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Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · 14d

For this week's crime & corruption newsletter I spoke to @wouterwolfs.bsky.social about the use of parliamentary immunity as a tactic to evade national scrutiny. Could it prove a viable strategy in the case of ECR MEP Daniel Obajtek, member of the Polish Law and Justice (PiS) party?

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 15d

This week in Crime & Corruption newsletter: Polish ex-oil boss turned MEP Daniel Obajtek faces the loss of his EU immunity; Trump is accused of turning the U.S. into the world’s largest tax haven; and a whistleblower says EY forced him out after exposing client fraud.
🔗Read it on our website or app.

Polish ex-oil boss to face charges as EU shield slips

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

www.ftm.eu

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Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · 15d

For @ftm.eu I interviewed the Jacques Delors Centre’s democracy expert @luisequaritsch.bsky.social on the issue of covert malign interference in the EU.

Quaritsch warns that while the dangers are increasing (“it’s not just Russia or China anymore”), the EU remains “uniquely vulnerable” to threats.

EU has the power to fight foreign meddling – but isn’t using it, democracy expert says

Foreign actors are intensfying their efforts to influence Europe’s democracies, and the EU is scrambling to respond. Its lawmakers are set to vote this week on creating national transparency registers...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Follow the Money @ftm.nl · Sep 5

Terwijl de aarde opwarmt, slaan fossiele brandstof- en mijnbouwbedrijven terug tegen klimaatbeleid. Via schimmige tribunalen eisen ze miljarden van overheden en claimen ze ‘misgelopen winst’ als schade – met 2025 als recordjaar. Uit angst voor dure rechtszaken worden plannen afgezwakt of uitgesteld.

Met ‘gerechtelijke terreur’ weet de olie- en gasindustrie klimaatbeleid te frustreren

Wereldwijd krijgen overheden te maken met een recordaantal claims van energiebedrijven die menen de dupe te zijn van klimaatbeleid. Hun toegangsdeur naar de pot met geld is een schimmig tribunaal in W...

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Peter Teffer @peterteffer.bsky.social · Sep 2

On Monday @alistairkeepe.bsky.social asked why Commission President’s Signal messages were auto-deleted. Part of the answer: to save space.

On Tuesday @alexfanta.bsky.social followed up: von der Leyen has a smartphone with lots of storage, so what gives?

The question was skillfully sidestepped.

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Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · Aug 28

2025 is a record-breaking year for claims filed by fossil fuel and mining firms against democratic policies – marking a grim milestone in a surge of polluting industries seeking compensation for lost profits via a secretive tribunal.

For @ftm.eu with contributions by ao @anilyilmaz.bsky.social

Record number of corporate lawsuits target climate action in controversial tribunal

Behind closed doors in Washington, D.C., fossil fuel and mining companies are suing governments over lost profits. Follow the Money has analysed how a system built to protect foreign investors poses a...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · Apr 15

This morning, journalists from across Europe went public with a call to the European Commission to keep the promise of the EU treaties, and actually stick to the bloc's freedom of information law.

See below Politico's Brussels Playbook:
www.politico.eu/newsletter/b...

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) @corporateeurope.org · Apr 8

The EU #Transparency Register secretariat has confirmed that our complaint against MCC Brussels is admissible & that they have opened an investigation 👏

MCC Brussels, a far right 'think tank' spreading Orban regime propaganda, fails to disclose financial information, including its funding sources ⚠️

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · Apr 1

Finnish MEP Aura Salla dumped all her stocks in arms makers just one day after FTM revealed she owned them while at the same time calling for more EU defence spending. “I want to make sure there never will be a conflict of interest,” she said.

EU lawmaker gets rid of defence stocks after conflict of interest questions

A Finnish centre-right EU lawmaker sold her stocks in defence companies after concerns about conflicts of interest emerged.

www.ftm.eu

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Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · Apr 2

After calling for change, right-wing parties oppose a more transparent EU

After the ‘Qatargate’ influence-peddling scandal broke in 2022, conservative parties in the European Parliament were among the most vocal advocates for more accountability. But analysis by Follow the ...

www.ftm.eu

Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · Apr 2

Today a majority of the European Parliament called for the “full and urgent” implementation of the EU Ethics Body, after the Huawei scandal added “special urgency to starting the work without delay". Rightwing groups, including EPP, are still trying to block more transparency. Article in comments.

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Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · Mar 31

Seems that the Patriots for Europe are acting on the ideas that they floated during an event in the European Parliament last week, organised together with Hungarian and Orbán-linked think tank MCC Brussels

Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Peter Teffer @peterteffer.bsky.social · Mar 31

MEP Aura Salla is a member of the ITRE committee (the lead parliament committee drafting the rules for the €1.5 billion European Defence Industry Programme) and the owner of stocks in defence companies. She even bought more during her MEP tenure. And yet she does not see a conflict of interest.

Lise Witteman @lise-witteman.bsky.social · Mar 31

Our Brussels newsletter is out!
With this week:

A leaked audio fragment from an invite-only defence event with a MEP bragging about her military stocks..

Read (and listen!) here 👇
www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...

Bureau Brussel: “Thank God I bought these” – EU lawmaker promotes buying defence stocks

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

www.ftm.eu

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Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · Mar 31

And Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Salvini denouncing the “declaration of war by Brussels” while the EU obviously had nothing to do with the decision

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · Mar 18

HuaweiGate update: Five people have been charged in the corruption probe into Huawei lobbyists. Four suspects remain in custody as police search for evidence that representatives of the Chinese tech giant broke the law when lobbying MEPs. #HuaweiGate

Huaweigate: four suspects remain in custody

Five people have been charged as part of a Belgian investigation into alleged corruption by lobbyists of the Chinese tech giant Huawei, sources close to the investigation told Follow the Money, Le Soi...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Follow the Money @ftm.nl · Mar 13

BREAKING: De Belgische politie viel vanochtend binnen bij woningen van Huawei-lobbyisten in een grootschalig corruptieonderzoek. Zij zouden Europarlementariërs hebben omgekocht om Huawei’s belangen te behartigen. In totaal werden 21 adressen doorzocht. #HuaweiGate

Nieuw corruptieschandaal Europees Parlement: invallen bij lobbyisten van Huawei

In een grootschalig corruptieonderzoek naar het Chinese Huawei deed de Belgische politie donderdagochtend invallen in woningen van lobbyisten van het techbedrijf. Ze worden onder meer verdacht van het...

www.ftm.nl

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · Mar 13

SCOOP: Brussels is facing a new corruption scandal. Belgian police raided 21 homes today as part of a corruption probe into Huawei’s EU lobbying. Lobbyists for the Chinese tech giant are suspected of bribing MEPs in exchange for their public support. #HuaweiGate
www.ftm.eu/articles/hua...

Huawei targeted in new European Parliament corruption probe

Chinese tech giant Huawei is at the centre of a new corruption case in Europe’s capital. On Thursday, Belgian police raided the homes of its lobbyists, Follow the Money and its media partners Le Soir ...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Ties Joosten @tiesjoosten.nl · Mar 11

Honderden Transavia-medewerkers krijgen een ww-uitkering terwijl ze gewoon een vast contract hebben.

Nieuw verhaal over de luchtvaartindustrie 👇

www.ftm.nl/artikelen/bi...

Bij Transavia overwintert personeel op kosten van het UWV

Honderden werknemers van Transavia zitten jaarlijks zes weken thuis met een ww-uitkering. Ondertussen blijven ze gewoon in dienst. Experts noemen de constructie sneu en onethisch, maar het UWV zegt er...

www.ftm.nl

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Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · Feb 21

Good moment to reread colleague @jesse-pinster.bsky.social’s investigative piece on the controversial Orban-linked think tank MCC and how they operate in Brussels

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Follow the Money @ftm.nl · Feb 8

Ontbossing met chloorgif, fout katoen en dwangarbeid in fabrieken. Bij de productie van Decathlon-spullen gaat veel mis. En niet per ongeluk. Uit gelekte documenten blijkt hoezeer het bedrijf stuurt op kostenverlaging. ‘Ze vechten voor elke cent.’

Chloorgif en dwangarbeid: de spotgoedkope spullen van Decathlon hebben een prijs

De productie van Decathlon-kleding gaat gepaard met grove mensenrechtenschendingen: van lage lonen tot dwangarbeid. Ook de natuur komt er slecht vanaf bij de sportketen die mensen wil stimuleren meer ...

www.ftm.nl

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Lise Witteman @lise-witteman.bsky.social · Feb 6

Top Decathlon supplier profits from Uyghur forced labour in China labour scheme
www.ftm.eu/articles/dec...

Top Decathlon supplier profits from Uyghur forced labour in China labour scheme

A key supplier for the French retailer Decathlon has benefited from forced labour involving China’s marginalised Uyghur minority as part of a state scheme, Follow the Money and media partners can reve...

www.ftm.eu

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Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · Feb 4

Read the latest chapter in the Russian shadowfleet saga today for free on our website

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · Feb 4

Western shipowners made over $6B selling tankers to Russia’s shadow fleet – helping Putin dodge sanctions and fund his war in Ukraine. An international investigation by FTM found that 1/3 of the ships carrying Russian oil in defiance of the price cap were sold by Western firms #ShadowFleetSecrets

European shipowners keep Russia’s shadow fleet afloat – and cash in billions

Western shipowners received more than 6 billion dollars by selling old oil tankers to a shadow fleet transporting Russian oil, an international investigation led by Follow the Money has found. German,...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Lise Witteman @lise-witteman.bsky.social · Jan 30

FTM's @simonvandorpe.bsky.social was looking for some answers after all the scandals that hit the European Investment Bank (EIB)
www.ftm.eu/articles/sca... @ftm.eu

He got none.
newsroom.consilium.europa.eu/events/20250...

Unfortunately, this seems to be the case every time with EU institutions.

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · Dec 18

Starting a new job at a company that borrows money from the bank you just left? At the European Investment Bank, that’s business as usual. Our analysis exposes the ever-spinning revolving door between the EIB and companies – and the conflicts of interest that come with it. www.ftm.eu/articles/the...

European Investment Bank under scrutiny as top management joins private companies

Five out of ten members who left the European Investment Bank’s key decision making body since January 2019 have been involved in revolving doors scandals. The bank has not sanctioned any of them. Cur...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Alistair Keepe

Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · Dec 11

🔥 Over the past 5 months, I have been intensively scrutinizing the European Investment Bank, after news broke that former President Werner Hoyer was under investigation for corruption. Turns out it was just the tip of the iceberg. Read our story for free today on @ftm.eu

www.ftm.eu/articles/sca...

Bank of scandals: toxic culture of favouritism exposed at the European Investment Bank

The most important bank of the European Union is plagued by scandals. A Follow the Money investigation reveals how in the top management layers of the European Investment Bank a toxic culture of favou...

www.ftm.eu

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Alistair Keepe @alistairkeepe.bsky.social · Dec 6

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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · Dec 6

SCOOP: Italian bank UniCredit is allegedly tied to a money laundering scheme via its German branch. Authorities raided its Munich office on Friday in a probe into a multi-million VAT fraud. The bank is said to have missed red flags on transactions tied to a fake business. www.ftm.eu/articles/tax...

Italian bank Unicredit allegedly involved in major German money-laundering scheme

European prosecutors accuse Italian bank Unicredit of laundering vast amounts of cash originating from alleged VAT fraud through its German branch, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Fo...

www.ftm.eu