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15 Jul, 6 tweets, 2 min read
THREAD: Our Russian partner @wwwproektmedia is the latest independent media outlet in the country to come under intense pressure from the authorities — it has just been declared an "undesirable organization.” #PressFreedom 1/ reuters.com/business/retai…
This designation is designed to destroy Proekt’s ability to do their investigative work. Being "undesirable" means you’re considered a national security threat. And it becomes illegal even to quote you. 2/
The authorities also raided the home of Proekt’s editor-in-chief, Roman Badanin. He and seven colleagues were declared "foreign agents." 3/ occrp.org/en/daily/14744…
OCCRP and Proekt have collaborated on two major investigations into the world of Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.

This one exposed an informal negotiator who "solved" problems on behalf of a close associate of Kadyrov. 4/ occrp.org/en/investigati…
The second revealed the identity of Kadyrov’s second wife — who he met when she was a teenage beauty pageant finalist. She owns properties that can’t be explained by her husband’s official income. 5/ occrp.org/en/investigati…
Proekt does essential investigative journalism in the interest of the Russian public, and it’s a great loss that their skilled, professional work is being targeted by baseless allegations. 6/

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More from @OCCRP

Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project Profile picture
5 Jul
NEW: Izzat Khanim Javadova — the cousin of Azerbaijan’s longtime authoritarian president Ilham Aliyev — owns millions of dollars in luxurious properties in London and Ibiza along with her husband. 1/ occrp.org/en/azerbaijani…
This festive photo, which Javadova posted on her Facebook page, was taken from an apartment in Whitehall Court, one of London’s most exclusive residences. 2/
Last week, OCCRP revealed in a joint investigation with @anticorruption that Javadova and her husband are being investigated in the U.K. for receiving millions of dollars from the #AzerbaijaniLaundromat, a massive money movement scheme. 3/ occrp.org/en/azerbaijani…
Read 5 tweets
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project Profile picture
30 Jun
NEW: The ’Ndrangheta may have Italian roots, but its cocaine business is global.

In this two-part series, OCCRP and @irpinvestigates reveal how the criminal group imports cocaine from Latin America into Europe.

Story 1: The European operation 1/
occrp.org/en/ndrangheta/…
Authorities assert that at the center of the ‘Ndrangheta’s European cocaine empire were Sebastiano Giorgi, a restauranteur based in Germany, and a number of his relatives.

Together, the Giorgis played a key role in connecting drug cartels in Latin America w/ European buyers. 2/
Most of the Giorgis' cocaine arrived via European cities like Antwerp, the largest fruit-handling port on the continent.

Fresh produce needs to be processed quickly due to its short shelf-life, making food hauls and similar shipments the ideal vessels for concealing drugs. 3/
Read 7 tweets
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project Profile picture
29 Jun
NEW: A popular London-based DJ turns out to be the cousin of Azerbaijan’s president.

She and her husband received millions from 20 offshore firms — at least 6 of which are part of a $2.9b money laundering scheme known as the #AzerbaijaniLaundromat 1/
occrp.org/en/azerbaijani…
The Azeri couple is currently under investigation in the UK, but a court order blocked the release of their names.

In May, the @EveningStandard won a legal appeal to reverse this decision, which came into force today. Here’s what we found 👇 2/
Izzat Khanim Javadova, aka "Mikaela Jav," and her husband, whose father is an ex-deputy energy minister, received $19m from the opaque network of offshore firms. This shows, for the first time, that a member of Azerbaijan’s ruling family used the #AzerbaijaniLaundromat. 3/
Read 6 tweets
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project Profile picture
28 Jun
Imon International is a widely celebrated Tajik microlender that was founded 20 years ago to help women entrepreneurs. Its clients can also open bank accounts. And in 2017, one suspicious client sent $48 million abroad through Imon. 1/ occrp.org/en/investigati…
The client was supposedly an importer of construction materials. But it owned no warehouse and was registered — just days before opening its accounts — in this residential building in Dushanbe. 2/
In less than half a year, its transfers represented nearly 20 percent of all of the money Imon’s clients sent abroad over five years. Imon even had to hire additional staff to keep up with the deposits. But nobody seemed to ask very many questions. 3/
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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project Profile picture
25 Jun
NEW: Tajikistan’s most prominent microlender, Imon International, was built to help women entrepreneurs and has done so for 20 years.

But Imon’s local founders have just endured a hostile takeover by its foreign investors — which include the EBRD. 1/ occrp.org/en/investigati…
Imon was founded by two women in the wake of Tajikistan’s brutal civil war.

Their non-profit foundation was bought out by Vincenzo Trani, a well-connected Italian businessman who lives in Moscow. 2/ occrp.org/en/investigati…
His efforts to gain control were aided by Tajikistan’s National Bank, whose deputy head is the son-in-law of the country’s president.

The bid was helped by Imon’s other foreign shareholders, including the EBRD. The prestigious development bank even acquired a larger stake. 3/
Read 6 tweets
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project Profile picture
22 Jun
NEW: OCCRP and @riseprojectro🇷🇴 reveal the first public evidence tying an official at the world’s largest tobacco company to organized crime in Europe.

The story centers around a shipping container filled with junk to elude customs. #ChinaTobacco 1/ occrp.org/en/loosetobacc…
How The Scheme Worked:

➡️ On paper: 17 tons of Chinese cigarettes made in the EU were sent to Libya, thus avoiding excise taxes.

➡️ In reality: They were offloaded to be sold in Europe. 17 tons of junk were sent to Libya in an identical container. 2/ cdn.occrp.org/projects/great…
The people behind this scheme included:

➡️ Three smugglers with links to an Italian organized crime group.

➡️ An executive at China Tobacco’s European branch: China Tobacco International Europe Company (CTIEC).

CTIEC makes some of Europe’s most smuggled brands. 3/ Image
Read 6 tweets

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