Investigative Focus and Role
Rick LaRivière is an investigative reporter specializing in exposing corruption, misconduct, and abuse of power in public institutions. Writing for This is For Real? – a digital investigative newsletter dedicated to uncovering corrupt politicians, government officials, and courts – LaRivière focuses on stories that hold powerful figures accountable. His reporting frequently shines a light on crime, public safety issues, and systemic injustices, ranging from political corruption and judicial malfeasance to cancel-culture scandals. LaRivière’s approach is rooted in dogged fact-finding and a commitment to public interest journalism, reflecting the newsletter’s mission of “Corrupt Politicians and Government Officials. Corrupt Courts… Investigative Reporting.”
Publications and Collaborations
Most of LaRivière’s work appears on This is For Real?, where he often collaborates with fellow investigative journalists Richard Luthmann, Michael Volpe, Frankie Pressman, and others. These multi-byline investigations leverage each reporter’s expertise and have been picked up by various outlets. Many of his pieces are cross-published: for example, some reports first run on Florida Gulf News – an online news site for Florida’s Gulf Coast – and then are featured on This is For Real?. His investigations have also been carried by NY News Press and the Newsbreak platform, expanding their reach beyond the newsletter’s readership. This broad distribution demonstrates LaRivière’s ability to produce stories of interest to diverse audiences and regions. He has even contributed to niche outlets like The Family Court Circus, reflecting his focus on family court and legal system issues. Through these channels, LaRivière has built a portfolio of rigorous investigative articles while working within a network of like-minded journalists.
Notable Investigations in Law and Courts
A major theme in LaRivière’s body of work is corruption and misconduct in the legal system. He has exposed egregious behavior by judges and attorneys who misuse their authority. In one investigation, LaRivière profiled a Staten Island divorce court judge, Ronald Castorina, highlighting allegations that the judge ran a “courtroom of hell” – playing politics from the bench and railroading litigants. In New Jersey, he helped uncover unethical practices by local attorneys, bringing to light heavy criticism against lawyers Steve Monaghan and Edward Fradkin for alleged misconduct.
LaRivière also delves into family court injustices. Notably, he reported on a Florida custody case involving Naples lawyer Reuben Doupé, who was accused of pushing to send American children to live with a fugitive father in Hong Kong – effectively “backing [a] deadbeat dad hiding in Hong Kong.” By investigating such cases, LaRivière reveals how family courts can be manipulated, exposing patterns of bias and lack of accountability. His reporting often connects individual cases to systemic problems; for instance, an exposé on a beloved Yonkers official known as “Johnny T” revealed “corruption and government waste in Yonkers and beyond,” turning a local ordeal into a broader indictment of civic mismanagement. Through these stories, LaRivière has earned a reputation for scrutinizing the justice system and advocating for those wronged by it.
Investigations of Political Scandals and Public Safety
Beyond the courtroom, LaRivière frequently targets political and public-sector corruption. He has investigated New York City Council member Kamillah Hanks, unearthing a web of misconduct allegations around her. In one piece, LaRivière exposed how Hanks was “directly tied to [an] accused Staten Island drug lord” – a revelation that raised serious questions about her connections and judgment. He followed up with reporting on Hanks’s troubled campaign finances, detailing fraud and cronyism claims that prompted official probes and threatened to strip her of public matching funds. LaRivière’s persistent coverage of this story helped illuminate the broader issue of pay-to-play politics and lapses in oversight in New York City.
LaRivière has also demonstrated a knack for breaking stories with immediate public safety implications. In a collaborative exclusive, he helped reveal clear video evidence of a Queens political leader committing an assault on a journalist during the 2024 Republican National Convention. That investigation identified Queens GOP chairman Anthony Nunziato as the assailant and brought to light the risks journalists face when confronting political extremism. In another case blending politics and crime, LaRivière reported on a New York City official embroiled in an identity fraud scandal – uncovering that a City Council Speaker’s associate had multiple Social Security numbers and raising alarms about possible fraud within city government. Each of these stories not only exposes individual wrongdoing but also underscores larger concerns of public safety and integrity in governance.
Tackling National and Cyber Controversies
While many of LaRivière’s articles focus on local or regional corruption, he has also tackled national issues and the intersection of online influence with real-world consequences. He reported on allegations of FBI misconduct in the high-profile federal prosecution of the OneTaste “orgasmic meditation” cult. LaRivière’s coverage detailed claims that FBI agents instructed witnesses to destroy evidence – revelations that called into question the integrity of the case.
He has also investigated failures in the federal prison system: one piece spotlighted how inmates nationwide are protesting the Bureau of Prisons’ mismanagement of earned time credits under the First Step Act, effectively keeping prisoners incarcerated longer than necessary. By bringing these issues to light, LaRivière’s reporting has amplified the voices of those confronting federal bureaucracies and pushed agencies to address their shortcomings.
In the digital realm, LaRivière has chronicled the new frontiers of crime and activism on social media. He notably profiled Danesh “ThatDaneshGuy” Noshirvan, a controversial TikTok personality known for doxxing people (including U.S. Supreme Court justices) as a form of vigilantism. LaRivière’s investigation revealed how Noshirvan’s tactics, once seen as mere online harassment, have spilled into the courtroom – with a federal judge effectively greenlighting doxxing in a related case. By examining the legal battles of this internet agitator, LaRivière highlighted the real-life dangers of online hate mobs and the challenges the justice system faces in keeping pace with social media-fueled conflicts. This focus on cyber controversies demonstrates LaRivière’s versatility in covering emerging threats to civil society, from cancel-culture “doxxers” to the erosion of privacy and safety in the digital age.
Professional Highlights and Style
Across all his work, Rick LaRivière maintains a concise and unflinching writing style that reflects his journalistic ethos. His articles are fact-heavy and straightforward, often constructed as clear narratives that guide readers through complex legal and political sagas. Colleagues and outlets describe his approach as “rigorous, in-depth investigative journalism” on issues that matter to the community. He is adept at parsing court records, public documents, and interviews, distilling them into compelling stories without sensationalism. This clarity in storytelling is evident in piece after piece – whether he’s explaining bureaucratic failures or unraveling elaborate fraud schemes, LaRivière prioritizes evidence and context, echoing his sources’ calls for fairness and accountability.
Still in the early stages of his career, LaRivière has built an impressive public portfolio with over 80 published investigative articles to date. His relentless output and collaborative scoops serve as professional milestones in themselves. Each investigation he publishes not only exposes individual wrongdoers but often prompts broader conversations about reform – be it in family court systems, municipal governance, or federal law enforcement practices. With a clear narrative voice and a straightforward tone, Rick LaRivière has quickly established himself as a principled and tenacious investigative journalist, one whose work is increasingly cited and followed by those who value accountability and truth in journalism.
