Follow the Money EU
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Is FIFA heading for a red card? After controversy over its ties to Donald Trump, FIFA now risks scrutiny over $1.2 million sent to Russian clubs linked to sanctioned entities. With another round of payments approaching, will it repeat the same foul? Read the full article: www.ftm.eu/articles/fif...
Our recent investigation traced how Kremlin-linked money moved through shell companies to fund political influence, including payments to a Trump campaign operative hired by a right-wing party in Albania. 🔗 Full story (read it for free on our app): www.ftm.eu/articles/alb...
𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲’𝘀 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 🌍💐 Lily explains how Global South genetic resources fuel a billion-euro industry, while returns barely flow back. A broken UN system, lobbying, and loopholes keep the imbalance in place. 🔗🌷 Read the article for free in our app: www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...
🏆 Follow the Money was nominated in two categories for the European Press Prize 2026. One for our investigation into soldiers on the serious security risks of soldiers using Tinder, and another for a global collaborative project exposing a booming investment scam industry across Europe.
All eyes are on Hungary as the country heads to the polls today. What happens if Viktor Orbán loses power after 16 years? Direkt36’s Patrik Galavits unpacks loyalty under the regime and what could come next. 🎧 Full podcast 'Who’s the man aiming to oust Orbán?': www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
NATO: transatlantic alliance or an American instrument? In our recent podcast episode, 'Our Toxic Obsession with the US', journalist @davekeating.substack.com discussed the structural power imbalance at the heart of NATO as it stands today.
🎣🇪🇺 Despite having some of the world’s strictest fishing rules, the EU is letting violations slip through the net. Internal documents show the Commission has repeatedly dropped cases against member states. 🔗 Full story: www.ftm.eu/articles/the...
“The problem is just like junk food, American culture is best consumed in moderation. FTM podcast host Emma du Chatinier spoke with author Dave Keating about Europe’s cultural dependence on the US, why it matters, and what alternatives could look like. 🎧 Full episode: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
The carbon credit market is everywhere these days – from flight offsets to corporate climate claims. But does it actually work? FTM reporters Ties Gijzel and Mira Sys spent years investigating the industry. Their conclusion: carbon credits often do little and can at times cause more harm than good.
If you save, invest, or pay into a pension in Europe, there’s a chance your money is tied to Palantir. In this video, Eve explains why this is a problem. Want to know more? You can read the full story here 👉 www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...
From visa bans on NGO leaders to document demands targeting former EU officials, Trump allies are escalating pressure on Europe’s Big Tech crackdown – moves experts warn could weaken enforcement of EU tech laws. 🔗 Read the full story here: www.ftm.eu/articles/tru...
Why does corruption reporting matter in Europe today? In our latest podcast, FTM journalist @simonvandorpe.bsky.social discusses why scrutiny remains essential for healthy democracies, through the lens of the Didier Reynders money-laundering case. 🎧 Listen back here: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
🇪🇺📬 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀: - €5bn in EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) funds suspected lost - U.S. visa bans spark backlash in the European Parliament - New EU democracy initiative faces warnings over overlooked threats 🔗 Read the full newsletter here: www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀. 𝗥𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗶𝗹 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴. FTM and partners identified over 500 shadow fleet vessels exploiting legal grey zones to keep sanctioned oil moving worldwide, including along Europe’s coast. France and the U.S. recently intervened. Will enforcement soon follow?
🛡️Tinder is popular with soldiers, but our investigation suggests that it was not designed with security in mind. Listen back to our latest podcast, '𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿' here: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
💡 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗜? At our members’ event in Paradiso Amsterdam last month, journalist Isobel Cockerell from @codastory.com unpacked the rise of a Silicon Valley “new religion”, the growing tech 'broligarchy', and why the Vatican is paying close attention.
🎧 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗧𝗠 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 | 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆! From military security exposed via Tinder to Big Tobacco and power in EU politics, we dig into investigations that hold power to account, with expert voices and great guests. Stream from tomorrow on our app, website and podcast platforms.
"There’s an important distinction between diplomacy and unwanted influence." In a recent podcast, journalist @salsabilfayed.bsky.social explained how transparent engagement differs from influence driven by hidden funding. 🎧 Listen back here: www.ftm.eu/articles/thi...
Power prefers silence. We don’t. Our members make our investigations possible. Reaching 50,000 by December means more video reporting, a new disinformation series, cross-border investigations, and 1,000 gifted memberships to keep journalism accessible. Support FTM today: www.ftm.eu/powertoaccou...
💡Think tanks shape Europe’s policies – but who funds them? In our latest podcast, journalist Alistair Keepe discussed how U.S.-funded and Europe-based think tanks influence EU policymaking, including the role of Orbán-linked MCC Brussels. Re-listen here: www.ftm.eu/articles/thi...
⚖️As Ukraine fights a full-scale invasion, sanctioned Russian billionaires are demanding hundreds of millions in compensation – exploiting investment treaties to sue the war-torn state from courtrooms across Europe. Read the article: www.ftm.eu/articles/rus...
𝗪𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗲. To keep investigating, we need to reach 50,000 members. Reaching this goal means investing more in videos, disinformation reporting, and supporting other independent European media outlets. 💡 Support independent journalism today: www.ftm.eu/powertoaccou...
🪙 Did crypto really shift power to the people? Cryptocurrency promised a financial revolution beyond banks and governments. In our recent episode, journalist Thomas Bollen explains how power ended up concentrated again – with far less regulation. 🎧 Listen here: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
🚨 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗨’𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗳𝘆 (𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁) 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 With Investigate Europe & EUobserver, we track how EU transparency is being pushed back – from the new "Infosec" bill to Gaza, von der Leyen’s messages & pressure on Aarhus. Read it here: www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...
⚽️🚫 What’s the penalty for violating international sanctions? Our new investigation shows how FIFA is pressuring European clubs to pay Russian teams despite EU sanctions and frozen payment channels following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read the full story here: www.ftm.eu/articles/fif...
👕♻️ When you donate clothes, you expect them to stay local, right? But our investigation shows that some travel thousands of kilometres for sorting and resale – even from Europe to South Asia and back, in such cases tripling their carbon footprint. 🔗 Read the full story: www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...
𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘃𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝘂𝗱? EU regulators say Google is abusing its dominance and distorting competition. In our latest podcast, we break down what our investigation found – and why the U.S. might step in to stop Brussels from acting. 🎧 Latest episode: youtu.be/o72231r4hLk
🪙 Europe wants a digital euro to cut reliance on U.S. payment giants – but banks are resisting, and MEP Navarrete leading the proposal has met mostly banking lobbies. The pushback has delayed the ECB’s plan and left Europe lagging behind China and the U.S. Full story: www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...
𝗜𝘀 𝗘𝗨 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘆? Our investigation found EU funds going to Netaş – almost half-owned by China's ZTE, labelled high-risk by the EU itself – whose surveillance tech was used to prosecute peaceful protesters. Full story here: www.ftm.eu/articles/tur...
👖🌱 Ever wonder where your dropped-off clothes go? Some travel thousands of kilometres – Spain to Pakistan and even back – sometimes tripling emissions vs local processing. Once outside the EU, the trail goes dark – and new Brussels rules may worsen it. Read more: www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...