Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialFinancial Times @financialtimes.com · 23/09/2026FT Exclusive: Billions of dollars of Rosneft’s foreign earnings were funnelled through a Kremlin-backed money laundering network, putting the state oil group at the heart of Russia’s efforts to circumvent sanctions and supply its war in Ukraine. ft.trib.al/eYbw0gW 06442
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 12/09/2026Power, corruption & lies with Patrick Radden Keefe democracyforsale.substack.com/p/power-corr...democracyforsale.substack.comPower, corruption & lies with Patrick Radden KeefeAs crypto billionaire Ben Delo gives £36m to Reform, the acclaimed London Falling author tells us why he thinks Britain may not be far behind Trump’s America. 010
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialSpotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 09/09/2026The Met Police has launched an inquiry into allegations that Reform UK broke electoral law. We welcome the investigation. But the govt must also use its elections bill to strengthen penalties for electoral finance offences. www.theguardian.com/politics/202... 095
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialPeter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 03/09/2026"Democracy for Sale will continue scrutinising money and influence in our politics, wherever we find it. "Reform can stop us going to their conference. But Farage and his friends can’t stop our journalism." New by me, on being banned by Reform democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ive-been-b...democracyforsale.substack.comI’ve been banned by Reform. But this isn’t really about me.My press accreditation for Reform’s conference was revoked. This should concern us all. 15452167
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialNaomi Fowler @naomifowler.bsky.social · 03/09/2026This is awful news. 'Beyond outraged' - press freedom group slams Yorgen Fenech trial verdict. timesofmalta.com/article/beyo...timesofmalta.com'Beyond outraged' - press freedom group slams Yorgen Fenech trial verdict‘Full justice’ remains elusive almost nine years after Caruana Galizia assassination 013
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialLaura Hughes @laurahughesft.bsky.social · 08/07/2026Our latest @financialtimes.com film looks at the rise of Palantir and the mounting scrutiny the company is facing on both sides of the Atlantic. @dangarrahan.bsky.social @joemillerjr.ft.com @cynthiao.bsky.social #palantir #nhs #technology #data www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ5X...youtube.comPalantir: profits, procurement and power | FT FilmYouTube video by Financial Times 08447
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialSpotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 07/07/2026It is deeply concerning when politicians seek to weaponise the issue of ethics and integrity to claim that legitimate investigations by established regulators are in fact illegitimate attempts to silence them. 1137
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialJames Ball @jamesrball.com · 07/07/2026The question for Nigel Farage now is whether it's less embarrassing to un-resign and claim that was an establishment stitchup, or to spend a month competing with a bin. Neither is exactly a *great* option. Neither solves his ongoing scandals. And it's a mess entirely of his own making. 1162138474
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 08/07/2026as.ft.com/r/7f413e3b-1... The price of Palantir’s politicsas.ft.comThe price of Palantir’s politicsPushback to the tech group’s politics may threaten the core of its $330bn business 002
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialAnne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 22/06/2026Congress is getting ready to remove the requirement that shell companies register their real owners. The bill "will restore America’s status as the leading offshore haven" 841809967
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 22/06/2026www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j... “The demonstrations are huge because people are tired of this injustice. They’re tired of all the corruption. One of our slogans is ‘stop the dictatorship of dirty money’ because we’ve learned from experience that similar projects only ever benefit a wealthy few.”theguardian.com‘We want a new Albania’: protests against Jared Kushner-backed resort turn anger on governmentOpposition to plans for ‘small paradise’ island of Sazan becomes wave of dissent against establishment 041
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 04/06/20265 (!) years ago the FT cracked open funky invoices and dodgy lobbying. Today Greensill was banned from UK directorships. But where is the Serious Fraud Office with its probe into Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG and its financing arrangements with Greensill?? @bondhack.ft.com as.ft.com/r/59893149-7...as.ft.comLex Greensill banned from UK directorships for 9 yearsFinancier’s disqualification from Insolvency Service comes 5 years after Greensill Capital collapse 1123
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialSpotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 04/06/20263. ⏰ The Greensill scandal is a reminder of what happens when political access, weak oversight and private interests become too closely intertwined. It is alarming that so few of the recommendations made after the lobbying scandal it exposed have been implemented five years on.spotlightcorruption.orgLobbying scorecard: what has happened to lobbying transparency under the new government? - Spotlight on CorruptionToday we are releasing a lobbying scorecard on where the new government has got to on lobbying transparency. While the previous government committed to 011
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialFinancial Times @financialtimes.com · 04/06/2026SpaceX IPO shows Musk’s genius is in mythmaking ft.trib.al/zQuitF7ft.trib.alSpaceX IPO shows Musk’s genius is in mythmakingHow exactly the company plans to support its gargantuan valuation is not obvious 144023
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialSue Hawley @suehawley.bsky.social · 02/06/2026This case should surely add to calls for companies themselves to face some responsibility and accountability where those they employ break post-employment rules about lobbying. @ethicsandintegrity.bsky.social @appgonacrt.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social @direthoughts.com 053
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialPeter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 29/05/2026An absolute pleasure to talk to @privateeyenews.bsky.social about Democracy for Sale's investigation into Labour Together hiring a PR firm to target journalists who were reporting on the undeclared political funding that powered Starmer's rise to power The Paul Foot awards really are the best 210446
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialPeter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 15/05/2026🔴 Keir Starmer promised to crackdown on "Slapps" - abusive libel cases to silence journalists and critics Then Labour quietly dropped it We can reveal why: a three-year lobbying blitz by libel lawyers who've acted for Russian oligarchs, Epstein + more democracyforsale.substack.com/p/how-lawyer...democracyforsale.substack.comHow lawyers to the super-rich strangled Labour's Slapp billExclusive: A discreet lobbying campaign by lawyers who have acted for oligarchs and the super-rich told government that reforming England's libel laws was too difficult. 281144727
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialHypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 13/05/2026“The likelihood of PII appearing in AI training data is only increasing as public data ‘runs out’ and AI companies look for new sources of high-quality training data. This includes information from data brokers and people-search websites.”technologyreview.comAI chatbots are giving out people’s real phone numbersPeople report that their personal contact info was surfaced by Google AI—and there’s apparently no easy way to prevent it. 5176102
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 11/05/2026The (data) plot thickens. “NHS England has granted external staff from companies including Palantir “unlimited access” to identifiable patient data while working on a part of its flagship data platform.” www.ft.com/content/8ce1...ft.comNHS to grant Palantir contractors ‘unlimited access’ to patient dataStaff from consultancy firms drafted in to work on Federated Data Platform project set to benefit 011
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 28/04/2026APCO Worldwide executive sought to ‘get rid’ of documents despite legal warning in dispute over controversial dossier on journalists commissioned by UK’s Labour Together. Listen to the audio ⤵️ Story by Miles Johnsonas.ft.comPR executive tried to ‘get rid’ of documents despite legal warningAudio recordings reveal Tom Harper told contractor to destroy material about an investigation into journalists 021
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialKatie Martin @katie0martin.ft.com · 27/04/2026the water wars are picking up. One to bookmark. 310732
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialTony Tassell @tonytassell.bsky.social · 22/04/2026Six lessons from history’s greatest financial crises - great read here from @robinwigglesworth.ft.com and Gillian Tett to kick off the FT’s Story of Money podcast www.ft.com/content/0bd7...ft.comSix lessons from history’s greatest financial crisesThe Babylonians had debt defaults. The S&L scandal led to 2008. What else does the past tell us? 1179
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialSpotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/04/2026MPs advertising products on behalf of private companies, or being brand ambassadors, creates very real conflicts of interest. If the MPs code of conduct doesn't address this, then it's a major gap that needs to be addressed. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comCEO of bitcoin firm championed by Nigel Farage leaves companyResignation announced of Jai Patel, whose liquidated crypto firm was relaunched as Stack BTC this year 02010
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 26/03/2026Great deep dive into how US law firm's entanglement with Jeffrey Epstein brought down its boss - led by the amazing @kayewiggins.ft.com www.ft.com/content/064e...ft.comApollo, Paul Weiss and Epstein: how a star client brought down a Big Law bossApollo’s Leon Black asked lawyer Brad Karp to settle a fee dispute with Jeffrey Epstein. It was the start of a years-long relationship 041
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialDan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 11/03/2026A tax barrister sued me personally for £8m for libel after we linked him to a tax avoidance scheme. Today the High Court struck out the claim, granted summary judgment, and ruled it was a SLAPP. The judgment is highly critical. 721694320
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 05/03/2026St. Lucia signed contracts with investors, which could have potentially translated into tens of thousands of citizenships, including with a company linked to a Montenegro businessman who was shortly thereafter arrested on allegations that he was part of a tobacco smuggling ring. #DueDiligence 010
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 05/03/2026On that note, the UK home office just revoked visa-free access to St. Lucians citing a threat to border security posed by its Citizenship by Investment programme #CitizenshipByInvestment www.gov.uk/government/n...gov.ukOver £370 million saved in crackdown on asylum claims by touristsAlmost £400 million has been saved in asylum accommodation and support costs after a crackdown on tourists abusing the UK’s immigration system. 000
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialPeter Andringa @peter.andringa.me · 25/02/2026It was great to work with Michela and the brilliant Behind the Money team this week to share our reporting on ICE. Find it in your podcast app below: 083
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialDuncan Weldon @duncanweldon.bsky.social · 24/02/2026This post is the single best advert for the fact that proper local journalism matters. If Jim’s team hadn’t put the pieces together quickly, this wouldn’t have been stopped. 1673264
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialPeter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 22/02/2026Woken up to lots of unhappy messages about us keeping on this story Sorry but if a political org - run by a now Minister - hires private intel to smear journalists then takes these baseless smears to security services, I will investigate it. And keep investigating until accountability happens 24585178
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialDan McCrum @mccrum.bsky.social · 17/02/2026Internal bank documents show the scale of secret shareholdings in India’s Adani, at the very moment Hindenburg accused it of “brazen market manipulation” An FT and OCCRP collab. as.ft.com/r/eb906e00-d...as.ft.comBank probe reveals Adani associates’ secret investments[FREE TO READ] People close to Indian conglomerate accused of market manipulation held billions of dollars’ worth of shares 13510
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialPeter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 21/02/2026🚨 Cabinet Office investigating Labour Together and Josh Simons over campaign to smear journalists But...ministers overseeing inquiry have received £150,000+ from Labour think tank Experts and MPs demand 'full independent investigation' New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-g... 🧵democracyforsale.substack.comRevealed: Government accused of ‘conflict of interest’ over journalist smear inquiryStarmer said Cabinet Office will investigate Josh Simons and Labour Together - but its ministers have received more than £150,000 from the think tank and its directors 21557289
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 21/02/2026Tens of thousands of "golden passports", a movie producer turned sleuth, and the Chinese-owned company building a jail in the Caribbean www.ft.com/content/7767... "The total number of citizenship by investment citizens likely surpasses the native population of St Kitts and Nevis".ft.comThe man who saw too muchAfter decades chasing stars and scrambling for financing, Philippe Martinez became an unlikely crusader 063
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialFinancial Times @financialtimes.com · 11/02/2026UK to ban political party donations from foreign-owned companies ft.trib.al/9IPn1l3ft.trib.alUK to ban political party donations from foreign-owned companiesGovernment says new legislation will curb overseas interference in elections 1316753
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 07/02/2026www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... “Epstein got away with his crimes because nearly every element of society allowed him to get away with them.”theguardian.comSo the Epstein scandal is about politics? Silly me for thinking it’s about the mass abuse of women and girls | Marina HydeObsessing over individual players and political chaos leaves less time to focus on the misogyny. And that’s for the best, isn’t it guys, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde 051
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialPeter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 07/02/2026Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons commissioned PR firm to investigate journalists and their sources Why? Because they were digging into the dark money behind Labour Together, and Keir Starmer's rise Me on D4S, on why our revelations matter so much: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/labour-tog...democracyforsale.substack.com‘Labour Together broke the law’The think tank that propelled Starmer to power hired private investigators to shut down scrutiny of its dark money - I speak to one of its targets, journalist Paul Holden 13291123
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialIan Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 07/02/2026That @petergeoghegan.bsky.social is onto something here and he's not letting go of it open.substack.com/pub/democrac...open.substack.com‘Labour Together broke the law’The think tank that propelled Starmer to power hired private investigators to shut down scrutiny of its dark money - I speak to one of its targets, journalist Paul Holden 10315117
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialRobert Smith @bondhack.ft.com · 07/02/2026Ariane de Rothschild ousted her husband as CEO of his family’s storied bank, negotiated a big DOJ settlement and examined several mergers Behind every move was none other than Jeffrey Epstein, who had found his backdoor into one of Europe’s most powerful banking dynasties www.ft.com/content/0d70...ft.comHow the house of Rothschild became entangled with EpsteinSwiss private bank Edmond de Rothschild was in trouble. Ariane de Rothschild turned to Jeffrey Epstein 313055
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 06/02/2026www.ft.com/content/8b04... Epstein helped Ian Osborne establish Hedosophia, one of London’s most secretive technology fundsft.comEpstein propelled investment career of UK power broker Ian OsborneConvicted sex offender helped establish tech fund Hedosophia after Osborne offered to help clean up Epstein’s image 021
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 04/02/2026as.ft.com/r/3152dedf-7... Ron DeSantis lashes out at ‘harmful’ AI in break with Trump’s White Houseas.ft.comRon DeSantis lashes out at ‘harmful’ AI in break with Trump’s White House[FREE TO READ] Florida’s Republican governor criticises attempts by administration to ‘kneecap states and let Big Tech write the rules’ 120
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 03/02/2026The Epstein rot goes deep “Having been invited in 2010 to an Epstein dinner with Woody Allen and then Prince Andrew in New York, the magazine editor, Tina Brown, replied: “What the fuck is this . . .? The paedophile’s ball?” as.ft.com/r/9fb21859-9...as.ft.comThe Epstein rot goes deep[FREE TO READ] America must now ask itself if it can restore a culture of shame 050
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialJared Holt @jaredlholt.bsky.social · 30/01/2026Let’s try this one in foreign correspondent voice: State Security Forces Arrest Journalist Who Covered Protests Against Regime Official 292631912
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialStephen Abbott Pugh @stephenabbottpugh.bsky.social · 30/01/2026Worth noting that the fee for accessing information on the Cayman Islands beneficial ownership search platform by a licensed financial institution or a designated non-financial business or profession is set at $1500 USD per user per year 001
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 30/01/2026as.ft.com/r/67e1bbe6-8... Jeffrey Epstein sent thousands of pounds to Peter Mandelson’s husband, emails showas.ft.comJeffrey Epstein sent thousands of pounds to Peter Mandelson’s husband, emails show[FREE TO READ] Epstein sent Reinaldo Avila da Silva payments starting in 2009 031
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 28/01/2026www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/u... "They are going to carry guns and use cars as weapons, then they run the risk of getting killed", Mrs Lipinski,62, said." 1. Read the first amendment of the US Constitution 2. Read the second amendment 3. Read the 10 commandments (from murder to lying) Then ponder.nytimes.comA Shocked Nation Watches Minneapolis Killings: ‘Something Needs to Change’ 010
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 28/01/2026as.ft.com/r/1e92e5b2-a... Trump’s ‘New Gaza’ vision contrasts with the devastation on the ground “…a bombed-out wasteland where Israel continues to restrict essential goods, babies die of hypothermia and Israeli troops open fire on Gazans almost every day”as.ft.comTrump’s ‘New Gaza’ vision collides with devastation on the ground[FREE TO READ] Progress on US-backed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas faces enormous obstacles as conditions remain dire 032
cynthiao.bsky.social @cynthiao.bsky.social · 27/01/2026www.ft.com/content/c309... "Humanity is about to be handed almost unimaginable power and it is deeply unclear whether our social, political and technological systems possess the maturity to wield it." Uhm, it is very clear that they do not possess the maturity. Just look at social media.ft.com‘Humanity needs to wake up’ to dangers of AI, says Anthropic chiefDario Amodei posts 20,000-word essay detailing potentially catastrophic risks from powerful technology in years to come 131
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialFinancial Times @financialtimes.com · 23/01/2026Nigel Farage attended Davos on a pass sponsored by the family office of Iranian billionaire Sasan Ghandehari, which told the World Economic Forum that the Reform UK leader had advised the company since 2018. ft.trib.al/V138xDu 79746462
Reposted by @cynthiao.bsky.socialJim Waterson @jim.londoncentric.media · 24/01/2026This is one of the strangest and most screwed-up stories I’ve worked on. www.londoncentric.media/p/tiktok-lon...londoncentric.mediaWho's secretly filming fake TikToks inside Londoners' homes?We tracked down the viral video account invading people's houses to spread false claims about immigrants. 331150539