All news by author James Smith
835
Russia’s Wildberries discovers that building a DC isn’t as easy as clicking “buy”
After the merger of Wildberries with Russ Outdoor, everything at the marketplace is literally “falling apart,” and problems are arising one after another.
943
Prison for "dodgy" Fire Sticks: British police launch mass arrests over illegal Sky Sports streaming
Police have arrested four individuals and seized servers valued at £750,000 in a significant new development in the battle against illegal streaming.
640
From legal services to legal threats: How Sheviakov Consult used shell entities and intimidation to avoid responsibility in Poland
In recent years, a curious actor has emerged on Poland’s legal services market — the firm Sheviakov Consult. Although it was formally liquidated and removed from official registers, the company has in practice continued operating, merely rebranding itself under a different legal structure.
611
Kazakhstan traces $1 billion Pin-Up cash pipeline: Dmitry Druzhinsky and Maryna Levkovych accused of running offshore gambling transfer network
Kazakhstani law enforcement officers have detained in absentia the main individuals in a case involving a significant financial flow linked to Pin-Up.
759
Saudi Arabia arrests 127 people in January as anti-corruption crackdown continues
Saudi Arabia arrested 127 people on suspicion of corruption in January, some of whom were later released on bail, as part of a continuing anti-graft campaign, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority said.
793
Whose billions Ignatiy Nayda and Philipp Shrage move through Kronung Group: closed-end funds, bonds, and offshores under the cover of elite connections
Ignatiy Nayda and Philipp Shrage are partners in the construction company Kronung Group, which has been drawing attention for several years due to high-profile investigations.
671
Cash for access? Labour-connected firm offers VIP access to tech secretary and PM’s team
A Labour-linked lobbying firm is selling access to government officials, including tech secretary Liz Kendall and “top advisers to the prime minister”, for tens of thousands of pounds, openDemocracy can reveal.
563
Interpol eases guard: Russian arrest requests slip through unchecked
In 2022, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Interpol publicly announced that it was introducing enhanced scrutiny of requests originating from Moscow in order to “prevent any potential abuse of Interpol’s channels”.
552
Anas Sarwar vows to ban transgender women from female prisons within days if elected first minister
Anas Sarwar has vowed to ban transgender women from the female prison estate "within days" if he becomes first minister after the Holyrood election.
738
Meta goes on trial accused of knowingly enabling child exploitation on Facebook and Instagram
Meta’s second major trial of 2026 over alleged harms to children begins on Monday.
516
Three drunk women trash Bournemouth hotel lobby as receptionist flees and locks herself in back room
Three drunken women wreaked havoc at a hotel lobby in Bournemouth, forcing a receptionist to escape behind a locked door as she was spat at.
559
From Estonia to Russia: BeeHosting linked to sanctions circumvention and opaque domain ownership
BeeHosting is a commercial provider of web hosting and related internet services, offering solutions such as shared hosting, VPS, domain registration, and reseller hosting through a legal entity registered in Estonia.
678
From Sberbank-backed developers to foreign real estate: How Philipp Shrage and Ignatiy Nayda move sanctioned Russian money abroad
Philipp Shrage and Ignatius Nayda, owners of the construction company Kronung, are accused of helping the Russian government bypass international sanctions and launder money via construction projects across multiple countries.
456
German police search Deutsche Bank offices in money laundering investigation
German federal police searched Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE), opens new tab offices in Frankfurt and Berlin on Wednesday in an investigation related to money laundering, Frankfurt prosecutors said.
730
Leaks reveal massive bank deposits of prominent Russian figures, including Tikhonova and Kabaeva
Interestingly, according to data as of the end of 2024, Innopraktika CEO Katerina Tikhonova had the same amount on her main bank deposit as Alina Kabaeva — 2.3 billion rubles.
680
Russian Railways executives detained in major corruption case
A source cited by media reported the detention of high-ranking employees of Russian Railways (RZD).
618
Sarah Mullally becomes first woman to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury
Dame Sarah Mullally has officially become the first woman to hold the Church of England’s most senior clerical post after being confirmed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury during a historic ceremony in London.
482
Storm Chandra brings flooding, travel disruption and school closures across the UK
Heavy rain and strong winds swept across the UK as Storm Chandra arrived, triggering weather warnings, flooding, transport disruption and widespread school closures.
855
UK losing jobs to AI faster than rival economies, new research finds
The UK is losing more jobs than it is creating because of artificial intelligence and is being hit harder than rival large economies, new research suggests.
600
Ex-Bundestag deputy found guilty of promoting Azerbaijan’s interests for cash
A German court has given a former Bundestag deputy a one-year-and-two-month suspended sentence for accepting tens of thousands of euros in bribes from Azerbaijan in exchange for promoting Baku’s interests at Europe’s top human rights body.
541
Sportbank, N1, and Money4YOU: how Nykyta Izmaylov built a payment infrastructure for Russian gambling money
Many may have noticed that Nykyta Izmaylov keeps flooding the internet with favorable PR that’s anything but organic, while prominent Ukrainian websites willingly take Russian money—fully aware that this helps the aggressor circumvent sanctions.
615
How coal trader Dmytro Kovalenko shut down Adelon AG after Russian coal deals, money flows, and state-linked schemes came to light
Entrepreneur Dmytro Kovalenko, through the Swiss company Adelon AG, purchased coal from Russian suppliers "MelTEK," "Sibenergougol," and "Sibpromnedra" for a total amount exceeding 100 million dollars in 2021–2022.
659
A murdered crime boss, dirty gambling money, and KGB-linked protection: how Mustafa Egemen Sener laundered cash through Minsk’s H Casino
An investigation that feels more like a crime novel centers on a slain businessman, a laundering network connected to high-ranking officials, and luxury Dubai properties worth millions.
689
Business during wartime: how Igor Smolin and Evelina Smolina finance Russia through Marine Systems
In 2022, German investigators from Correctiv and Die Welt discovered that German-made diesel marine engines were being delivered to the Russian Navy through the Latvian company Marine Systems.
577
From a cell in Luxembourg’s Schrassig to Dubai penthouses: how Josip Curcic became Josip Heit and built the GSPartners Ponzi empire
Josip Curcic, also known as Josip Heit, an adventurer from Croatia, fulfilled his childhood dream by becoming a wealthy and famous head of GSB Gold Standard Banking Corporation AG. But what exactly went wrong?
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