Follow the money - workshop on investigative journalism methods by Paul Radu and Miranda Patrucic from OCCRP
Follow the money, follow the bank, follow the proxy. A workshop on how to track down and expose organized crime and corruption across borders and databases. How do criminals think, how do they grow their influence and where do they hide their ill-gotten gains? OCCRP investigative journalists will share data, tools and skills to stop corrupt politicians from conducting business as usual. A practical experience where participants will receive datasets and will team up to investigate beyond frontiers.
Participants will
- gain skills to conduct investigations into business dealings globally;
- learn about the mechanisms of corruption and how to uncover them;
- get access to and learn how to use global databases;
- learn how to interpret and present the data found;
- learn how to gather and put forth evidence to expose corruption.
The course is highly recommended to investigative journalists, those interested in the methodology of investigative journalism, donor organizations funding journalism, researchers, and those who monitor businesses.
Skills
The course will touch on all key aspects related to the stages of research needed for producing an investigative report. That will include identification and access to sources, techniques of forensic interviewing including script and strategies of interviewing and choice of best questions, and use of existing research tools including searches through databases and public records, handling and vetting data to use in the investigative reports.
Instructors
Paul Radu is the executive director of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and a co-creator of the Investigative Dashboard concept and of RISE Project, a new platform for investigative reporters and hackers in Romania, and an award-winning investigative journalist specializing in cross-border investigations. His many fellowships and awards include the 2008 Knight International Journalism fellowship with the International Center for Journalists, a 2009-2010 Stanford Knight Journalism Fellowship the Knight International Journalism Award and the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award, in 2007, the Global Shining Light Award, the Tom Renner Investigative Reporters and Editors Award and in 2011 the Daniel Pearl Award for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting. He also won the 2015 European Press Prize. Paul is a board member with the Global Investigative Journalism Network.
From previous participants of CMDS courses: “Paul Radu is a star! I enjoyed his presentation fully, also learnt a lot. In fact, he has re-ignited my interest in investigative journalism (...).”“He shared practical knowledge in doing investigative journalism. I found it incredibly useful.”
Miranda Patrucic, a winner of the 2016 ICFJ Knight International Journalism Award, is an investigative reporter who has uncovered corruption and financial crimes at the highest levels across Europe and Central Asia. A lead reporter and regional editor for the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), Patrucic has played a pivotal role in probes that led to government investigations in multiple countries, prison sentences for corrupt officials, and more than $1 billion in penalties and seized properties. As a reporter on the groundbreaking Panama Papers project, which revealed the hidden wealth of global elites, Patrucic helped to expose a web of secret companies in offshore havens designed to hide the staggering wealth of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his family. Patrucic has trained and mentored reporters in 20 countries and serves as a role model for journalists working in closed societies.
About the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) is an investigative reporting platform formed by 40 non-profit investigative centers, scores of journalists and several major regional news organizations around the globe. The network is spread across Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America to do transnational investigative reporting and promote technology-based approaches to exposing organized crime and corruption worldwide. It is one of the world’s largest investigative reporting organizations, generating more than 60 cross-border investigations per year. OCCRP`s websites inform more than 6 million readers and viewers every month, and 200 million other readers and viewers have access through legacy media which publish their work.
OCCRP trains reporters and partners in advanced journalism techniques, builds practical, high-use tools used to improve the efficiency of reporting and publishing and is actively reinventing investigative journalism to be more interactive, more effective, more impactful and relevant to readers.
OCCRP is one of the most effective news organizations in bringing about real change. Since 2009 OCCRP`s reporting has led to:
- US$ 5.735 billion in assets frozen or seized by governments.
- 84 criminal investigations and government inquiries launched as a result of its stories.
- 81 calls for action by civil, public or international bodies.
- 147 arrest warrants issued with 7 subjects on the run.
- 20 major sackings, including a President, Prime Minister and CEOs of major international corporations.
- Over 1,400 company closures, indictments and court decisions.
Venue
The workshop takes place in Budapest, the dazzling capital of Hungary. The city is famous for its beauty, its baths and spas that locals and tourists equally relish, its offer of amazing restaurants, bars and cafes, and its special atmosphere and charm.
The workshop venue is at Central European University (CEU), located in the heart of Budapest, within steps of the Basilica, the Parliament and the Danube in an award-winning, smart, sustainable building.
Tuition fee: 500 EUR + VAT
The fee does not include accommodation, travel and meals.
Apply by September 30, 2018 by sending an email to cmds@ceu.edu
For more information about the workshop please contact Eva Bognar at bognare@spp.ceu.edu
