Europe Uncovered – second edition!

Last week, we launched Europe Uncovered, our new newsletter where we select for you the best investigative journalism from across Europe – stories from top media outlets that expose hidden power, systemic failures, and financial misconduct.

At Follow the Money, we believe too many crucial investigations go unnoticed, trapped by borders and languages, even though their impact is global. With Europe Uncovered, we want to break these barriers, spotlighting stories with cross-border relevance.

Because in an era where disinformation thrives and democracy is under pressure, strong investigative journalism is more essential than ever for Europe

Know a must-read investigation for our next issue? Send your tips to nathan.domon@ftm.eu 

Under the spotlight

🇪🇺🕵️‍♂️ Dekonspiratsiya: Meet 20 of Putin’s EU spies

EUobserver | 11 March 2025

This joint investigation by EUobserver reveals how Russian spies continue to operate in Brussels despite mass expulsions. It uncovers how 20 so-called diplomats, expelled from Belgium in 2023, were actually intelligence operatives embedded in EU and NATO circles – some posing as trade reps, academics, or even using dating apps for connections. It also shows how Russia quickly replaces expelled spies, intensifying sabotage, recruitment, and intelligence-gathering.

🇪🇺📡 How Huawei’s lobbying campaign in Europe went rogue

Follow the Money | 13 March 2025

Brussels is facing a new corruption scandal. Investigators suspect lobbyists for Huawei bribed members of the European Parliament in exchange for their public support, at a time when the Chinese tech giant faced increasing scrutiny over its ties to Beijing and espionage risks; desperate to maintain market access in Europe, Huawei ramped up its lobbying in Brussels. But how far did it go? FTM uncovered how Huawei’s lobbying campaign in Europe went rogue.

🇮🇹🏛️ Living large from Moscow to Milan: Russian state company executives snap up luxury homes in Italy while funding the war in Ukraine

The Insider | 10 March 2025

This joint investigation by The Insider and the Agents of War project uncovers how top executives from Russian state-owned companies, which actively finance the war in Ukraine, are buying up luxury properties in Italy. While helping transform Russia into an isolated war machine, these elites secure lavish retreats from Milan to the Ligurian coast – far from the consequences of their country’s actions. This exposes how these high-ranking figures, many under international sanctions, continue to enjoy the best of the West, even as their companies fuel the Kremlin’s war efforts.

We also liked

🇵🇱🇭🇺 Polish and Hungarian illiberals court US think tank for EU shake-up:

VSquare reveals how illiberal forces in Poland and Hungary are lobbying US think tank The Heritage Foundation to support their radical EU reforms plan – all while drawing on funding linked to Russian oil profits.

🇫🇷🛩️ French arms giant linked to Israeli drone strikes:

Disclose reveals that French armament group Thales sold €2 million in equipment for Israeli armed drones between 2018 and 2023. The technology has allegedly been involved in strikes against Palestinian civilians.

🇨🇭🗞️ Swiss right-wing elites push agenda via free newspapers:

CORRECTIV reveals how figures of the Swiss rightwing party SVP control a network of free newspapers reaching over 2.8 million Swiss readers, blurring the line between news and political influence.

🇵🇱📢 Russian propaganda networks target Poland:

Insight News Media uncovers 10 Polish-language sites spreading Kremlin narratives, demonising Ukraine, the EU, and the West – and cited by Russian state media to create a false sense of European support for Moscow.