Will Jordan
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Documentaries & Investigations @OCCRP.
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Articles by Will Jordan
Back in the Saddle: Pilgrimage readies for 11th edition
The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, with its iconic barns and rolling pastures, holds decades of stories beneath its soil. Long before it became home to one of the region’s most beloved music festivals, it was a working horse farm, a town landmark, and a steady presence in Franklin’s evolution.
Businessman Who Bought Dominica Passport and Funded U.K. Tories Now Under Investigation in India
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Singh also had joint business interests with Arvind Khanna, an Indian politician and businessman who was charged in India this year with profiting from an allegedly corrupt military aircraft deal involving a research agency of the Indian Defense Ministry. (The case has not yet gone to trial.) Company records from the Indian business registry show that, in 2006, Singh jointly invested in a company that developed a Delhi hotel with an investment company majority owned by Khanna.
By Will Jordan Verified, Anand Mangnale Verified
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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
Verified
U.K. Royal’s Russian Allies Helped Putin Crony Rotenberg Dodge Western Sanctions
by Tom Stocks (OCCRP), Will Jordan (OCCRP), Graham Stack (OCCRP), and Ben Cowdock (TI-UK) Also published by our partner The Times (U.K., in English). Tweet this Share this on Facebook DONATE Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin, Prince Michael, distanced himself from earlier ties to the Putin regime in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Fake ‘Rothschild’ Was Chased by Russian Organized Crime When She Took Pictures With Trump at Mar-a-Lago
by Michael Sallah (The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), Kevin G. Hall, Brian Fitzpatrick, Will Jordan (OCCRP) Tweet this Share this on Facebook DONATE While Inna Yashchyshyn visited Mar-a-Lago and schmoozed with former President Trump and his inner circle, she was being pursued by a senior member of Russian organized crime. Key Findings An organized crime figure told reporters he was trying to track down Yashchyshyn and a former associate for an unpaid debt after a business deal gone wrong.
Inventing Anna: Ukrainian-Born Scammer Posed with Trump and Wandered Mar-a-Lago
by Will Jordan (OCCRP), Michael Sallah (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), Kevin G. Hall (OCCRP), Brian Fitzpatrick (OCCRP), Karina Shedrofsky (OCCRP) Also published by our partner Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (U.S., in English). Tweet this Share this on Facebook DONATE Inna Yashchyshyn, a self-confessed grifter linked to a fraudulent charity, posed as a member of one of the world’s most famous banking families, gained access to Donald Trump’s Florida home, and mingled with top Republicans.
The Rise and Fall of a U.S. Oilman in Iraq
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Tweet this Share this on Facebook DONATE A secret kickback deal with an Iraqi Kurdistan politician made Todd Kozel rich. But an affair and his bitter divorce led him to disgrace. (A response to this story is included at the bottom of the page.) Todd Kozel, founder of London-listed oil company Gulf Keystone, struck a deal to kick back huge revenues to an Iraqi Kurdistan politician’s company in 2007.
By Daniel Balint-Kurti, Will Jordan Verified
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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
Verified
Exclusive: Maldives president’s corruption revealed
Al Jazeera investigation exposes a $1.5bn money-laundering plot, bribery, theft and fraud in paradise. Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit has exposed massive corruption at the top of the Maldives government, including theft, bribery and money laundering. President Abdulla Yameen is accused of receiving cash in bags filled with up to $1m – so much that it was “difficult to carry”, according to one of the men who delivered the money.
Trump donor Elliott Broidy named in Ukraine criminal probe
The Prosecutor General of Ukraine has launched an investigation into claims surrounding an alleged multi-million dollar lobbying contract that names one of US President Donald Trump’s most influential fundraisers, Elliott Broidy. The 12-page document, which appears to have been signed by Broidy, outlines his role as providing “political advocacy” on behalf of a now sanctioned Russian bank, VTB.
Exclusive: Giuliani associate linked to Yanukovich's stolen cash
Semyon Kislin, a business associate of Donald Trump who is due to give evidence at the US president's impeachment inquiry on October 14, tried to obtain millions of dollars that Ukrainian prosecutors deemed stolen, Al Jazeera can reveal. Kislin is a long-time friend of Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. The Ukraine-born businessman donated to Giuliani's political campaigns in the 1990s.
North Korea: Chemistry, a killing, and then karaoke
It is a touching scene, a husband beside his wife leading a tribute to "the fragrant flower of the family". Friends sing along and wave their arms to the classic North Korean tune, You Should Love.
Boeing's darkest days: Tracing the events that led to 737 crisis
Since 1916, Boeing has carefully built up a proud history that reached almost a century without a grounded fleet. But in the last six years, the US-based commercial jet manufacturer has suffered two worldwide groundings. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) halted operation of the 787 Dreamliner in 2013 following two battery failures and then acted earlier this year on the 737 Max after two plane crashes killed 346 people.
4 Technologies ready to transform 2019
Change is the word that best describes the time and age that we live in. Everyone is on the lookout for something that adds to the quality of life. What defines change? Nothing is a better representation of the change than technology. The exciting part is that we have been on this track since ancient times. Technology that once was a trend has now become a culture. The aim is to raise the standards of living and creating things, ways and means to add ease in human life.
Oligarch 'made threat' after Trump inauguration
Pavel Fuchs, a Ukrainian oligarch who negotiated with Donald Trump and reportedly works with his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, stands accused of making a threat of violence against a US-based businessman involved in selling him seats to the 45th US president's inauguration.
Rainy day brings new opportunities to hear music and shop after Pilgrimage Fest cancellation
A few displaced bands and vendors will have a place to showcase their goods and music after the cancellation of Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival Sunday due to weather and unsafe conditions at The Park at Harlinsdale. Christopher H. Thomas, founder of MADE SOUTH, and Will Jordan, owner of music venue Kimbro’s Pickin’ Parlor have made the show go on due to their willingness to serve talented artisans and musicians.
Report exposes Maldives 'orgy of corruption' ahead of election
An investigation has uncovered new details about Maldives government corruption days before a presidential election and weeks after the European Union moved to sanction its leaders. Published on Tuesday, the research finds that at least 50 of the nation's prized tropical island leases were obtained, often at hugely discounted prices without public tender, and - according to the country's top auditor - were illegal.
TCRecord: Article
Do Incentive-Based Programs Improve Teacher Quality and Student Achievement? An Analysis of Implementation in 12 Urban Charter Schools Context: Policymakers have increasingly advocated for incentive-based approaches for improving urban schools. Purpose of the study: Few studies have examined the implementation of incentive based approaches in the urban charter school context.
Oligarch named in Al Jazeera investigation faces questioning
Officials have summoned one of the Ukraine's biggest gas tycoons for questioning over his links to $1.5bn that was found by prosecutors to have been stolen by former President Viktor Yanukovych. An investigation by Al Jazeera revealed Pavel Fuchs's connections to the dirty money in January. The oligarch, communicating via his Telegram channel, confirmed that he will meet prosecutors on August 22 and says he "will answer all the investigation's questions".
Jack White, Lionel Richie, Chris Stapleton to headline Pilgrimage 2018; Early ticket access starts today
Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival announced its full 2018 lineup with Jack White and Chris Stapleton as headliners for its' fourth year Sept.
Trump donor Elliott Broidy named in Ukraine criminal probe
The Prosecutor General of Ukraine has launched an investigation into claims surrounding an allegedâ¯multi-million dollar lobbying contract that names one of US President Donald Trump's most influential fundraisers, Elliott Broidy. The 12-pageâ¯document, which appears to have been signed by Broidy, outlines his role as providing "political advocacy" on behalf of a now sanctioned Russian bank, VTB.
Ukraine leader sacks adviser after news of $500m deal
Ukraine’s president has dismissed his chief economic adviser, Boris Lozhkin, hours after Al Jazeera contacted both men over a story that indicates they received tens of millions of dollars raised fraudulently. The money was part of a $500m payment from another oligarch, Sergei Kurchenko, who played a central role in the government of former President Viktor Yanukovych. It involves a deal surrounding the purchase of Ukraine’s largest media group, United Media Holdings (UMH), in 2013.
Is President Poroshenko linked to a dodgy $500m deal?
It was a remarkable deal by any measure. An oligarch who had come from nowhere, aged just 28, had raised half a billion dollars to buy the media group that had earlier investigated him. Serhiy Kurchenko, the "gas wizard of Ukraine", had been named publicly for the first time only a year before. Now, he was able to seize the magazine that had investigated him, Forbes Ukraine. Staff resigned en masse. No longer would they write about his irregular business practices. That's what he thought.
Poroshenko sacks Lozhkin after news of $500m deal
Ukraine's president has dismissed his chief economic adviser, Boris Lozhkin, hours after Al Jazeera on Thursday contacted both men over a story that indicates they received tens of millions of dollars raised fraudulently. The money was part of a $500m payment from another oligarch, Sergei Kurchenko, who played a central role in the government of former President Viktor Yanukovych. It involves a deal surrounding the purchase of Ukraine's largest media group, United Media Holdings (UMH), in 2013.
Oligarch, friend of Trump: Who is Pavel Fuchs?
"When I was young, I beat people up," Pavel Fuchs tells the presenter of Russian television show Business Persona. "I don't like it when someone lies to me." He recounts a story about his Turkish builders. "While refurbishing, I told them not to smoke, but when I arrived they were smoking.
Illicit deal targets assets looted from Ukraine
"The girls will be here shortly," said the bodyguard with a heavy French accent as our cameraman set up for the interview. "Just joking!" He laughed. "Please wait. Mr Onyschenko is coming." He walked out of the presidential suite of the five-star Barcelona hotel. Three hours later, one of Ukraine's most-wanted men walked in. Alexander Onyschenko cuts a remarkably relaxed figure, considering his fugitive status.
'The baby-faced gas king of Ukraine'
Each day in Moscow except Sunday, at about 6:30am, 18 security guards in five cars transport Serhiy Kurchenko from his gated home to his central Moscow office. They are armed former Russian special forces. On the back seat of the second car, the fugitive Ukrainian oligarch often asks impatiently when they will get there. If he doesn't get an immediate response, the driver will be fired. "It was the worst job I have ever had," says one of the former chauffeurs.
Co-founders put Pilgrimage to bed, literally … sweet dreams until next year
The three co-founders put Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival to bed, quite literally, this year from sunup to sundown each day in a camper on site at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm. “It was beautiful seeing the sun rise and the sun set over the community,” said co-founder Kevin Griffin, rocker front man of Better Than Ezra.
Choosing the right finance system in 2017 - part 1
With 2017 now upon us, changing to a new financial management system is not as difficult as you may think and there’s nothing to stop you undertaking the process yourself - with a little help from others in the organisation. In this two-part article, we have provided some common sense advice and a best practice approach to selecting and implementing a new financial management system. The first question you need to ask yourself is – why am I changing my financial management system?
For a climate hero, an a-la-carte terror sentence
The president of the Maldives hand-picked the terror sentence of his predecessor, Mohamed Nasheed, evidence suggests. Mohamed "Oittey" Hussain has a childlike sense of mischief as he tells the story of how former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed's 13-year terror sentence was decided. "They called me and told me to pick up a letter from [Judge] Bari," he says. "That was near Asr [the afternoon] prayer at 4:00. 'Come near the court, the Justice Building, Criminal Court.
Exclusive: Maldives president's corruption revealed
Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit has exposed massive corruption at the top of the Maldives government, including theft, bribery and money laundering. President Abdulla Yameen is accused of receiving cash in bags filled with up to $1m - so much that it was "difficult to carry", according to one of the men who delivered the money. A new documentary, Stealing Paradise, provides an unprecedented insight into how international corruption is carried out.
Maldives: How do you launder $1.5 billion?
How do you launder one-and-a-half billion dollars? If it is denominated in $100 bills, it would be the equivalent of 12 fully stacked pallets. Buying property, art and expensive watches does not cut it. So the Maldives president's closest ministers and aides came up with a plan. Stealing Paradise, a documentary by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit, has shown that the Maldives government "controls all the levers of state" and often uses them for nefarious purposes.
Maldives: 'The system has failed'
Evidence of the extensive network of political corruption exposes a much deeper problem in the island nation. Ten years ago was a time of optimism and change in the Maldives. Today is anything but. Back then, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's grip on power was weakening. The long-time dictator had legalised political parties and decriminalised defamation. To many, it seemed that his flawed road map to democracy might actually work.
Maldives: A timeline to corruption
The politics of the Maldives has been turbulent, with government leaders implicated in corrupt deals. For 30 years, the Maldives was ruled by one man, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. He introduced the world to the Maldives' tropical islands, pioneering the luxury resort model that proved lucrative. He also banned all political parties, severely restricted basic freedoms and ran the country in an autocratic style.
Delivering stolen money to the Maldives president
The three "bros" were tasked with delivering millions of dollars in cash to the president - and they are now on the run. "It is difficult to carry!" says one of three men who delivered bags of cash to the Maldives president. To those who deal with them, they are known simply as "the bros". Several young men on the run from the Maldives' government and seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.
Stealing Paradise: The Maagau Mystery
Corruption claims have hit nearly 60 paradise island lease deals in the Maldives, but few have a story like the island of Maagau. Its characters include the Italian distributor of Penthouse, a Maldivian gangster and a vice president, now jailed on corruption charges. It has entangled an Auditor General, now fired and facing numerous death threats. At its heart are several unusual payments for about $2.5m. Unravelling what really happened is complicated, but some facts are clear.
Flawed FAA redactions expose Boeing 787 whistleblower
The US aviation authority has outed a whistleblower who raised the alarm about what he felt were flaws in the lightning protection system on the Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" passenger jet. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) released documents following a freedom of information request, but failed to fully redact the name of the whistleblower in the papers. As a result, Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit was able to track him down.
US regulators complain of 'undue pressure' from Boeing
Dozens of engineers responsible for regulation of the long-delayed 787 "Dreamliner" aircraft told US authorities that senior Boeing managers pressured them to approve designs and parts before they felt ready. They said that when they tried to enforce official standards on the 787 programme they came under "undue pressure" and were either "talking to a brick wall" or subjected to "verbal abuse and verbal ridicule".
FAA tries 'driving a stake' through reporter's heart
It took the Federal Aviation Administration more than two-and-a-half years to reply to one of our freedom of information requests, filed while we worked on our investigation Broken Dreams: the Boeing 787. We're still waiting on another, which we're told will come in July. That will be a three-year wait. It's pretty clear the agency is no friends of reporters. "Sigh.
Boeing stymied staff from talking to regulators
Boeing made its engineers sign a non-disclosure agreement that led some to refuse to discuss details of 787 "Dreamliner" designs with US government regulators, new documents reveal. In 2011, the major plane and arms manufacturer made employees agree in writing that "non-public sensitive material" linked to a mysterious programme known as Project Espresso "must be safeguarded at all times and held confidential on a strict need-to-know basis". ... don't implicate the 787 with your conversations.
Voters give poor marks to Michael Gove
Education Secretary Michael Gove found himself in a row over the future of Ofsted last week, following his decision not to re-appoint Labour peer Sally Morgan as head of the schools inspectorate, a move that some have called politically motivated. Now a YouGov poll for the Sunday Times shows approval of Mr Gove’s performance at the Department for Education has dipped further since last year.
Genocide Agenda: Documents presented as evidence
Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit has obtained a cache of documents from Myanmar and beyond that reveal a picture of the oppression of the Southeast Asian country's Rohingya people. They also shed light on the inner-workings of the regime.
Exclusive: UK under pressure over Kenya kidnapping
Secret MI6 document suggests British government failed to communicate a threat and later ignored an unjust conviction. By Clayton SwisherandWill Jordan Published On 12 Oct 201512 Oct 2015 A secret MI6 document obtained by Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit raises serious questions about the British government’s actions before and after the kidnapping of Judith Tebbutt and the killing of her husband, David.
Exclusive: UK under pressure over Kenya kidnapping
A secret MI6 document obtained by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit raises serious questions about the British government's actions before and after the kidnapping of Judith Tebbutt and the killing of her husband, David. The couple was seized on September 11, 2011, during a brazen assault on a Kenyan luxury resort in Lamu, near the Somali border.
Informant Claims Former Yemen Leader’s Regime Worked with Al-Qaeda
Richard Barrett Quoted on Al Jazeera America: Informant Claims Former Yemen Leader’s Regime Worked with Al-QaedaJune 4, 2015 Informant Claims Former Yemen Leader’s Regime Worked with Al-Qaeda Al Jazeera AmericaBy: Will Jordan . Ali Abdullah Saleh’s government in Yemen supported and even helped direct Al- Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), according to allegations made to Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit.
Behind al-Qaeda's bombing at Yemen's Balqis Temple
Esteve Maso didn't want to go on the trip that killed his wife. He wanted to go to a Nordic country, not the Middle East. But Marta Borrell had friends who had "told of wondrous things that she wanted to see" in Yemen. Eventually Esteve backed down. "There comes a time when you have to give way," he says. Julia Rodriguez had no such reluctance. An energetic, blonde doctor from Catalonia, she was well-travelled in the Arab world and had chosen a trip that was "for travellers, not tourists".
AJ Investigates: Al Qaeda Informant
A former Al Qaeda operative turned Yemeni-government informant steps out of the shadows to speak with Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit. He reveals a sinister double game played by Al Qaeda and the former Yemeni government of Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Informant says Yemen's Saleh helped direct al-Qaeda
The government of Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh supported and even helped direct al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), according to allegations made to Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit. Hani Mujahid approached Al Jazeera with his story [Al Jazeera] A former Al-Qaeda operative who says he later turned informant to the Yemeni government made the claim during three days of interviews in a location outside the Gulf.
Spy cables reveal African Union assassination threat
Secret intelligence documents leaked to Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit reveal that spies in Addis Ababa were alerted to a plot by "an unnamed state" to kill a top African Union diplomat. Ethiopian agents later accused Sudan of involvement in the plan to assassinate African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who had previously served as South Africa's foreign minister.
Spy Cables raise South Africa privacy concerns
Documents leaked to Al Jazeera have exposed regulatory loopholes exploited by South African spies to enable domestic surveillance work. The cache of secret intelligence papers includes a confidential surveillance policy-and-procedure manual, as well as copies of the application forms used by intelligence and security personnel seeking permission to conduct both physical and electronic surveillance of an individual. Also included are draft regulations on relations with foreign spy agencies.
S Africa spied on Russia for satellite project details
Leaked cables reveal South Africa is relying on a spy in Russia to provide details on its own joint satellite programme. South Africa's State Security Agency is relying on an agent in Russia for details of a secretive satellite surveillance project being developed in cooperation between South Africa's military intelligence service and Russia, according to a top-secret spy cable obtained by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit.
Cables reveal S Africa at odds with allies on al-Qaeda
Flood of missives from foreign agencies warn of al-Qaeda peril to country, but its own spies see little direct threat. Russian intelligence claimed in February 2011 that al-Qaeda had established a "marine unit" based in North Africa and planned to use speedboats as "floating bombs", according to documents leaked to Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit.
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