US funding shapes OCCRP's priorities, including Russia and Venezuela

ISTANBUL

A joint investigation by multiple media outlets on Monday revealed financial and structural connections between the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and the US government.

The world’s largest investigative media network, while claiming independence, relies significantly on US government funding, primarily from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

Headquartered in Washington, Amsterdam, and Sarajevo, OCCRP comprises 70 media members and 50 partners, including The New York Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, and Le Monde.

A collaborative investigation by Mediapart, Drop Site News (US), Il Fatto Quotidiano (Italy), Reporters United (Greece), and German broadcaster NDR uncovered links between the OCCRP and the US government.

NDR, which initiated the investigation, decided to censor its own report at the last minute, ultimately suspending its partnership with the OCCRP after the findings were revealed.

The report states that Washington reportedly provides about half of OCCRP’s budget and holds the power to veto key staff appointments.

While the organization acknowledges US funding on its website, it does not fully disclose the extent or conditions of this funding to its media partners or the public.

Furthermore, the French investigative outlet claims that OCCRP articles produced under US funding do not mention this financial support.

The investigation reveals that the OCCRP frequently targets countries such as Russia, Malta, the Greek Cyprus, and Venezuela—nations considered strategic interests for the US.

Founded in Sarajevo in 2008, the OCCRP initially focused on organized crime and corruption investigations in the Balkans.

Now the world’s largest investigative reporting network, it boasts a €20 million ($21.3 million) annual budget and has contributed to high-profile projects such as the Panama and Pandora Papers, the Pegasus Project, and Suisse Secrets.