Investigative Post
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Investigative reporting center serving Buffalo and Western New York. Send us tips, securely: [email protected]
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Investigative Post's event series is back.

Join us in the coming months for a discussion of ICE's impact on Western NY, a book club and a live interview with presumptive mayor Sean Ryan.

Details here:
www.investigativepost.org/2025/10/07/i...
Investigative Post announces event series
Investigative Post announces three events it will host in November and December.
www.investigativepost.org
ipostnews.bsky.social
Breaking: A group of tenants and advocates are again pursuing legal action against Buffalo hoping to compel the city to inspect more rental properties for lead hazards.

Children living on the city's East Side face particularly bad exposure to the hazards.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/10/07/5...
ipostnews.bsky.social
In May, a jury cleared two Buffalo cops of any wrongdoing in beating and jailing a man recording an arrest.

Two weeks ago, the judge threw out the verdict, ruling the police had no cause to arrest him.

The two cops have a history of misconduct.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/10/02/5...
ipostnews.bsky.social
At the ICE detention center in Batavia, migrants are sleeping on the gym floor.

61% have no criminal history.

Batavia ranks among the top 10 ICE facilities nationwide for use of solitary confinement.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/10/03/i...
ipostnews.bsky.social
New: In a rare move, a Buffalo judge has rejected a jury's verdict that acquitted two cops who were sued on accusations they beat a man for filming an arrest.

The judge wants the city to pay a settlement to beaten man. The city plans to appeal.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/10/02/5...
ipostnews.bsky.social
In our latest investigation, reporter I'Jaz Ja'ciel reveals that Buffalo has failed to collect millions in fines issued by the Housing Court against negligent property owners.

It's money left on the table as the city faces down yet another budget deficit.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/30/b...
Buffalo Housing Court imposing and collecting few fines
Buffalo is collecting fewer than 10% of fines imposed by its Housing Court and new judge is imposing far fewer fines than his predecessor.
www.investigativepost.org
ipostnews.bsky.social
If you leave the house right now, you can still make it to Hallwalls to see our Jim Heaney and author Jim Shultz discuss the current state of journalism — here and nationwide:
ipostnews.bsky.social
For months, reporters with Toronto’s Investigative Journalism Bureau probed into the human smuggling industry at the U.S.-Canada border.

Smugglers advertise on Instagram: $4K for a crossing, and up to $40K for a bogus visa.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/17/b...
ipostnews.bsky.social
Two and a half months into Buffalo's fiscal year, police & fire overtime is set to run $10M over budget.

It’s less than last year’s overruns, but with flat revenues and no reserves, even “less bad” could push the city into deficit.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/25/o...
ipostnews.bsky.social
Henry Wojtaszek is back at OTB, and not everyone is happy.

After four longtime employees wrote a letter warning of his return, his wife, a judge, berated one of the women who signed the letter.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/24/w...
ipostnews.bsky.social
New: As Henry Wojtaszek has made his return to OTB, 4 female employees wrote a letter to the board opposing him.

Then, Sept. 6, Wojtaszek's wife berated one of the women, sticking a finger in her face, calling her "despicable" and "every name in the book."
www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/24/w...
Niagara County Judge Caroline Wojtaszek berates OTB employee
At an OTB event Sept. 6, Niagara County Judge Caroline Wojtaszek "verbally accosted" a female employee critical of her husband.
www.investigativepost.org
ipostnews.bsky.social
The City of Buffalo's budget is balanced this year thanks to an expected infusion of cash from the sale of four downtown parking ramps.

But the city has so far refused to share the math behind the estimated value of the structures.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/16/s...
Shaky revenue estimates could put Buffalo budget at risk
Experts say Scanlon administration is likely overestimating revenue from sale of parking ramps, putting Buffalo's budget at risk.
www.investigativepost.org
ipostnews.bsky.social
The fight to take over Sean Ryan's state Senate seat should he win the November mayoral election is already heating up.

Suburbanites are signaling their support for party Chairman Jeremy Zellner while labor unions are lining up behind Asm. Jon Rivera.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/18/z...
www.investigativepost.org
ipostnews.bsky.social
Join Investigative Post Editor Jim Heaney and author Jim Shultz for a free event at Hallwalls Cinema Sept. 29. The two seasoned journalists will discuss Shultz's new book and "the politics of journalism and the journalism of politics."

The event is free to the public.
ipostnews.bsky.social
Henry Wojtaszek is back at Western OTB — this time as a member of the board of directors.

Niagara County lawmakers approved him 10-5 vote Tuesday.

Unmentioned were the many scandals, investigations and audits, that occurred under his leadership as well.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/17/n...
Henry Wojtaszek appointed to OTB board by Niagara County
In a 10-5 vote Tuesday night, Niagara County leaders voted to approve Henry Wojtaszek, OTB's scandal-ridden former CEO, to the agency's board
www.investigativepost.org
ipostnews.bsky.social
New: Buffalo’s budget banks on $42M from parking ramp sales. The problem is, the city never did the math.

Instead, it relied on a nonprofit’s shaky estimate that skipped age and maintenance costs experts say would spook investors.

Read more below:

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/16/s...
ipostnews.bsky.social
Some officers hit other cars. Others drove drunk to work or to crime scenes. But they were not always given sobriety tests.

How did these officers evade accountability? Co-published with The New York Times and New York Focus:

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/09/p...
When police in New York drive drunk, they often avoid charges
An investigation by The New York Times found 17 cases of cops in Western and Central New York where police drove drunk and were not charged.
www.investigativepost.org
ipostnews.bsky.social
Are New York’s film & TV tax breaks a smart investment—or as some say, a “colossal waste of taxpayer money”?

Jim Heaney looks at where the dollars go, plus ICE in Rochester and much more, in this week’s Monday Morning Read.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/15/a...
Tax breaks for Saturday Night Live
New York provides generous tax breaks for film and television producers. None make out better than Saturday Night Live .
www.investigativepost.org
ipostnews.bsky.social
Buffalo developer Doug Jemal has racked up nearly $3.7 million in unpaid bills to contractors working on his properties in recent months.

Jemal tells us he's already paid some of the bills, and is good for the rest.

See the list of all he owes:
www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/10/j...
Reposted by Investigative Post
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New at @ipostnews.bsky.social: Developer Doug Jemal fell millions behind on bills, prompting contractors to file more than $3 million in liens against his projects. Jemal says he's settled most of the debts and will pay the rest soon.

www.investigativepost.org/2025/09/10/j...