Follow the Money EU

Podcast | Bottled lies: Europe’s wine industry is tainted by fraud The bottle of wine on your dinner table might not be what it claims. Journalists Barnaby Eales and Dominique Mesmin took a deep dive into how fraudsters sold millions of litres of Spanish bulk wine, p...

The bottle of wine on your dinner table might not be what it claims. Our journalists took a deep dive into how fraudsters sold litres of Spanish bulk wine, passing them off as more prestigious French labels. With climate change disrupting harvests, this kind of fraud may only become more common.

Forever chemicals are everywhere, even in our drinking water. And they're not going anywhere.

In this episode of FTM The Podcast, hosts Emma du Chatinier and Alexander Fanta discuss the risks of these chemicals with physicist Thomas Goorden.

Watch the full episode here: lnkd.in/dyXYyACc

Are EU health laws purely based on scientific evidence? In the case of ‘forever chemicals’ in our drinking water, industry lobbying appears to have influenced the EU to weaken vital regulation of a toxic substance called TFA. Learn more in our latest podcast episode: www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...

EU urged to spend defence funds on independent media to combat Russian propaganda Media freedom advocate Ruth Kronenburg is alarmed by the impact of U.S. foreign aid cuts on free and fair journalism worldwide. She’s urged the EU to invest 150 million euros of defence funding to fil...

800 billion euro – that’s how much the EU wants to invest in defense. But a slice of it should go toward combating Russian disinformation, Ruth Kronenburg, director of Free Press Unlimited tells FTM. “Access to information can literally save lives.” www.ftm.eu/articles/eu-...

Podcast | The corporate campaign to weaken Europe’s fight against forever chemicals It’s in our food, wine and water: Rising levels of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) – a type of “forever chemical” linked to serious health problems – are causing alarm in Europe. Yet when Brussels revised ...

It’s in our food, wine & water – but few in the EU talk about it. Rising levels of TFA, a “forever chemical” tied to serious health risks, are alarming scientists. In our latest podcast, we uncover how industry lobbying helped weaken Brussels’ response.

Fitter, better, younger? Big Food’s health supplements mislead European consumers Food giants like Nestlé and Unilever are making vast and growing profits from supplements that promise to tackle obesity, stress, and symptoms of other health conditions. But large numbers of those cl...

Nestlé and Unilever are cashing in on pricey supplements that promise to fight stress, obesity and other health issues. But many of those claims break EU advertising rules, our investigation reveals.

Loud music, silent takeovers: How private equity is reshaping Europe’s festival scene The American private equity firm KKR now owns many of Europe's biggest festivals. The billion-euro purchase by a fund with links to Donald Trump has raised fears of rising ticket prices, and questions...

The investigation: www.ftm.eu/articles/pri...

Podcast | How a vulture capitalist quietly took over Europe’s festival scene U.S. investment giant KKR has quietly bought up major European music festivals like Sónar and Sziget. Investigative journalists Henk Willem Smits, Salsabil Fayed, Nick de Jager, and Remy Koens have un...

US investment giant KKR has quietly bought up major European festivals. But our investigation reveals ties to controversial Israel-linked firms. As pressure mounts over Gaza, artists are pushing back. Hear more in our latest podcast.

Pfizer text messages lost right after access request, New York Times reports In a potentially explosive development, the European Commission has admitted it did not retain text messages after a journalist requested access to it.

🔊 EU Commission admits it lost Pfizergate texts after (!) access request

A doc that the Commission released to the NYT finally provides clarity on what happened áfter @alexfanta.bsky.social filed his request to access the texts between Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer 👇

www.ftm.eu/articles/pfi...

🧨 New revelation in the Pfizergate affair over Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen’s texts with the Pfizer CEO.

The European Commission admitted to the New York Times this week that it lost the texts only after I made an official request for them.

🧵

Pfizer text messages lost right after access request, New York Times reports In a potentially explosive development, the European Commission has admitted it did not retain text messages after a journalist requested access to it.

The European Commission has admitted it lost texts between President Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer’s CEO Albert Bourla right after a journalist had asked to see them. The messages were about a multi-billion-euro Covid vaccine deal.

Forget the Tate brothers, Romania’s sex trafficking problem runs far deeper The saga of misogynist influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate, who face charges of human trafficking and other crimes in Romania, has generated headlines worldwide. But little is known about the fate of ...

The saga of the Tate brothers, facing human trafficking charges in Romania, has made global headlines. But in Romania, the fate of trafficking victims is far less visible: fewer than 1% receive government compensation to rebuild their lives, while authorities lag far behind traffickers.

Podcast | The Western oil tankers that fund Putin’s war Since the start of the war, Russia has generated over 900 billion euros from fossil fuel exports – funds that have helped sustain its military aggression. To circumvent Western sanctions on oil trade,...

Russia has made €900B from fossil fuels since invading Ukraine – money fueling its war. To dodge sanctions, it built a “shadow fleet” of old tankers. Ep 3 of Follow the Money, The Podcast reveals how Western shipowners made $6B selling ships to this fleet.

Pollution, poverty, protests: On the toxic trail of Morocco’s phosphate giant Morocco’s phosphate minerals are vital for producing fertiliser and powering electric cars. Demand is set to surge as part of the energy transition, but mining comes at a heavy cost to people and the ...

Phosphate is essential for both fertilisers and electric cars. Morocco controls nearly 70% of the world’s supply, with state-owned company OCP making billions from it. But NGOs and locals accuse the company of pollution, toxic waste, and dangerous working conditions.

From champagne to the brink of collapse: how a Dutch shipbuilder pushed a Romanian yard into crisis Dutch company Damen acquired Romania’s largest shipyard in Mangalia in 2017, and hopes were high that the site would become a hub for shipbuilding in the region and throughout Europe. But now, the cra...

Where normally a dozen ships are built each year, it's now dead quiet. Dutch shipbuilder Damen left one of Europe's largest shipyards. According to Romanian authorities the Dutch "illegally" took 55 million euro's with them.
With @lukaskotkamp.bsky.social on @ftm.eu.
www.ftm.eu/articles/dam...

From champagne to the brink of collapse: how a Dutch shipbuilder pushed a Romanian yard into crisis Dutch company Damen acquired Romania’s largest shipyard in Mangalia in 2017, and hopes were high that the site would become a hub for shipbuilding in the region and throughout Europe. But now, the cra...

Once Romania’s largest shipyard, Mangalia now stands still – haunted by rusting hulls and idle cranes. Dutch shareholder Damen Shipyards is accused of siphoning off 55 million euros through “illegal, orchestrated operations.” What went wrong? Who is to blame? www.ftm.eu/articles/dam...

Podcast | Inside the Huawei corruption scandal that rocked Brussels The Huawei corruption scandal has cast a long shadow over Brussels. Several individuals have been charged over allegations that lobbyists for the Chinese tech giant bribed members of the European Pa...

The fallout from the Huawei corruption scandal continues to ripple through Brussels. In episode two of Follow the Money, The Podcast, journalists Simon Van Dorpe and Alexander Fanta reveal exactly what happened behind the scenes. www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...

Shipping around sanctions? Fraudsters sell fake flag of Caribbean island to dozens of oil tankers As Western allies are trying to clamp down on the lucrative Russian and Iranian oil trade, an FTM investigation shows that a company with an address in California is offering sanctioned tankers fake f...

A company in Beverly Hills helps sanctioned Russian and Iranian tankers evade scrutiny by selling fake flags. At least 77 ships received false tanker registrations using the flag of Sint Maarten – which has no ship registry. 30 of them are under Western sanctions. www.ftm.eu/articles/san...

European missile maker linked to deadly Gaza bombings Israel is coming under increasing scrutiny for its attacks on Gaza. Europe’s biggest missile manufacturer, MBDA, is supplying key components of bombs that Israel launches.

Europe's biggest missile maker is tied to deadly strikes in Gaza. MBDA supplies key bomb parts used by Israel, despite mounting civilian casualties. While European leaders criticise Israel’s actions, arms shipments continue. www.ftm.eu/articles/eur...

Europe, don't follow U.S. in anti-China policy, expert says To remain globally relevant, the EU must distance itself from a US strategy that divides the world into ‘the West and the rest’. Instead Europe should adapt to the increasing geopolitical clout of pow...

To stay globally relevant, the EU must let go of the U.S. lens of ‘the West versus the rest’, says foreign policy expert Samir Puri in his new book Westlessness. As rising powers like China reshape the global order, Europe should adapt strategically. “The world doesn’t work in camps,” he tells FTM.

Podcast | Shein’s toxic business model Millions of people across Europe buy their clothes on the fast fashion app Shein. But the Chinese company’s aggressive tactics for recruiting users have attracted the attention of European regulators....

Big news! @ftm.eu has launched a podcast, with @emmaduchatinier.bsky.social and yours truly as co-hosts.

Our first episode zooms in on Shein’s toxic business model. Tune in for free:
www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...

Podcast | Shein’s toxic business model Millions of people across Europe buy their clothes on the fast fashion app Shein. But the Chinese company’s aggressive tactics for recruiting users have attracted the attention of European regulators....

Who really pulls the strings in Europe? In our brand new podcast we uncover the hidden players shaping the continent. In the first episode, out now, we dive into the toxic tactics of fast fashion giant Shein. Reporter Yara van Heugten reveals how the Chinese app may be losing its shine.

Ex-EU justice chief’s right-hand man targeted in money laundering probe Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

Belgian police searched the home of a long-time adviser to ex-EU Commissioner Didier Reynders. At the centre of the case: over 1 million euros in suspicious cash flows – part of which were allegedly laundered through lottery wins. Reynders faces pressure to prove the money’s legal origin.

Georgia’s anti-EU media oligarch runs his empire through an Amsterdam office While undermining democracy in his own country through the pro-government propaganda Imedi TV station, the Georgian entrepreneur Irakli Rukhadze routes his business interests through the Netherlands. ...

Georgia’s main pro-government TV channel, which spreads anti-Western disinformation, is owned through corporate structures in the Netherlands. While thousands protest Georgia’s authoritarian turn, Dutch companies are used to support those undermining democracy. www.ftm.eu/articles/geo...

U.S. gets sneak peek at Europe's military tech through CIA-backed fund Amid Donald Trump’s unpredictable and often adversarial approach to foreign policy, the EU is seeking greater military autonomy. But a CIA-backed venture fund is investing in dozens of European defenc...

As the EU pushes for military independence, the CIA is gaining quiet influence through its venture fund. The fund invests in European defence start-ups, not for profit, but for strategic insight. While Europe wants autonomy, U.S. intelligence is staying close to the action.

Who's Watching Brussels? - Lise Witteman Hundreds of thousands of euros from alleged bribes stashed in a suitcase. Deleted text messages setting out deals worth billions of euros. There's no shortage of drama in the EU's unofficial capital. ...

#Pfizergate and many other Brussels irregularities continue to eat away at the foundations of the EU as its watchdogs lack sharp teeth.

With doing too little about it, the mainstream parties are giving Europe away to the far right 👇
winkel.ftm.nl/products/who...

But this isn’t the only instance in which Ottati was suspected of not sticking to the truth. At least four people described him as a habitual liar. “It was hard to know what was true or false,” one of them said. One such instance they cited was in September 2021, when the Italian lobbyist told the company that his father died. The next day, colleagues were sharing condolences in an office chat, seen by Follow the Money. Ottati was given time off. Years later, a man claiming to be Ottati’s father showed up at the reception, two former staffers said. And indeed, in September last year, official records show that his father was re-elected to the board of an NGO.

Another gem from today's @ftm.eu piece about alleged corruption in Huawei's Brussels lobby shop. The person leading the companies outreach to the European Parliament told colleagues in 2021 that his dad had died.

Except that wasn't true.

Full story (free to read today): www.ftm.eu/articles/hua...

‘This MEP is on my payroll’: Huawei lobbyist bragged about bribery in the office At a time when Huawei’s reputation hit a new low in Brussels, one man kept the doors to politicians open – until he was arrested for alleged bribery. Now, insiders tell Follow the Money that Huawei’s ...

To win back EU access, Huawei turned to a rogue lobbyist. Valerio Ottati secured high-level meetings – but his former colleagues long suspected he was rigging the game, by bribing officials and falsifying documents. Managers looked away, until police stepped in. www.ftm.eu/articles/hua...

Food and water pollution crisis threatens Europe as lobbyists sway Brussels Brussels has been ignoring warnings from scientists concerning rapidly increasing exposure to toxic “forever chemicals” from Europe's food and drinking water. Documents obtained by Follow the Money re...

Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ are turning up in Europe’s food and drinking water, yet Brussels is ignoring scientists’ warnings. One chemical, TFA, is spreading fast and escaping regulation, thanks in part to chemical industry lobbying. Internal documents reveal how EU protections were weakened.

Wear a tie, don't quote me Instructions from a top EU official to hundreds of staff members, obtained by Follow the Money, reveal the European Commission's effort to limit public information about its interactions with the tech industry. Since the start of the year, the Commission has been proactively publishing minutes of meetings with lobbyists on its website. But as we recently reported, this appearance of transparency is largely a facade – minutes often contain no useful information, and in some cases, a second set of "confidential minutes" is kept. A recent memo sent on behalf of Roberto Viola, head of the Commission's powerful tech department, reveals how the institution aims to limit the creation of any formal record of lobbying meetings to the bare minimum. As Politico first revealed, staff attending meetings with the Commission's vice-president Henna Virkkunen and other top officials were ordered to take pen and paper notes only – "no electronic devices are to be used for this purpose." The memo also, comically, reminded officials taking the notes to dress properly – “men should wear a tie.” But the memo, which Follow the Money obtained through an access request and is publishing in full, contains another, previously unreported instruction: officials are told "to only take note of key conclusions and to refrain from creating verbatim transcripts." The memo notes that these changes follow complaints from Virkkunen's cabinet “and by Roberto himself.” Are these instructions meant to prevent pesky journalists from requesting full transcripts of meetings? A Commission spokesperson tersely replied to Follow the Money that Viola's instructions were "completely unrelated to your right of access to documents of the Union's institutions, bodies, offices and agencies." Alexander Fanta

How the EU Commission's obsession about controlling the outflow of information has lead one department to ban verbatim notes from meetings. From @ftm.eu's latest newsletter: www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...