In the wake of the Ukrainian revolution, the country's long-besieged investigative journalists have turned one of the most secretive locations in eastern Europe into a haven for transparency and accountability.
Deposed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych's lavish 350-acre estate outside Kyiv -- which included an ostrich farm and a private lake complete with a full-size moored pirate galleon -- has been taken over by a team of Ukraine's investigative journalists.
They're using it as a base to study tends of thousands of documents found at the residence that are helping reveal the tale of the staggering corruption of Yanukovych's regime.
Their work may help Ukraine track down billions that were apparently looted from state coffers during Yanukovych's four years in office.
President's Son Won 50% of State Contacts
In a country where the average person makes $500 a month, Ukraine's new government says $37 billion went missing under Yanukovych, while another $70 billion flowed into offshore accounts -- though it's not clear how much of the latter amount was illegitimate. The government says its coffers are now virtually empty.
As an example of the corruption, the ousted president's son -- a 41-year-old dentist -- accumulated vast wealth during his father's short time in office and was reportedly worth $500 million in Nov. 2013. His various holding companies are reported to have won 50 percent of all state contracts in Jan. 2014.
The newfound freedom of Ukraine's investigative journalists is in sharp contrast with the country's recent record as one of the world's worst places for press freedom. In 2010, after Yanukovych came to power, the country fell from 90th place to 131st place in the annual press freedom ranking of the group Reporters Without Borders -- winding up behind Iraq and Zimbabwe.
The Ukrainian journalists have created the YanukovychLeaks website to publish their findings. Read more background here.
Showing posts with label corruption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label corruption. Show all posts
Monday, March 3, 2014
Ukraine Crisis: Only 15% of Russians Supported Action on Ukraine
As the crisis over Russia's invasion of Ukraine escalates, I thought it'd be useful to add my two hryvnias.
I'll be posting occasional news items I think are enlightening from my perspective as an investigative journalist of partly Ukrainian descent.
Here's an interesting take from Time Magazine. It reveals that only 15 percent of Russians actually wanted their government to intervene to help Ukraine's deposed president, Viktor Yanukovych, stay in power.
In the survey, conducted by the Kremlin's own pollster, 73 percent said Russia shouldn't interfere in what they believed was an internal matter for Ukrainians. (Russian speakers and Google Translate users can read the complete results here.)
The poll was carried out Feb. 1 and 2, before mass protests in Ukraine forced Yanukovych to flee to Russia. Ukraine's new authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Yanukovych for mass murder in connection with the killing of nearly 100 protesters by police and government snipers as he clung to power.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has vociferously denounced the overthrow of his ally Yanukovych and sent thousands of Russian soldiers into Ukraine's Crimea region shortly after.
The poll also found that 30 percent of respondents in Moscow and St. Petersburg predicted Russia could see a similar protest movement, particularly if faced with a severe economic crisis or poverty.
I'll be posting occasional news items I think are enlightening from my perspective as an investigative journalist of partly Ukrainian descent.
Here's an interesting take from Time Magazine. It reveals that only 15 percent of Russians actually wanted their government to intervene to help Ukraine's deposed president, Viktor Yanukovych, stay in power.
In the survey, conducted by the Kremlin's own pollster, 73 percent said Russia shouldn't interfere in what they believed was an internal matter for Ukrainians. (Russian speakers and Google Translate users can read the complete results here.)
The poll was carried out Feb. 1 and 2, before mass protests in Ukraine forced Yanukovych to flee to Russia. Ukraine's new authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Yanukovych for mass murder in connection with the killing of nearly 100 protesters by police and government snipers as he clung to power.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has vociferously denounced the overthrow of his ally Yanukovych and sent thousands of Russian soldiers into Ukraine's Crimea region shortly after.
The poll also found that 30 percent of respondents in Moscow and St. Petersburg predicted Russia could see a similar protest movement, particularly if faced with a severe economic crisis or poverty.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Investigations: Canada Lags in Accounting for Billions in Afghan Spending
There's been virtually no public accounting of the $18 billion or more that Canada spent on the mission to Afghanistan, the world's most corrupt country, reports this investigative story by the Ottawa Citizen's David Pugliese.
The few audits or investigations that have been done have pointed to significant problems, but Canada's auditor general has no plans to study the Afghan spending.
Even the exact amount of Canada's spending in Afghanistan isn't known. Canadian government departments refused to turn over the numbers to the parliamentary budget officer.
Critics say most aid dollars never reach ordinary Afghans and are instead diverted into the pockets of powerful local officials.
U.S. Investigating Aggressively
Meanwhile, the U.S. has moved aggressively to nail misspending and fraud in its $97 billion aid program in Afghanistan. A watchdog agency created by the U.S. Congress found a construction company working on a new hospital was charging $500 per gallon for diesel fuel, when it actually costs $5.
The agency also looked into a $19-million project to build police bases and found they were abandoned or never occupied. One couldn't be used because it had no water supply. At another, one of the buildings had been turned into a chicken coop.
Even though most Canadian troops are now back home, Ottawa has pledged another $550 million in security aid and development funding.
Pugliese's story is one of a seven-part series looking at the legacy of the Afghan mission.
The few audits or investigations that have been done have pointed to significant problems, but Canada's auditor general has no plans to study the Afghan spending.
Even the exact amount of Canada's spending in Afghanistan isn't known. Canadian government departments refused to turn over the numbers to the parliamentary budget officer.
Critics say most aid dollars never reach ordinary Afghans and are instead diverted into the pockets of powerful local officials.
U.S. Investigating Aggressively
Meanwhile, the U.S. has moved aggressively to nail misspending and fraud in its $97 billion aid program in Afghanistan. A watchdog agency created by the U.S. Congress found a construction company working on a new hospital was charging $500 per gallon for diesel fuel, when it actually costs $5.
The agency also looked into a $19-million project to build police bases and found they were abandoned or never occupied. One couldn't be used because it had no water supply. At another, one of the buildings had been turned into a chicken coop.
Even though most Canadian troops are now back home, Ottawa has pledged another $550 million in security aid and development funding.
Pugliese's story is one of a seven-part series looking at the legacy of the Afghan mission.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Investigative Journalism: Mine Deals "Looting" Congo
Interesting in-depth report here from Bloomberg Markets Magazine on Dan Gertler.
The 38-year-old Israeli billionaire built a fortune out of Congo's vast mineral riches thanks to his close personal relationship with Congolese president Joseph Kabila and lucrative deals that let Gertler purchase resources below their value, the Bloomberg report says.
Meanwhile, Congo remains one of the world's poorest and most corrupt countries. Governance is so bad the International Monetary Fund cut off loans worth $225 million U.S. because a lack of transparency in mining deals, according to IMF official Antoinette Sayeh, who is cited in the story.
"Dan Gertler is essentially looting Congo at the expense of its people," Congolese mining watchdog rep Jean Pierre Muteba tells Bloomberg.
Gertler dismisses such critics, saying he aims to help Congo as well as himself. "At the end of the day, yes, I'm looking to create a lot of wealth," he is quoted saying.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Investigative Journalism 2.0: IPaidABribe.com
Just discovered this great site about corruption stories in India: IPaidABribe.com. Created by the Bangalore-based Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, it harnesses citizen participation to collect stories of corruption and attempted corruption, including details to give a broader picture of the problem and to help the group press for change.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Investigations: Inside Quebec Construction's Organized Crime and Political Ties
Here's a fascinating look inside Quebec's notoriously corrupt construction industry, including its links with organized crime and political fundraisers. Radio-Canada has made public this 72-page report from Quebec's anti-corruption investigative squad, based on a year-and-a-half-long inquiry.
The report speaks of a "deeply rooted and clandestine universe of an unsuspected scope that is harmful to our society - in terms of security, the economy, justice and democracy."
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