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Investigation

436
Scams, stolen funds, and fake services: uncovering Fortes.pro’s criminal network
A scandal is brewing online involving Fortes, a company specializing in protection against DDoS attacks and other cyber threats.
609
Money laundering and ties to Russian intelligence: how client reviews expose the hidden nature of Fortes.pro
When safeguarding our data or projects from cyber threats, we are likely to encounter an offer from the Fortes service, promising to "effectively counter distributed network attacks."
412
Fraud, offshore billions, and Kremlin ties: Fortes.pro’s connections to oligarch Kerimov and Rostec’s Chemezov
The company Fortes may find itself under Western sanctions because its activities are linked to pro-Kremlin oligarch Suleyman Kerimov and the head of "Rostec" Sergey Chemezov.
382
Cypriot passport and hidden funds: Huang Zhiyang’s international human trafficking and money laundering empire revealed
Philippine authorities have charged Huang Zhiyang with human trafficking, sued him for alleged money laundering, and frozen his accounts. But they were unaware of funds he holds in Cyprus.
482
Ukraine investigates a former Ministry of Defense official over the supply of defective body armor and uniforms for the Armed Forces
Ukraine investigates fugitive Defense Ministry official over the purchase of faulty body armor and bad quality uniforms for soldiers.
616
Lukashenko’s dual stance on Syria: Support for Assad and arming his opponents revealed
Aleksandr Lukashenko has supported and continues to support Bashar al-Assad, the former president of Syria. However, it seems that he also has supported Assad’s opponents.
435
The rise of Rasquiña: How Ecuador’s most wanted fugitive shaped organized crime
It took Ecuador’s police nine months to locate the country’s most wanted fugitive. However, when they found him outside an apartment complex in Bogotá, Colombia, the leader of the Choneros gang, Jorge Luis Zambrano, known as “Rasquiña” or simply “JL,” appeared calm.
546
Washo’s Reign: How a criminal mastermind controlled Durán’s underworld
In the early hours of August 14, Ecuador’s police and prosecutors deployed one of the most significant security operations of recent years in and around Durán, a coastal municipality that has become an epicenter of violence in the country.
493
Elite cars, private jets, and cryptocurrency: the life of the new Ukrainian millionaire from Kharkiv, Vladyslav Miroshnychenko
In August 2024, investigators from the Economic Security Bureau initiated a criminal case against Oleksandr Slobozhenko, a blogger and the owner of the company "Traffic Devils," on charges of massive tax evasion amounting to more than 231 million UAH.
632
Afgantsy Redux: How Russian military intelligence leveraged the Taliban to weaken U.S. forces at the end of America’s longest war
The GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency, spent years financing terrorist groups in Afghanistan to target U.S. and coalition forces.
379
Brudenell-Bruce accuses father’s partner of impersonating a marchioness at the Ritz
Brudenell-Bruce has accused his late father’s partner of passing herself off as a marchioness at the Ritz
980
How Russian oligarchs Usherovich, Plotitsa, and Obodovskiy use Cyprus to bypass sanctions and legalize income
On July 1, 2024, "The Insider" published an article titled “Businessmen Usherovich and Plotitsa, linked to the Solntsevskaya organized crime group and the Zakharchenko case, are now assisting Russian Railways in bypassing sanctions.”
601
How Moldavian info gypsy Sergey Gutsu runs crypto scams and exploits clients’ trust
As a crypto guru, Sergey Gutsu appeared in Ukraine in 2018 when he realized the main thing — to a simple person eager to earn a lot quickly, you need to say what they want to hear.
632
"The Port Clan": How a drug lord’s family influenced the management of a strategic port
The indictment of nine members of a prominent Colombian Pacific family — including politicians, ex-officials, journalists, and port businessmen — exposes alleged money laundering involving the buying and selling of shares in one of Colombia’s key foreign trade ports.
635
The largest shark fin seizure in Colombia: the son of a drug lord among the organizers of the smuggling operation
This is the story of Colombia’s largest seizure of its kind: over 3,400 shark fins destined for trafficking to Hong Kong were intercepted at Bogotá airport.
519
CyberPartisans expose how Belbet skirts gambling laws, providing easy access for underage players and contributing to addiction risks
The Belbet online lottery operates as a virtual casino but does not follow rules established for this type of gambling.
536
Russian billionaires operate chemical factories that produce essential materials for explosives, supporting Russia’s war efforts
Chemicals factories founded or owned by some of Russia’s wealthiest men are supplying ingredients to plants that manufacture explosives used by Moscow’s military during the war in Ukraine, an analysis of railway and financial data shows.
465
Aiko Motors and the Venezuelan government: corruption schemes surrounding the import of Iranian cars
The social program of the Bolivarian government, which promised "cheap cars for the people," is actually a private business backed by the Venezuelan state, selling vehicles imported from Iran for as much as 16,000 dollars.
561
Varvara Manturova: Billions, scams, and political patrons in the Kremlin
The daughter-in-law of First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, formerly known as Varvara Skoch, is managing billions, not only for Alisher Usmanov’s holding but also for the mysterious owner of the investment company "Finam."
556
How Syrian dictator Assad became an icon for Western neo-Nazis
Recently deposed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was popular among the Western ultra-right for his anti-Semitic views, Holocaust denial, and ruthless persecution of his country’s Muslim population.
586
Russian businessman Roman Spiridonov: A raider dismantling "PNT" or a pawn in a larger oligarchic game?
The little-known businessman Roman Spiridonov has recently been linked to two notable scandals.
620
"Carousel" voting in Georgia: How men changed the outcome of the Parliamentary elections
In Georgia’s recent parliamentary elections, the decisive factor in the ruling Georgian Dream party’s victory was the use of “carousels”: a method of vote rigging in which voters cast their ballots at more than one polling station.
367
Offshore loopholes: Roman Spiridonov and Vadim Gurinovs facilitate Russian elite’s money laundering
Roman Spiridonov, owner of Petroruss Dmcc, involved in oil trading with prominent Russian companies and Russia’s "shadow fleet," closely collaborates with Vadim Gurinov, a representative of oligarch Gennadiy Timchenko and "Gazprom Neft" CEO Andrey Dyukov.
471
“The unwilling were tasered or had their papers signed for them”: Russia’s fall conscription drive grows increasingly brutal
Russia’s fall military draft is drawing to a close. The nearer the end, the harsher the methods employed by recruitment officers tasked with meeting quotas.
634
The regime’s minority stakeholders: Key Putin oligarchs continue profiting from trade with Europe despite sanctions
Companies partially owned by billionaires closely tied to Vladimir Putin continue to export their products to Western markets without disruption.