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April 25, 2025
Hello John
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Newly obtained records show that a scammers operating from the Georgian capital of Tbilisi appear to be back at work, despite a criminal investigation being underway.
A Ukrainian politician who absconded from Kyiv in 2023, where he was due to face court over millions in undeclared assets, has been located in Dubai.
A former top anti-corruption official has been arrested in China over alleged bribery, and transnational crime syndicates in Southeast Asia are flourishing, according to a new report.
Read on for the latest in global crime and corruption.
** Scam Empire Update
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** No Rest For The Wicked: Georgian Scammers Go Back To Work
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Following the launch of our Scam Empire investigation ([link removed]) , which exposed the inner workings of two global scam operations including one based in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, the scammers hurriedly sought to cover their tracks. The Georgian authorities announced a criminal investigation. However, newly obtained records indicate that this may not have deterred the scammers after all; some of them appear to be back at work.
Screenshots dated March 25 suggest the scammers restarted operations just weeks after being exposed by the Scam Empire investigation from OCCRP, Swedish Television (SVT), and 30 other media partners.
A Tbilisi-based legal expert told OCCRP that it wasn’t necessarily surprising to hear that the scammers were operational once more, noting there appears to be a lack of political will to seriously investigate and root them out. A spokesperson for Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office told OCCRP the probe was ongoing and that “relevant investigative and procedural actions” are being taken.
** Read the full story ([link removed])
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** OCCRP Exclusive
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Ukrainian politician Serhii Shakhov has, for over two years, attended parliamentary committee sessions via video-link. However, it was not clear exactly where he was: Shakhov absconded from Ukraine in 2023, when he was summoned to court in a criminal case related to allegations that he failed to declare $2.1 million in assets.
Using leaked property records obtained by OCCRP, reporters with the Ukrainian investigative project Schemes located Shakhov in Dubai, where he appears to be living in a luxury apartment with his family.
** Read the full story ([link removed])
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** More OCCRP Reporting
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** Transnational Cybercrime in Southeast Asia Hits Record High
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Transnational organized crime in Southeast Asia is “evolving faster than at any previous point in history”, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says. The syndicates are now “global leaders” in cyber-enabled fraud, money laundering, and underground banking.
A new report from UNODC reports that criminal gangs from the region are collaborating with other major networks around the world, and the expansion of their activities has led to an international human trafficking crisis.
Read the full story ([link removed])
** Judge Orders Reinstatement of VOA and RFA Journalists
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Earlier this week, a U.S. federal judge ordered the administration of President Donald Trump to rehire staff at government-funded broadcasters Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, branding the dismissals politically driven and unlawful.
The ruling follows a March 15 directive from the Trump administration, which placed over 1,000 employees on administrative leave and moved to terminate more than 500 contractors.
** Read the full story ([link removed])
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** Former CCP Anti-Corruption Official Arrested For Bribery
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A former top Chinese anti-corruption official has been arrested over allegedly accepting bribes, marking the latest major takedown in President Xi Jinping’s decade-long anti-graft drive.
State news agency Xinhua reported on Tuesday that Li Gang was arrested following an internal investigation, but so far no specifics have been offered about the alleged bribery.
** Read the full story ([link removed])
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** News Briefs
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* Libyan authorities are expanding the search ([link removed]) for migrant mass graves after discovering human remains near Zillah, in the country’s northeast.
* In Tunisia, prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab has been arrested ([link removed]) days after he criticised the conviction of 40 opposition figures on conspiracy charges.
* The wife of former New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez has been convicted ([link removed]) on charges of bribery, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy, and now faces several years’ jail time.
* European prosecutors have seized a luxury resort ([link removed]) and over 150 other properties, as well cash and assets across Italy, as part of a sweeping investigation into a massive cross-border fuel tax fraud scheme.
* A corruption trial began yesterday in Poland ([link removed]) for 43 defendants, among them judges and ministry officials, who are alleged to have run a criminal scheme which siphoned millions in public funds.
** Opportunities
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Cross-Border Journalism Training
Are you a journalist working in Europe? The Next-Level Data and Tools for Investigative Journalism (Next-IJ) initiative empowers journalists with cutting-edge tools, advanced data analysis capabilities, and the enhanced collaborative networks necessary to investigate complex crimes effectively.
A one-day Next-IJ investigative training program, led by OCCRP and Transcrime, will be held on June 26th. This session is designed for mid-level journalists and will provide a deep dive into the latest tools, techniques, and strategies used by leading cross-border investigative reporters.
The deadline for applications is June 9.
Find out more here ([link removed]) →
** Recommended Reading
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"Keeping your head down doesn't work"
In February, nonprofit advocacy group Public Citizen sued the Trump administration over a January 20 executive order which froze international aid funding, including more than $268 million that Congress had already earmarked for independent media worldwide.
Public Citizen had taken on the case on behalf of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and the Journalism Development Network, OCCRP’s parent company.
“We’ve worked in autocratic regimes our whole life. Keeping your head down doesn’t work,” OCCRP co-founder Drew Sullivan told Harvard’s Nieman Lab ([link removed]) . “You have to fight these things when they’re unfair, when they’re illegal, and you have to fight them aggressively.
Read the story here ([link removed]) →
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P.S. Thank you for reading the OCCRP newsletter. Feel free to reply with any feedback.
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