accumulated by one UK company - and their ties to Abramovich.

🔴EXCLUSIVE: Moscow’s Ties to the Georgian Regime Ran Through Kensington and Chelsea @willneal.bsky.social's investigation reveals the ties of Putin's close associate, Roman Abramovich, to yet another autocratic, post-Soviet regime bylinetimes.com/2025/03/31/m...