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Follow the Money EU

@ftm.eu
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European independent investigative newsroom. Become a member: www.ftm.eu

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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 11h
Russia was banned from major international football competitions after invading Ukraine. But the money kept flowing: European clubs continued doing millions of euros worth of business with Russian clubs. 🔗In our latest podcast, Krijn Schramade explains what he found: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 05/10/2026
A hacker just outed Curaçao’s casino owners. The leaked files finally put names to the people behind thousands of gambling sites. Many illegally preyed on thousands of customers around the world. 🔗 Full investigation: www.ftm.eu/articles/cur...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 02/10/2026
Over 20,000 people read Bureau Brussels for weekly EU insights and updates on the deals and decisions shaping their lives and work. Brussels’ largest investigative team watches the bubble and asks the questions those inside try to avoid. 📬 Read it for free every Monday: www.ftm.eu/newsletter-o...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 23/09/2026
Namibia was meant to help power Europe’s climate goals, with billions in EU-backed green hydrogen investment promising jobs and growth. But when journalist @oli4vb.bsky.social travelled there, he found a very different reality. 🔗 Full episode: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 22/09/2026
Think you know who runs Europe? Think again. Every Wednesday, @emmaduchatinier.bsky.social dives into a Follow the Money investigation exposing hidden powerbrokers, from lobbyists and companies to corrupt politicians and fraudsters. 🎧 Follow the podcast here: www.ftm.eu/files/who-re...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 18/09/2026
Did you share your travels on Polarsteps this summer? You may have shared more than you realised. FTM found the app can expose locations to within a metre, letting us trace over 30 military personnel to bases, missions, and homes. Since our investigation, the Dutch military has blacklisted it.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 10/09/2026
𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲. Get unlimited access to our investigations into money, power, politics, Big Tech, climate, and more. No paywall, no cost, just radically independent journalism that holds power to account. 🔗 Sign up here: www.ftm.eu/student?utm_...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 03/09/2026
Hungary’s close ties with Moscow were no secret. What happened behind closed doors was. Then @vsquare.bsky.social got a glimpse inside, obtaining calls between Hungary’s foreign minister and senior Russian officials.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 27/08/2026
During Moldova’s 2025 elections, what looked like genuine public support was manufactured. Contexte.ro uncovered a massive pro-Russia, anti-Europe influence operation spanning hundreds of online profiles, newspapers, and crypto payments. 🔗 Full episode: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 20/08/2026
Hundreds of journalists have been killed in Gaza. Through the #GazaProject, investigative reporters from around the world came together to investigate the deaths of their colleagues. @frederikobermaier.com of @papertrailmedia.de was one of them. 🔗 Full episode: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 13/08/2026
When Šarūnas Černiauskas started digging into Lithuania’s PM, he had no idea where it would lead. Scandals followed, the government turned on his newsroom, ultimately resulting in the prime minister’s resignation. 🔗 Full episode: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 11/08/2026
Palantir generates billions in revenue from government contracts across the globe, Europe included. Yet European trade unions argue the US tech giant contributes barely any tax. How can a company that profits so heavily from public funds give so little back? 🔗 Full story: www.ftm.eu/articles/us-...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 06/08/2026
Who's really behind the flood of AI-generated racist content? @tbij.bsky.social journalist Niamh McIntyre found many of the people profiting from it weren't who she expected. Hear why money, not just ideology, is driving it in our latest summer podcast. 🔗 Full episode: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 05/08/2026
Shell’s Bahamas trading office made $6.2 billion in profit from 2018 to 2023 with just 37 staff and a 0% tax rate. Leaked data analysed by SOMO and Leiden University reveals that is 104 times more profit per employee than Shell’s average, achieved by routing standard crude oil through a tax haven.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 30/07/2026
Ján Kuciak paid the ultimate price for exposing how money and power collide in Slovakia. His murder sparked a movement to finish what he started. In our summer podcast series, Lukáš Diko of Investigatívne centrum Jána Kuciaka joins FTM to discuss Kuciak’s legacy and investigative journalism today.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 23/07/2026
Spain has dominated headlines recently, from its FIFA World Cup win to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez standing firm against Donald Trump. Politically, it has become one of Europe's most progressive voices. But do Spaniards agree? We asked political analyst Elsa Arnaiz Chico.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 18/07/2026
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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 28/04/2026
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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 18/04/2026
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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 18/04/2026
🏆 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.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 16/04/2026
🏆 Follow the Money has received two nominations for the European Press Prize 2026! The first nomination, for the Innovation Award, recognises our Tinder investigation, which revealed how military personnel expose sensitive data and locations, creating serious security risks.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 12/04/2026
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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 31/03/2026
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.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 30/03/2026
🎣🇪🇺 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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 23/03/2026
“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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 22/03/2026
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.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 21/03/2026
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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 03/03/2026
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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 02/03/2026
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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 02/03/2026
🇪🇺📬 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/...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 13/02/2026
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?
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 10/02/2026
🛡️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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 09/02/2026
💡 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.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 03/02/2026
🎧 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.
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 22/12/2025
"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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 19/12/2025
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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 18/12/2025
💡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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 16/12/2025
⚖️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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 15/12/2025
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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 09/12/2025
🪙 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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 09/12/2025
🚨 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/...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 06/12/2025
⚽️🚫 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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 04/12/2025
👕♻️ 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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 02/12/2025
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
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 02/12/2025
🪙 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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 28/11/2025
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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 27/11/2025
👖🌱 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...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 21/11/2025
Arrested in Italy. Wanted by the ICC for torture. Yet back in Libya as a free man within 48 hours. Our latest podcast with Lorenzo Bagnoli unpacks how migration politics may have overridden justice. 🎧 Listen now, free on our app for five days: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 19/11/2025
𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗖𝗖 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿. So how did he end up back in Libya as a free man? Our new podcast explores how migration politics may have overridden international justice. 🎧 Listen now: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...
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Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 18/11/2025
📱Your favourite apps are getting pricier – and in some cases glitchier. WeTransfer, Meetup and Evernote now belong to a fast-growing Italian company that has laid off much of their staff. What does that mean for millions of users? Read the full article here: www.ftm.eu/articles/wet...
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