Difference between revisions of "International Consortium of Investigative Journalists"

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|sourcewatch=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/International_Consortium_of_Investigative_Journalists
 
|sourcewatch=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/International_Consortium_of_Investigative_Journalists
 
|abbreviation=ICIJ
 
|abbreviation=ICIJ
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|members=James Ball
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|description=Nominally independent, the ICIJ is heavily financed by the usual Western deep state cutouts, including [[Open Society Foundations]], [[USAID]] and the [[Ford Foundation]], plus a host of similar foundations from minor NATO-countries, like the [[Adessium Foundation]].
 
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The '''International Consortium of Investigative Journalists''' ('''ICIJ''') is an independent Washington D.C.-based international network. Launched in 1997 by the [[Center for Public Integrity]],<ref name=nyt_2016>{{cite news |title=News Group Claims Huge Trove of Data on Offshore Accounts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/04/03/world/europe/ap-panama-papers.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=3 April 2016 |accessdate=4 April 2016 |first1=Natalya |last1=Vasilyeva |first2=Mae |last2=Anderson}}</ref> ICIJ was spun off in February 2017 into a fully independent organisation which includes more than 200 investigative journalists in over 70 countries<ref name=icij_about>{{cite web | title = About the ICIJ | url = http://www.icij.org/about | publisher=The Center for Public Integrity | accessdate = 10 February 2015}}</ref> who work together on "issues such as "cross-border crime, corruption, and the accountability of power."<ref name="ICIJ_about_2016">{{cite web | url=https://www.icij.org/about#_ga=1.176642661.1198513972.1459891310 | title=About | publisher=ICIJ | date=6 April 2016 | accessdate=6 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="ICIJabout">ICIJ, [http://www.icij.org/about About the ICIJ]</ref> The ICIJ has exposed smuggling and tax evasion by multinational tobacco companies (2000),<ref name="ICIJ_2000_tobacco">{{citation |title=Major Tobacco Multinational Implicated in Cigarette Smuggling, Tax Evasion, Documents Show|first1=Maud |last1=Beelman |first2=Duncan |last2=Campbell |first3=Maria Teresa |last3=Ronderos |first4=Erik J. |last4=Schelzig |date=January 2000 |work=International Consortium of Investigative Journalists}}</ref> "by organised crime syndicates; investigated private military cartels, asbestos companies,<ref name="icij_2010">{{cite web | url=https://www.icij.org/sites/icij/files/dangersinthedust_1.pdf | title=Dangers in the Dust | publisher=International Consortium of Investigative Journalists | date=2010 | accessdate=8 April 2016}}</ref> and climate change lobbyists; and broke new ground by publicising details of [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]] war contracts."<ref name="ICIJ_about_2016"/><ref name="ICIJ_about_2016"/><ref name="ICIJabout"/><ref name="ryle">{{cite news  | url = http://www.icij.org/journalists/gerard-ryle  | title = Gerard Ryle  | publisher = Center for Public Integrity}}</ref>
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The '''International Consortium of Investigative Journalists''' ('''ICIJ''') is an Washington D.C.-based international journalism network.  
  
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The ICIJ's most recent investigation is the [[Paradise Papers]], a cross-border, global investigation<ref>[https://www.icij.org/blog/2017/971/icij-releases-paradise-papers/ global investigation]</ref> that reveals the offshore activities of some of the world's most powerful people and companies.<ref name="ICIJ_paradise">{{Cite news|url=https://www.icij.org/blog/2017/971/icij-releases-paradise-papers/|title=ICIJ releases new investigation: the Paradise Papers|date=5 November 2017|work=International Consortium of Investigative Journalists|access-date=5 November 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref> The project involved 95 media partners and was based on 13.4 million leaked files.  
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Nominally [[independent]], the ICIJ is heavily financed by the usual Western deep state cutouts, including [[Open Society Foundations]], [[USAID]] and the [[Ford Foundation]], plus a host of similar foundations from minor [[NATO]]-countries, like the [[Adessium Foundation]]. <ref>https://www.icij.org/about/our-supporters/</ref> (To illustrate that there is something fishy with ICIJ, compare the lavish government funding (through cutouts) for this outfit with the shoestring operation of [[Consortium News]], founded by the late investigative journalist [[Robert Parry]].
  
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For the [[Panama Papers]] more than 80 journalists worked on the data, culminating in a partial release on 3 April 2016, garnering global media attention.<ref name="panamapapers_icij_2016">{{cite web | url=https://panamapapers.icij.org/ | title=The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists | work=ICIJ | date=April 2016 | accessdate=6 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="nyt_2016_april_6">{{cite web | url=http://nyti.ms/239HhVM | title=The Panama Papers’ Sprawling Web of Corruption | publisher=New York Times | date=5 April 2016 | access-date=6 April 2016}}</ref> The set of 11.5 million confidential financial and legal document from the [[Panama]]-based law firm [[Mossack Fonseca]] included detailed information on more than 14,000 clients and more than 214,000 offshore entities, including the identities of shareholders and directors including noted personalities and heads of state<ref>{{cite news |title=News Group Claims Huge Trove of Data on Offshore Accounts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/04/03/world/europe/ap-panama-papers.html |newspaper=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press |date=April 3, 2016 |access-date=4 April 2016 |first1=Natalya |last1= Vasilyeva |first2=Mae |last2=Anderson}}</ref>—government officials, close relatives and close associates of various heads of government of more than 40 other countries.<ref name="theguardian_2016_apr_6">{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/06/panama-papers-reveal-offshore-secrets-china-red-nobility-big-business | title=Panama Papers reveal offshore secrets of China’s red nobility: Disclosures show how havens such as British Virgin Islands hide links between big business and relatives of top politician | publisher=The Guardian | date=6 April 2016 | access-date=6 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news |title=News Group Claims Huge Trove of Data on Offshore Accounts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/04/03/world/europe/ap-panama-papers.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |agency=Associated Press |date=3 April 2016 |access-date=4 April 2016 |first1=Natalya |last1= Vasilyeva |first2=Mae |last2=Anderson}}</ref><ref name="Power Players">{{cite web |title=Panama Papers: The Power Players |url= https://panamapapers.icij.org/the_power_players/ |publisher=International Consortium of Investigative Journalists |access-date=3 April 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404042238/https://panamapapers.icij.org/the_power_players/ |archivedate= 4 April 2016 |dead-url=no}}</ref> The German newspaper ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' first received the released data from an anonymous source in 2015.<ref name="nytimes.com"/>  
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Participant journalists include the [[Integrity Initiative]] member [[James Ball]]
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==Work==
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Launched in 1997 by the [[Center for Public Integrity]],<ref name=nyt_2016>https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/04/03/world/europe/ap-panama-papers.html </ref> ICIJ was spun off in February 2017 into a fully independent organisation which includes more than 200 investigative journalists in over 70 countries<ref name=icij_about>http://www.icij.org/about</ref> who work together on "issues such as "cross-border crime, corruption, and the accountability of power."<ref name="ICIJ_about_2016">https://www.icij.org/about#_ga=1.176642661.1198513972.1459891310 </ref><ref name="ICIJabout">ICIJ, [http://www.icij.org/about About the ICIJ]</ref> The ICIJ has exposed smuggling and tax evasion by multinational tobacco companies (2000),<ref name="ICIJ_2000_tobacco">Beelman, Maud; Campbell, Duncan; Ronderos, Maria Teresa; Schelzig, Erik J. (January 2000), "Major Tobacco Multinational Implicated in Cigarette Smuggling, Tax Evasion, Documents Show", International Consortium of Investigative Journalists</ref> "by organised crime syndicates; investigated private military cartels, asbestos companies,<ref name="icij_2010">https://www.icij.org/sites/icij/files/dangersinthedust_1.pdf </ref> and climate change lobbyists; and broke new ground by publicising details of [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]] war contracts."<ref name="ICIJ_about_2016"/><ref name="ICIJ_about_2016"/><ref name="ICIJabout"/><ref name="ryle">http://www.icij.org/journalists/gerard-ryle</ref>
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The ICIJ's 2015 investigation was the [[Paradise Papers]], a cross-border, global investigation<ref>[https://www.icij.org/blog/2017/971/icij-releases-paradise-papers/ global investigation]</ref> that reveals the offshore activities of some of the world's most powerful people and companies.<ref name="ICIJ_paradise">https://www.icij.org/blog/2017/971/icij-releases-paradise-papers/</ref> The project involved 95 media partners and was based on 13.4 million leaked files.
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For the [[Panama Papers]] more than 80 journalists worked on the data, culminating in a partial release on 3 April 2016, garnering global media attention.<ref name="panamapapers_icij_2016">https://panamapapers.icij.org/ | title=The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists</ref><ref name="nyt_2016_april_6">http://nyti.ms/239HhVM</ref> The set of 11.5 million confidential financial and legal document from the [[Panama]]-based law firm [[Mossack Fonseca]] included detailed information on more than 14,000 clients and more than 214,000 offshore entities, including the identities of shareholders and directors including noted personalities and heads of state<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/04/03/world/europe/ap-panama-papers.html</ref>—government officials, close relatives and close associates of various heads of government of more than 40 other countries.<ref name="theguardian_2016_apr_6">https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/06/panama-papers-reveal-offshore-secrets-china-red-nobility-big-business</ref><ref name="nytimes.com">https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/04/03/world/europe/ap-panama-papers.html </ref><ref name="Power Players">https://web.archive.org/web/20160404042238/https://panamapapers.icij.org/the_power_players/</ref> The German newspaper ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' first received the released data from an anonymous source in 2015.<ref name="nytimes.com"/>  
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
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In 1997, the Center for Public Integrity began "assembling the world’s first working network of premier investigative reporters." By 2000 the ICIJ consisted of 75 world-class investigative reporters in 39 countries."<ref name="publicintegrity_2000">{{cite web | url=https://www.publicintegrity.org/files/manual/pdf/corporate/2000_CPI_Annual_Report.pdf | title=2000 Center for Public Integrity Annual Report | publisher=Center for Public Integrity | date=2000 | accessdate=7 April 2016 |pages=27}}</ref>
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In 1997, the Center for Public Integrity began "assembling the world’s first working network of premier investigative reporters." By 2000 the ICIJ consisted of 75 world-class investigative reporters in 39 countries."<ref name="publicintegrity_2000">https://www.publicintegrity.org/files/manual/pdf/corporate/2000_CPI_Annual_Report.pdf</ref>
  
 
In February 2017, ICIJ was spun off into a fully independent organisation, which is now governed by three committees: a traditional board of directors with a fiduciary role; an Advisory Committee made of supporters; and an ICIJ Network Committee.<ref name="icij_about" />
 
In February 2017, ICIJ was spun off into a fully independent organisation, which is now governed by three committees: a traditional board of directors with a fiduciary role; an Advisory Committee made of supporters; and an ICIJ Network Committee.<ref name="icij_about" />
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==Global tobacco industry==
 
==Global tobacco industry==
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From 2008 to 2011, the ICIJ investigated the global tobacco industry revealing how [[Philip Morris International]] and other tobacco companies worked to grow businesses in [[Russia]], [[Mexico]], [[Uruguay]] and [[Indonesia]].<ref name=lethal_legal_2014>{{cite book | title=Lethal But Legal: Corporations, Consumption, and Protecting Public Health | author=Freudenberg, Nicholas |isbn=9780199937196 |work=Oxford University Press |date=21 January 2014|pages=344}}</ref>
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From 2008 to 2011, the ICIJ investigated the global tobacco industry revealing how [[Philip Morris International]] and other tobacco companies worked to grow businesses in [[Russia]], [[Mexico]], [[Uruguay]] and [[Indonesia]].<ref name=lethal_legal_2014>Freudenberg, Nicholas (21 January 2014). Lethal But Legal: Corporations, Consumption, and Protecting Public Health. Oxford University Press. p. 344.</ref>
  
 
==Offshore banking series==
 
==Offshore banking series==
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The ICIJ partnered with ''[[The Guardian]]'', [[BBC]], ''[[Le Monde]]'', the ''[[Washington Post]]'', ''[[SonntagsZeitung]]'', ''[[The Indian Express]]'', ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' and ''[[Norddeutscher Rundfunk|NDR]]'' to produce an investigative series on [[offshore banking]].<ref>{{cite web | last = Pitzke | first = Marc | title = Offshore Leaks: Vast Web of Tax Evasion Exposed | url = http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/icij-journalists-expose-mass-web-of-global-tax-evasion-a-892505.html
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The ICIJ partnered with ''[[The Guardian]]'', [[BBC]], ''[[Le Monde]]'', the ''[[Washington Post]]'', ''[[SonntagsZeitung]]'', ''[[The Indian Express]]'', ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' and ''[[Norddeutscher Rundfunk|NDR]]'' to produce an investigative series on [[offshore banking]].<ref>http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/icij-journalists-expose-mass-web-of-global-tax-evasion-a-892505.html</ref><ref>https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/nov/25/offshore-secrets-guardian-investigation|publisher=guardian.co.uk</ref> They reported on government corruption across the globe, tax avoidance schemes used by wealthy people and the use of secret offshore accounts in [[Ponzi Scheme]]s.<ref name=ICIJWhoUsesOffshore>http://www.icij.org/offshore/who-uses-offshore-world</ref>
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| publisher = Spiegel Online | accessdate = 4 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Offshore secrets: what is the Guardian investigation based on? | url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/nov/25/offshore-secrets-guardian-investigation|publisher=guardian.co.uk | accessdate = 4 April 2013
 
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| location = London | date = 25 November 2012}}</ref> They reported on government corruption across the globe, tax avoidance schemes used by wealthy people and the use of secret offshore accounts in [[Ponzi Scheme]]s.<ref name=ICIJWhoUsesOffshore>
 
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{{cite | series = Secrecy for Sale: Inside the Global Offshore Money Maze | url = http://www.icij.org/offshore/who-uses-offshore-world
 
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| publisher = [International Consortium for Investigative Journalists http://www.icij.org]| accessdate = 17 February 2015
 
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| title = Who Uses the Offshore World | first1 = Marina Walker  | last1 = Guevara | first2 = Nicky  | last2 = Hager|first3=Mar | last3 = Cabra | first4 = Gerard | last4 = Ryle | first5 = Emily | last5 = Menkes}}</ref>
 
  
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In June 2011, an ICIJ article revealed how an Australian businessman had helped his clients legally incorporate thousands of offshore shell entitles "some of which later became involved in the international movement of oil, guns and money."<ref name="icij_2011_ryle_taylor">{{cite web | url=https://www.icij.org/offshore/geoffrey-taylor | title=Inside the shell: Drugs, arms and tax scams | publisher=ICIJ | date=28 June 2011 | accessdate=6 April 2016 | last=Ryle |first=Gerard |series=Secrecy for sale: inside the global offshore money maze}}</ref>
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In June 2011, an ICIJ article revealed how an Australian businessman had helped his clients legally incorporate thousands of offshore shell entitles "some of which later became involved in the international movement of oil, guns and money."<ref name="icij_2011_ryle_taylor">https://www.icij.org/offshore/geoffrey-taylor</ref>
  
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In early 2014, the ICIJ revealed that relatives of China's political and financial elite were among those using [[offshore tax havens]] to conceal wealth.<ref name=ICIJJan21>{{cite news|title=China's elite linked to secret offshore entities|url=http://www.icij.org/blog/2014/01/chinas-elite-linked-secret-offshore-entities|accessdate=January 21, 2014|newspaper=ICIJ|date=January 21, 2014|author=Gerard Ryle}}</ref>
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In early 2014, the ICIJ revealed that relatives of China's political and financial elite were among those using [[offshore tax havens]] to conceal wealth.<ref name=ICIJJan21>http://www.icij.org/blog/2014/01/chinas-elite-linked-secret-offshore-entities</ref>
  
 
===Panama Papers===
 
===Panama Papers===
 
{{Main|Panama Papers}}
 
{{Main|Panama Papers}}
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The ''Süddeutsche Zeitung'' received a leaked set of 11.5&nbsp;million confidential documents from a secret source, created by the Panamanian corporate service provider [[Mossack Fonseca]].<ref name="Center for Public Integrity">{{cite web|title=DocumentCloud 149 Results Source: Internal documents from Mossack Fonseca (Panama Papers) – Provider: Amazon Technologies / Owner: Perfect Privacy, LLC USA |url=https://www.documentcloud.org/public/search/Source:%20%22Internal%20documents%20from%20Mossack%20Fonseca%20(Panama%20Papers)%22/p3|publisher=Center for Public Integrity|accessdate=4 April 2016}}</ref> The so-called [[Panama Papers]] provided detailed information on more than 214,000 [[offshore tax haven|offshore]] companies, including the identities of shareholders and directors which included government officials, close relatives and close associates of various heads of government of more than 40 other countries.<ref name="nytimes.com"/><ref name="Power Players"/> Because of the leak the prime minister of Iceland, Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, was forced to resign on 5 April 2016. <ref name="nyt_2016_april_6" /> By 4 April 2016 more than "107 media organisations in 76 countries"<ref name="BBC_2016_apr_07" /> had participated in analyzing the documents,<ref name="pbs_2016_apr_4">{{cite web | url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/heres-what-we-know-so-far-about-the-leaked-panama-papers/ | title=Here's what we know so far about the leaked Panama papers | publisher=PBS | date=4 April 2016 | accessdate=6 April 2016 | author=Epatko, Larisa}}</ref> including ''BBC Panorama'' and the UK newspaper, ''The Guardian''.<ref name="BBC_2016_apr_07">{{citation | url=http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35983950 | title=Panama Papers: Government announces creation of 'panel of experts' | publisher=BBC | date=7 April 2016 | accessdate=7 April 2016}}</ref> Based on the Panama Paper disclosure, Pakistan Supreme Court constituted the Joint Investigation Team to probe the matter and disqualified the Prime Minister Nawas Sharif on July 28, 2017 to hold any public office for life.
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The ''Süddeutsche Zeitung'' received a leaked set of 11.5&nbsp;million confidential documents from a secret source, created by the Panamanian corporate service provider [[Mossack Fonseca]].<ref name="Center for Public Integrity">https://www.documentcloud.org/public/search/Source:%20%22Internal%20documents%20from%20Mossack%20Fonseca%20(Panama%20Papers)%22/p3</ref> The so-called [[Panama Papers]] provided detailed information on more than 214,000 [[offshore tax haven|offshore]] companies, including the identities of shareholders and directors which included government officials, close relatives and close associates of various heads of government of more than 40 other countries.<ref name="nytimes.com"/><ref name="Power Players"/> Because of the leak the prime minister of Iceland, Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, was forced to resign on 5 April 2016. <ref name="nyt_2016_april_6" /> By 4 April 2016 more than "107 media organisations in 76 countries"<ref name="BBC_2016_apr_07" /> had participated in analyzing the documents,<ref name="pbs_2016_apr_4">https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/heres-what-we-know-so-far-about-the-leaked-panama-papers/ </ref> including ''BBC Panorama'' and the UK newspaper, ''The Guardian''.<ref name="BBC_2016_apr_07">http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35983950 </ref> Based on the Panama Paper disclosure, Pakistan Supreme Court constituted the Joint Investigation Team to probe the matter and disqualified the Prime Minister Nawas Sharif on July 28, 2017 to hold any public office for life.
  
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The ICIJ and ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' received the [[Panama Papers]] in 2015 and distributed them to about 400 journalists at 107 media organisations<ref name="BBC_2016_apr_07" /> in more than 80 countries. The first news reports based on the set, along with 149 of the documents themselves,<ref name="Center for Public Integrity"/><ref name="szabout">{{cite web|url=http://panamapapers.sueddeutsche.de/articles/56febff0a1bb8d3c3495adf4/ |accessdate=3 April 2016 |title=About the Panama Papers |last1=Obermaier |first1=Frederik |last2=Obermayer |first2=Bastian |last3=Wormer |first3=Vanessa |last4=Jaschensky |first4=Wolfgang |date=3 April 2016 |work=[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]] |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6gV2xRPhE?url=http://panamapapers.sueddeutsche.de/articles/56febff0a1bb8d3c3495adf4/ |archivedate=3 April 2016 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="ICIJ-data">{{cite web|title=The Panama Papers: Data Metholodogy |url=https://panamapapers.icij.org/graphs/methodology/ |work=[[ICIJ]] |date=3 April 2016 |accessdate=3 April 2016 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6gVUdxScw?url=https://panamapapers.icij.org/graphs/methodology/ |archivedate=4 April 2016 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
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The ICIJ and ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' received the [[Panama Papers]] in 2015 and distributed them to about 400 journalists at 107 media organisations<ref name="BBC_2016_apr_07" /> in more than 80 countries. The first news reports based on the set, along with 149 of the documents themselves,<ref name="Center for Public Integrity"/><ref name="szabout">https://www.webcitation.org/6gV2xRPhE?url=http://panamapapers.sueddeutsche.de/articles/56febff0a1bb8d3c3495adf4/</ref><ref name="ICIJ-data">https://www.webcitation.org/6gVUdxScw?url=https://panamapapers.icij.org/graphs/methodology/</ref>
  
 
According to ''[[The New York Times]]'',<ref name="nyt_2016_april_6" />
 
According to ''[[The New York Times]]'',<ref name="nyt_2016_april_6" />
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===Paradise Papers===
 
===Paradise Papers===
 
{{Main|Paradise Papers}}
 
{{Main|Paradise Papers}}
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In 2017, the German newspaper ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' obtained a "cache" of "13.4 million leaked files"<ref name="ICIJ_paradise"/><ref name="NYT_2017"/> regarding tax havens, known as the [[Paradise Papers]], related to the Bermuda-based offshore specialist [[Appleby]], "one of the world’s largest offshore law firms." The files were shared them with the ICIJ and eventually 95 media outlets."<ref name="NYT_2017">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/05/world/wilbur-ross-russia.html|title=Commerce Secretary’s Offshore Ties to Putin ‘Cronies’|last=McIntire|first=Mike|date=November 5, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 5, 2017|last2=Chavkin|first2=Sasha|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|last3=Hamilton|first3=Martha M.}}</ref> They revealed that many of the tax havens used by Appleby are in the [[Cayman Islands]], which is a British territory that "levies no corporate or personal income tax on money earned outside its jurisdiction."<ref name="NYT_2017"/><ref name="NYT_2017"/><ref name="politico_paradise">{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/05/trump-paradise-papers-finance-244577|title='Paradise Papers' documents touch Trump administration|work=POLITICO|access-date=November 5, 2017}}</ref> The Paradise Papers revealed the "offshore activities of some of the world's most powerful people and companies".<ref name="ICIJ_paradise"/>
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In 2017, the German newspaper ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' obtained a "cache" of "13.4 million leaked files"<ref name="ICIJ_paradise"/><ref name="NYT_2017"/> regarding tax havens, known as the [[Paradise Papers]], related to the Bermuda-based offshore specialist [[Appleby]], "one of the world’s largest offshore law firms." The files were shared them with the ICIJ and eventually 95 media outlets."<ref name="NYT_2017">https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/05/world/wilbur-ross-russia.html|title=Commerce Secretary’s Offshore Ties to Putin ‘Cronies’</ref> They revealed that many of the tax havens used by Appleby are in the [[Cayman Islands]], which is a British territory that "levies no corporate or personal income tax on money earned outside its jurisdiction."<ref name="NYT_2017"/><ref name="NYT_2017"/><ref name="politico_paradise">https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/05/trump-paradise-papers-finance-244577</ref> The Paradise Papers revealed the "offshore activities of some of the world's most powerful people and companies".<ref name="ICIJ_paradise"/>
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===Pandora Papers===
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{{Main|Pandora Papers}}
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In October 2021, the ICIJ worked with 150 media outlets such as ''[[The Washington Post]]'', [[BBC]] and ''[[The Guardian]]'' to release the [[Pandora Papers]] containing more than 11.9 million financial records, with 2.94 terabytes of confidential information from 14 offshore service providers, enterprises that set up and manage shell companies and trusts in [[tax haven]]s around the globe.<ref>''[https://www.icij.org/investigations/pandora-papers/about-pandora-papers-investigation/ "About the Pandora Papers"]''</ref>
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==Isabel dos Santos==
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Using the 'street cred' from the [[Panama Papers]], the ICIJ joined the campaign against [[Isabel dos Santos]], daughter of former [[Angola]]n president, [[José Eduardo dos Santos]]. The "Luanda Leaks" showed how she "made a fortune at the expense of the Angolan people". In reality, it is a US led campaign against independent economic development and perceived Chinese influence in the oil-rich African country.<ref>https://youtu.be/nPbAYW6EjP0?t=7330</ref>
  
 
==Outreach==
 
==Outreach==
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The ICIJ is active on social media with a website, a blog entitled the 'Global Muckraker',<ref name=ICIJ_blog>{{cite web|url=http://www.icij.org/blog|title=The Global Muckraker|work=International Consortium of Investigative Journalists}}</ref> ''[[Facebook]]'', ''[[Twitter]]'', ''[[Google+]]'' and a ''[[YouTube]]'' channel.<ref name="ICIJ_about_2016"/>
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The ICIJ is active on social media with a website, a blog entitled the 'Global Muckraker',<ref name=ICIJ_blog>{http://www.icij.org/blog|title=The Global Muckraker</ref> ''[[Facebook]]'', ''[[Twitter]]'', ''[[Google+]]'' and a ''[[YouTube]]'' channel.<ref name="ICIJ_about_2016"/>
  
 
==Awards==
 
==Awards==
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The ICIJ organised the bi-annual ''[[Daniel Pearl]] Awards for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting''. The award is currently not being awarded.<ref name=icij_about /><ref name="NYT_2006">{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/21/opinion/21Wed3.html | title=Razzle-Dazzle 'Em Ethics Reform | publisher=New York Times | date=26 June 2016 | accessdate=27 November 2015}}</ref><ref name="AP_1996_">{{cite news|last=Galvin|first=Kevin|title=Buchanan Campaign Chief Has Milita Ties|agency=Associated Press |date=1996}}</ref><ref name="NYT_2012" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Goldstein|first=Steve|title=`Outsider' Runs Filled With `Insider' Advisers|url=http://articles.philly.com/1996-02-16/news/25655765_1_larry-pratt-insider-advisers-outsider|accessdate=19 June 2013|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=1996-02-16}}</ref><ref name=FAQ>{{Cite web  | title = Frequently Asked Questions  | url = http://www.iwatchnews.org/about/our-organization/frequently-asked-questions | work = Center for Public Integrity  | accessdate = 2012-06-09}}</ref><ref name="NYT_2012">{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/opinion/the-states-get-a-poor-report-card.html | title=The States Get a Poor Report Card | publisher=New York Times | date=19 March 2012 | accessdate=27 November 2015}}</ref>
+
The ICIJ organised the bi-annual ''[[Daniel Pearl]] Awards for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting''. The award is currently not being awarded.<ref name=icij_about /><ref name="NYT_2006">https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/21/opinion/21Wed3.html</ref></ref><ref>http://articles.philly.com/1996-02-16/news/25655765_1_larry-pratt-insider-advisers-outsider</ref><ref name=FAQ>http://www.iwatchnews.org/about/our-organization/frequently-asked-questions</ref><ref name="NYT_2012">https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/opinion/the-states-get-a-poor-report-card.html</ref>
 +
 
 
{{SMWDocs}}
 
{{SMWDocs}}
 
==References==
 
==References==

Latest revision as of 10:49, 8 February 2023

Group.png International Consortium of Investigative Journalists   Facebook Sourcewatch Twitter WebsiteRdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
ICIJ.jpg
AbbreviationICIJ
Sponsored byAdessium Foundation, Ford Foundation, Luminate, Norway/Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Omidyar Network, Open Society Foundations, Swedish Postcode Foundation, USAID
MembershipJames Ball
Nominally independent, the ICIJ is heavily financed by the usual Western deep state cutouts, including Open Society Foundations, USAID and the Ford Foundation, plus a host of similar foundations from minor NATO-countries, like the Adessium Foundation.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) is an Washington D.C.-based international journalism network.

Nominally independent, the ICIJ is heavily financed by the usual Western deep state cutouts, including Open Society Foundations, USAID and the Ford Foundation, plus a host of similar foundations from minor NATO-countries, like the Adessium Foundation. [1] (To illustrate that there is something fishy with ICIJ, compare the lavish government funding (through cutouts) for this outfit with the shoestring operation of Consortium News, founded by the late investigative journalist Robert Parry.

Participant journalists include the Integrity Initiative member James Ball

Work

Launched in 1997 by the Center for Public Integrity,[2] ICIJ was spun off in February 2017 into a fully independent organisation which includes more than 200 investigative journalists in over 70 countries[3] who work together on "issues such as "cross-border crime, corruption, and the accountability of power."[4][5] The ICIJ has exposed smuggling and tax evasion by multinational tobacco companies (2000),[6] "by organised crime syndicates; investigated private military cartels, asbestos companies,[7] and climate change lobbyists; and broke new ground by publicising details of Iraq and Afghanistan war contracts."[4][4][5][8]

The ICIJ's 2015 investigation was the Paradise Papers, a cross-border, global investigation[9] that reveals the offshore activities of some of the world's most powerful people and companies.[10] The project involved 95 media partners and was based on 13.4 million leaked files.

For the Panama Papers more than 80 journalists worked on the data, culminating in a partial release on 3 April 2016, garnering global media attention.[11][12] The set of 11.5 million confidential financial and legal document from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca included detailed information on more than 14,000 clients and more than 214,000 offshore entities, including the identities of shareholders and directors including noted personalities and heads of state[13]—government officials, close relatives and close associates of various heads of government of more than 40 other countries.[14][15][16] The German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung first received the released data from an anonymous source in 2015.[15]

History

In 1997, the Center for Public Integrity began "assembling the world’s first working network of premier investigative reporters." By 2000 the ICIJ consisted of 75 world-class investigative reporters in 39 countries."[17]

In February 2017, ICIJ was spun off into a fully independent organisation, which is now governed by three committees: a traditional board of directors with a fiduciary role; an Advisory Committee made of supporters; and an ICIJ Network Committee.[3]

ICIJ was granted nonprofit status from US tax authorities in July the same year.[3]

Global tobacco industry

From 2008 to 2011, the ICIJ investigated the global tobacco industry revealing how Philip Morris International and other tobacco companies worked to grow businesses in Russia, Mexico, Uruguay and Indonesia.[18]

Offshore banking series

The ICIJ partnered with The Guardian, BBC, Le Monde, the Washington Post, SonntagsZeitung, The Indian Express, Süddeutsche Zeitung and NDR to produce an investigative series on offshore banking.[19][20] They reported on government corruption across the globe, tax avoidance schemes used by wealthy people and the use of secret offshore accounts in Ponzi Schemes.[21]

In June 2011, an ICIJ article revealed how an Australian businessman had helped his clients legally incorporate thousands of offshore shell entitles "some of which later became involved in the international movement of oil, guns and money."[22]

In early 2014, the ICIJ revealed that relatives of China's political and financial elite were among those using offshore tax havens to conceal wealth.[23]

Panama Papers

Main article: Panama Papers

The Süddeutsche Zeitung received a leaked set of 11.5 million confidential documents from a secret source, created by the Panamanian corporate service provider Mossack Fonseca.[24] The so-called Panama Papers provided detailed information on more than 214,000 offshore companies, including the identities of shareholders and directors which included government officials, close relatives and close associates of various heads of government of more than 40 other countries.[15][16] Because of the leak the prime minister of Iceland, Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, was forced to resign on 5 April 2016. [12] By 4 April 2016 more than "107 media organisations in 76 countries"[25] had participated in analyzing the documents,[26] including BBC Panorama and the UK newspaper, The Guardian.[25] Based on the Panama Paper disclosure, Pakistan Supreme Court constituted the Joint Investigation Team to probe the matter and disqualified the Prime Minister Nawas Sharif on July 28, 2017 to hold any public office for life.

The ICIJ and Süddeutsche Zeitung received the Panama Papers in 2015 and distributed them to about 400 journalists at 107 media organisations[25] in more than 80 countries. The first news reports based on the set, along with 149 of the documents themselves,[24][27][28]

According to The New York Times,[12]

"[T]he Panama Papers reveal an industry that flourishes in the gaps and holes of international finance. They make clear that policing offshore banking and tax havens and the rogues who use them cannot be done by any one country alone. Lost tax revenue is one consequence of this hidden system; even more dangerous is its deep damage to democratic rule and regional stability when corrupt politicians have a place to stash stolen national assets out of public view."

Paradise Papers

Main article: Paradise Papers

In 2017, the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung obtained a "cache" of "13.4 million leaked files"[10][29] regarding tax havens, known as the Paradise Papers, related to the Bermuda-based offshore specialist Appleby, "one of the world’s largest offshore law firms." The files were shared them with the ICIJ and eventually 95 media outlets."[29] They revealed that many of the tax havens used by Appleby are in the Cayman Islands, which is a British territory that "levies no corporate or personal income tax on money earned outside its jurisdiction."[29][29][30] The Paradise Papers revealed the "offshore activities of some of the world's most powerful people and companies".[10]

Pandora Papers

Main article: Pandora Papers

In October 2021, the ICIJ worked with 150 media outlets such as The Washington Post, BBC and The Guardian to release the Pandora Papers containing more than 11.9 million financial records, with 2.94 terabytes of confidential information from 14 offshore service providers, enterprises that set up and manage shell companies and trusts in tax havens around the globe.[31]

Isabel dos Santos

Using the 'street cred' from the Panama Papers, the ICIJ joined the campaign against Isabel dos Santos, daughter of former Angolan president, José Eduardo dos Santos. The "Luanda Leaks" showed how she "made a fortune at the expense of the Angolan people". In reality, it is a US led campaign against independent economic development and perceived Chinese influence in the oil-rich African country.[32]

Outreach

The ICIJ is active on social media with a website, a blog entitled the 'Global Muckraker',[33] Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and a YouTube channel.[4]

Awards

The ICIJ organised the bi-annual Daniel Pearl Awards for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting. The award is currently not being awarded.[3][34]</ref>[35][36][37]


 

An event carried out

EventDescription
Pandora PapersThe most expansive leak of tax haven files in history

 

Employee on Wikispooks

EmployeeJobAppointed
Gerard RyleDirectorSeptember 2011

 

Known member

All 1 of the members already have pages here:

MemberDescription
James BallUK journalist and author who worked for the Integrity Initiative

 

Sponsors

EventDescription
Adessium FoundationA secretive Dutch foundation that donates to projects backed by Western governments.
Ford FoundationIn addition to its own billionaire agenda, also known to have been $$$ middleman for covert CIA funding.
LuminatePierre Omidyar's foundation for financing global media and civil society groups. It is unknown how close it coordinates with certain deep state US government agencies.
Norway/Ministry of Foreign AffairsA significant donor to NGOs and planning organizations. Many of the recipients dovetail with NATO objectives like regime changes and controlling the narrative.
Omidyar NetworkFoundation owned by the the deep state-connected billionaire Pierre Omidyar, financing preferred NGOs
Open Society FoundationsA NGO operating in more countries than McDonald's. It has the tendency to support politicians (at times through astroturfing) and activists that get branded as "extreme left" as its founder is billionaire and bane of the pound George Soros. This polarizing perspective causes the abnormal influence of the OSF to go somewhat unanswered.
Swedish Postcode Foundation
USAIDUS govt organization to provide "international development", including funding of Ecohealth Alliance. Called "CIA's little sister".

 

A document sourced from International Consortium of Investigative Journalists

TitleTypeSubject(s)Publication dateAuthor(s)Description
Document:Appleby launches legal action against ICIJ’s UK partnersArticleBBC
The Guardian
Panama Papers
Paradise Papers
Appleby		18 December 2017Gerard Ryle"This is a potentially dangerous moment for free expression in Britain" – Gerard Ryle
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.icij.org/about/our-supporters/
  2. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/04/03/world/europe/ap-panama-papers.html
  3. ↑ a b c d http://www.icij.org/about
  4. ↑ a b c d https://www.icij.org/about#_ga=1.176642661.1198513972.1459891310
  5. ↑ a b ICIJ, About the ICIJ
  6. ↑ Beelman, Maud; Campbell, Duncan; Ronderos, Maria Teresa; Schelzig, Erik J. (January 2000), "Major Tobacco Multinational Implicated in Cigarette Smuggling, Tax Evasion, Documents Show", International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
  7. ↑ https://www.icij.org/sites/icij/files/dangersinthedust_1.pdf
  8. ↑ http://www.icij.org/journalists/gerard-ryle
  9. ↑ global investigation
  10. ↑ a b c https://www.icij.org/blog/2017/971/icij-releases-paradise-papers/
  11. ↑ https://panamapapers.icij.org/ | title=The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
  12. ↑ a b c http://nyti.ms/239HhVM
  13. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/04/03/world/europe/ap-panama-papers.html
  14. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/06/panama-papers-reveal-offshore-secrets-china-red-nobility-big-business
  15. ↑ a b c https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/04/03/world/europe/ap-panama-papers.html
  16. ↑ a b https://web.archive.org/web/20160404042238/https://panamapapers.icij.org/the_power_players/
  17. ↑ https://www.publicintegrity.org/files/manual/pdf/corporate/2000_CPI_Annual_Report.pdf
  18. ↑ http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/icij-journalists-expose-mass-web-of-global-tax-evasion-a-892505.html
  19. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/nov/25/offshore-secrets-guardian-investigation%7Cpublisher=guardian.co.uk
  20. ↑ http://www.icij.org/offshore/who-uses-offshore-world
  21. ↑ https://www.icij.org/offshore/geoffrey-taylor
  22. ↑ http://www.icij.org/blog/2014/01/chinas-elite-linked-secret-offshore-entities
  23. ↑ a b https://www.documentcloud.org/public/search/Source:%20%22Internal%20documents%20from%20Mossack%20Fonseca%20(Panama%20Papers)%22/p3
  24. ↑ a b c http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35983950
  25. ↑ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/heres-what-we-know-so-far-about-the-leaked-panama-papers/
  26. ↑ https://www.webcitation.org/6gV2xRPhE?url=http://panamapapers.sueddeutsche.de/articles/56febff0a1bb8d3c3495adf4/
  27. ↑ https://www.webcitation.org/6gVUdxScw?url=https://panamapapers.icij.org/graphs/methodology/
  28. ↑ a b c d https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/05/world/wilbur-ross-russia.html%7Ctitle=Commerce Secretary’s Offshore Ties to Putin ‘Cronies’
  29. ↑ https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/05/trump-paradise-papers-finance-244577
  30. ↑ "About the Pandora Papers"
  31. ↑ https://youtu.be/nPbAYW6EjP0?t=7330
  32. ↑ {http://www.icij.org/blog%7Ctitle=The Global Muckraker
  33. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/21/opinion/21Wed3.html
  34. ↑ http://articles.philly.com/1996-02-16/news/25655765_1_larry-pratt-insider-advisers-outsider
  35. ↑ http://www.iwatchnews.org/about/our-organization/frequently-asked-questions
  36. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/opinion/the-states-get-a-poor-report-card.html
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