Arnaud Aubry is a journalist based in Paris, France.

* Profiles and stories, French media: La Vie, Jeune Afrique, Le Monde, Les Jours, France Culture

* Fixer and producer, foreign media: ESPN (with Wright Thompson), NRK (the Norwegian TV), SVT (the Swedish TV)

Private nurseries: 'Profitability is not possible, unless the offer is degraded'

18 Sept 2024  |  La Vie.fr  |  French  |  Corporate Misconduct

Victor Castanet's new investigation, 'les Ogres', exposes serious issues in the private nursery sector, focusing on People & Baby's alleged misconduct, including child mistreatment and financial mismanagement. The report highlights systemic problems, with whistleblowers facing retaliation, and suggests collusion between lobbyists and government officials, raising concerns about the prioritization of profit over child welfare.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Childcare Public Scandal

Interpretive

Factuality Scale

Left

Political View

Je suis BAH Alhassane, journaliste guinéen basé à Conakry. Diplômé de l'Institut Supérieur de l'Information et de la Communication (ISIC) de Kountia, j'exerce dans le domaine du journalisme depuis avril 2010. Spécialisé dans la presse écrite, j'ai évolué avec les avancées technologiques pour ...

The Hell of Rubber and Palm Planters in Diecké: 'We Are Treated Like Slaves'

27 May 2022  |  Guinéenews©  |  French  |  Corporate Misconduct

SOGUIPAH, a Guinean company involved in rubber and palm oil production, has faced severe criticism from local planters and workers for delayed payments, poor working conditions, and management issues. The company, once a boon for the local economy, is now accused of treating planters like slaves and failing to pay them for months. Workers have also faced intimidation and unfair dismissals for demanding better conditions. The article highlights the broader issues of corporate misconduct and labor rights violations, with calls for improved management and accountability.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Labor Rights Agriculture

Interpretive

Factuality Scale

Left

Political View

Esperanza Balaguer is a journalist from Spain based in New York, United States of America. I work as a freelance reporter writing in Spanish about politics, economy, culture and social movements. I arrived to NYC last September to cover the presidential campaign and the elections. I still write ...

The former director of Abercrombie & Fitch accused of sexual exploitation of men

03 Oct 2023  |  www.expansion.com  |  Spanish  |  Corporate Misconduct

Victims allege that an intermediary for the former head of Abercrombie & Fitch, Mike Jeffries, lured them to auditions where sexual acts were performed before meeting Jeffries and his partner. The accusations stem from a two-year investigation by the BBC's Panorama program. Eight men confirmed attending events involving sexual acts directed by Jeffries and Smith between 2009 and 2015. Some were misled about the nature of these events, while others were aware but unclear on expectations. The young men hoped to be hired for Abercrombie's advertising campaigns but were coerced into sexual encounters. Former model Barrett Pall described feeling dehumanized. U.S. attorneys Brad Edwards and Elizabeth Geddes are calling for an investigation into potential sex trafficking charges. Jeffries resigned in 2014 amid diversity accusations. Abercrombie & Fitch's current CEO, Fran Horowitz-Bonadies, expressed horror at the allegations.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Sexual Exploitation

Interpretive

Factuality Scale

Nicole Chang is a journalist based in Paris, France. She has more than 5 years’ worth of professional journalism experience, and has lived in Singapore, London and Shanghai. She is a native English speaker, and also knows Mandarin and French.

Uber sued by more than 500 women over sexual assault claims

14 Jul 2022  |  www.euronews.com  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

Uber is facing a lawsuit from 550 women in the United States who allege they were sexually assaulted by drivers on the platform. The complaint, filed in San Francisco County Superior Court, accuses Uber of being aware of such incidents since 2014 but prioritizing company growth over customer safety. The law firm Slater Slater Schulman, which is handling the case, is investigating at least 150 more potential cases. Uber has responded by emphasizing its commitment to safety and questioning the connection of the cases to its platform. The lawsuit follows Uber's release of its second US Safety Report, which reported 998 sexual assault incidents in 2020.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Legal Issues

Informative

Factuality Scale

Elinor Comlay is a journalist based in Atlantic City, United States of America. Elinor speaks fluent Spanish and French and has experience covering immigration, politics and social issues as well as banking and business. She is a British national who previously worked with Reuters in Mexico and New ...

The rise and fall of Pali Capital

05 Apr 2023  |  Reuters  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

The article by Elinor Comlay discusses the rise and fall of Pali Capital, a boutique investment bank that thrived during the 2008 financial crisis by hiring talent from failing Wall Street giants. The company, co-founded by Bradley Reifler and Bert Cohen, was known for its lavish spending and aggressive expansion. However, Reifler's combative nature and penchant for litigation led to numerous lawsuits, which ultimately contributed to the firm's downfall. Despite attempts to sell the company, Pali Capital's financial burdens from legal fees and the loss of key personnel led to its closure. Reifler's personal guarantee on a loan and his continued litigious behavior are highlighted as factors in the company's demise.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Financial Crisis Investment Banking Legal Disputes

Chiara Crescenzi is a journalist based in Roma, RM, Italia.

OpenAI Suspends ByteDance's Account for Illicit Use of Its AI

18 Dec 2023  |  www.wired.it  |  Italian  |  Corporate Misconduct

ByteDance faced a suspension of its account by OpenAI after a report by The Verge revealed the Chinese giant was using OpenAI's technology to develop its own large language model (LLM), violating OpenAI's terms of service. Despite being aware of the restrictions, ByteDance relied on OpenAI's API for every stage of its 'Project Seed' model development, including training and evaluation. Internal communications suggested employees knew about the misuse and discussed data desensitization to hide evidence. The suspension occurred after Chinese regulators approved ByteDance's chatbot Doubao, and the company had instructed employees to cease using OpenAI's API for LLM development, although it was still used for performance evaluation. OpenAI's spokesperson Niko Felix stated that ByteDance's API use was minimal but the account was suspended pending further investigation, with potential demands for changes or account closure if non-compliance was found.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Artificial Intelligence

I'm an experienced investigative, feature and documentary journalist residing in Copenhagen. Since 2015, I've been reporting from Denmark, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South America. 

I have reported for a wide range of international media such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, BBC, ...

Donna Ferguson is an award-winning freelance journalist, specialising in celebrity interviews, personal finance, education and lifestyle pieces for national newspapers. My articles appear regularly in The Guardian, The Observer, The Mail on Sunday and The Sunday Times. I also write for The Times, ...

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO accused of exploiting young men for sex

02 Oct 2023  |  the Guardian  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries and his partner Matthew Smith are accused of exploiting young men for sex at events they hosted, according to a BBC investigation. Several men allege they were misled about the nature of the events and were sexually auditioned by a middleman, James Jacobson. The BBC's two-year investigation includes testimonies from eight men who attended these events between 2009 and 2015. Two former US prosecutors have called for an investigation into potential sex trafficking charges. Abercrombie & Fitch has expressed disgust at the allegations and emphasized its commitment to zero tolerance for abuse.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Sexual Exploitation

Interpretive

Factuality Scale

Francisco Ferreira is a image reporter based in Porto, Portugal.
Image Reporter with vast experience in information,  with news reports for several national channels, TVI, RTP, SPORTTV, and foreigners - DSF (Germany) , TVGalicia (Spain) , TVE (Spain) , NTN24 (Colombia), Euronews
Possibility to ...

How videos recorded 20 years ago in a call center were fundamental in building a great documentary

13 Sept 2023  |  expresso.pt  |  Portuguese  |  Corporate Misconduct

Sam Lipman-Stern, co-director of the HBO Max miniseries 'Telemarketers,' began filming his experiences over two decades ago at the Civic Development Group (CDG), a dubious American telemarketing company. The footage captured the chaotic and unpredictable work environment, which thrived on exploitative practices, including schemes that targeted victims under the guise of charity. The series reveals the harsh realities of modern-day wage slavery and corporate greed. Despite CDG being investigated and fined, the business model persists globally. The documentary has been praised for its authenticity and has involved notable figures like Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, and the Safdie brothers.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Television Documentary

Informative

Factuality Scale

Clothilde Goujard is a journalist based in Amman, Jordan. 

She was previously a senior tech policy reporter with POLITICO in Brussels, Belgium. 

She has also freelanced in Canada as a video journalist for Agence France-Presse (AFP) and CBC. Her work on Canadian politics, migration and the ...

TikTok’s parent company admits accessing journalists’ data

22 Dec 2022  |  www.politico.eu  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, accessed data of journalists and other users to track company leaks, raising security concerns in the West. ByteDance employees in China and the U.S. inappropriately accessed IP addresses and other data of journalists from BuzzFeed News and the Financial Times. The U.S. Congress is set to vote on banning TikTok from federal government phones due to privacy and national security fears. ByteDance has fired four employees and restructured its audit and risk team. The company is negotiating with CFIUS to remain operational in the U.S. Meanwhile, the Irish Data Protection Commission is investigating TikTok's data transfers to China, with results expected in early 2023.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Data Privacy National Security

Informative

Factuality Scale

Andrew Jehring is a journalist based in London, United Kingdom.

Shamed Post Office law chief said the firm should 'grit its teeth and get on with prosecuting people' after he suppressed an investigation into its faulty IT system to protect the firm

05 Oct 2023  |  This is Money  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

The Post Office continued prosecuting sub-postmasters despite knowing its Horizon IT system was faulty, leading to one of the worst miscarriages of justice in modern British history. Rob Wilson, the head of criminal law, suppressed an investigation into the system to protect the business, resulting in over 900 wrongful prosecutions. Public outrage has grown, especially after the ITV series 'Mr Bates vs The Post Office' highlighted the issue. Victims and campaigners are calling for accountability, while the government prepares legislation to exonerate the wrongfully convicted and allocate compensation.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Legal Scandal Miscarriage of Justice

Opinionated

Factuality Scale

Center-Left

Political View

Winifred Lartey is a freelance journalist. She is passionate about human-interest stories.

She graduated with a journalism degree from UNIMac formerly the Ghana Institute of Journalism.

She travels to collect news - She travels to discover stories. She believes that journalism can’t be done ...

SpaceX illegally fired workers, U.S. labor agency says

04 Jan 2023  |  www.asaaseradio.com  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

SpaceX is accused by the U.S. National Labor Relations Board of unlawfully firing eight employees for circulating a letter criticizing CEO Elon Musk. The letter highlighted Musk's tweets, which employees claimed contradicted SpaceX's policies on diversity and workplace conduct. The NLRB complaint also alleges SpaceX interrogated and disparaged employees involved with the letter. If found guilty, SpaceX could face penalties and be required to reinstate the workers. This case adds to a series of legal challenges faced by Musk's companies, including Tesla and X, over labor and employment law violations.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Labor Rights

Interpretive

Factuality Scale

I'm a passionate journalist with a multimedia approach to news reporting and storytelling. I believe that news content must be direct, accurate, and informative. 

With experience across digital, print, and broadcast media, I strive to engage and inform diverse audiences through compelling ...

SABC execs fired over concealing multimillion-rand profit share deal

07 Jul 2024  |  www.citizen.co.za  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

Two SABC executives, Ian Plaatjies and Merlin Naicker, were dismissed after being found guilty of concealing a profit-sharing agreement with Discovery Digital related to the SABC Plus streaming platform. The agreement, which included a 7.5% advertising revenue share for Discovery Digital, was hidden from the executive committee. This misconduct was uncovered following an internal audit and a legal opinion from Werksmans. The SABC, struggling financially, has not recorded a profit in nearly a decade and is at risk of business rescue, projecting a R1 billion loss for the 2022/23 financial year.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Media Industry

Informative

Factuality Scale

Rob McKenzie is a versatile and quick writer, editor and researcher based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. His work has appeared in publications including South China Morning Post, The Globe and Mail, Orlando Sentinel, The National, National Post, Canadian Business and Bark magazine.

Jenny Medlicott is a freelance writer and travel editor at The Pocket Media Group. She graduated from the University of Exeter in 2021, where she was also comment editor from 2020–2021. Since graduating, she has written for numerous publications, with bylines in The Independent, Marie Claire UK, ...

Post Office boss admits ‘it’s a possibility’ Horizon scandal victims’ money may have been paid to executives

03 Oct 2023  |  LBC  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

The Post Office chief executive, Nick Read, admitted that money wrongfully taken from Horizon scandal victims might have been paid to executives. Despite multiple investigations, the exact whereabouts of the funds remain unclear due to low-quality data. Paul Patterson, director of Europe's Fujitsu Services Limited, apologized for the company's role in the scandal and acknowledged a moral obligation to contribute to compensation. The Horizon scandal led to over 700 wrongful convictions due to faulty software, and the UK government is working to exonerate and compensate the affected sub-postmasters.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Horizon Scandal Compensation

Interpretive

Factuality Scale

Khonani Ontebetse is a journalist(more than 13 years experience) , researcher and novelist. My articles have appeared in a number of international publications, covering business, economy and politics. I also specialise in investigative journalism and most of my articles are on policy, governance ...

Rahim Khan flies Emirates flag into turbulence of shady deals

23 Sept 2023  |  Sunday Standard  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

Botswana authorities, including the Botswana Police Service, are investigating former acting High Court judge Rahim Khan's controversial relationship with Emirates Airlines and Africa's biggest retailer, Checkers/Shoprite. Documents reveal that customers and banks had previously questioned the relationship between Dibeko Investments, directed by Khan and Ebrahim Kajee, and Emirates. Despite complaints, no measures were taken to address the anomalies, leading to further complications, including employee retrenchments and a complaint lodged with the Law Society of Botswana.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Investigations

Balanced

Factuality Scale

I am a journalist based in São Paulo (SP), Brasil. I have worked for Folha de S.Paulo, Brazil's largest newspaper, covering education, culture and other subjects.

Audit multinational invents site to escape government punishment

07 Dec 2023  |  noticias.uol.com.br  |  Portuguese  |  Corporate Misconduct

KPMG, a major auditing firm, is under investigation by Brazil's Controladoria-Geral da União (CGU) for allegedly attempting to circumvent a government-imposed penalty by creating a new website to publish a mandated notice. The penalty stems from the 2017 Operation Boca Livre, which investigated misuse of the Lei Rouanet cultural incentive. KPMG was fined and required to publicize its punishment, but initially did so on a newly created, obscure website. The CGU has since mandated further actions, including listing KPMG in the National Register of Punished Companies. KPMG denies any wrongdoing and is contesting the fine in court.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Government Investigation Legal Issues

Balanced

Factuality Scale

Martha Pskowski is a journalist based in Mexico City, Mexico.
She reports for U.S., Mexican and U.K. news outlets on environmental justice, immigration, urbanism and gender. Her work reporting in Mexico and Central America has appeared in Al Jazeera English, The Guardian, and CityLab, among other ...

Major Problem in Texas: How Big Polluters Evade Federal Law and Get Away With It

26 Dec 2023  |  insideclimatenews.org  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

Texas companies are circumventing federal environmental laws by exploiting loopholes and lax state permitting processes, often with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's (TCEQ) facilitation. Tactics include misclassifying major pollution sources as minor, underestimating emissions, and using retroactive amendments to alter permits. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been criticized for not intervening in Texas' noncompliance with federal standards. Specific cases involve companies like Intercontinental Terminals Company, GAF, and ExxonMobil, with community advocates and environmental groups challenging the TCEQ's decisions. Despite systemic issues and rare victories, the fight against these practices continues, with some looking for new approaches to enforce environmental laws.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Environmental Regulation

Informative

Factuality Scale

Julian Ryall is a journalist based in Tokyo, Japan.

Japan oil firm chief sacked over misconduct, but is it ‘sign of fundamental change’ in corporate culture?

03 Oct 2023  |  South China Morning Post  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

Eneos fired its chief, Saito, after an investigation confirmed his inappropriate behavior towards a female manager, marking the second such scandal in two years for the company. The incident has sparked discussions on the deep-rooted issues of sexual harassment and corporate governance in Japan, with experts expressing mixed views on whether this signals a fundamental change in corporate culture. The article also references other recent high-profile cases of misconduct, highlighting the persistent problem of inappropriate behavior among senior male executives in Japanese organizations.

Tags:

Corporate Governance Corporate Misconduct Sexual Harassment

Interpretive

Factuality Scale

Shahrim Tamrin is a journalist based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He has nearly 16 years’ experience in Journalism and Communications with mainstream & online publications, corporate sector, sports body and inter-government agency.

He started career as a Sports Journalist with theSunDaily in 1997 ...

Rigged safety tests: Daihatsu clears air with Malaysian authorities

04 May 2023  |  www.thevibes.com  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd executives, including President Soichiro Okudaira, met with Malaysia's National Committee for Vehicle Type Approval and Homologation to address concerns over rigged safety tests affecting 88,000 cars. The issue, revealed by an internal whistle-blower, involved a modified door trim in side-impact crash tests. Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda and CEO Koji Sato admitted to the misconduct. Affected models include the Toyota Vios and Perodua Axia. Perodua's CEO assured that the Axia's UN-R95 certification remains valid. The outcome of the meeting with Malaysian authorities is currently unclear.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Automotive Industry Regulatory Issues

Informative

Factuality Scale

Neha Wadekar is a video and on-air journalist based in Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya and reporting across Africa. She also has a background in print and has reported for Reuters, the AP, the NYTimes and the Huffington Post.

World Bank Helped Cover Up Sex Abuse at For-Profit School Chain

17 Oct 2023  |  theintercept.com  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

The article exposes a cover-up by the World Bank and Bridge International Academies regarding sexual abuse and safety issues at Bridge schools in Kenya. Founders Shannon May and Jay Kimmelman, along with World Bank officials, attempted to suppress an investigation led by Daniel Adler of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman. The investigation revealed numerous cases of child sexual abuse and safety violations, which were not reported to the World Bank or the public. The article highlights the institutional failures and retaliatory actions against whistleblowers, drawing attention from U.S. Congress members Elizabeth Warren and Peter Welch, who are pressing for accountability.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Sexual Abuse International Development

Opinionated

Factuality Scale

Left

Political View

Day Woods is a based in Louisville, United States of America.

Analysis: When a bonus becomes less incentive, and more compromise

01 Oct 2023  |  www.complianceweek.com  |  English  |  Financial Misconduct

Compliance officers must confront financial misconduct without fear, even when it involves significant financial interests or luxurious assets. The newly elected Labor government in the U.K. is proposing significant employment law changes, including enhanced employee rights and a higher minimum wage. The Federal Reserve fined Green Dot $44 million for unfair practices and compliance deficiencies. PwC's attempts to manage internal dissent through layoffs have negatively impacted staff morale. Despite the prevalence of codes of ethics, maintaining high corporate integrity remains challenging.

Tags:

Corporate Culture Financial Misconduct Compliance

Balanced

Factuality Scale

I’m an independent multimedia journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya, covering East Africa. I am a regular contributor to the Voice of America, Al Jazeera English online and other International outlets. I specialize in covering security and politics in the region.

Rights Group Claims Company Intimidates Communities Along Tanzania-Uganda Oil Pipeline

08 Dec 2023  |  www.voanews.com  |  English  |  Corporate Misconduct

Global Witness, a human rights and environmental organization, has accused TotalEnergies of coercing and intimidating communities affected by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline project in Tanzania and Uganda. The residents claim they are forced to accept inadequate compensation for their land. TotalEnergies denies these allegations. The pipeline, which began construction this year, stretches 1,443 kilometers from Tanzania's Tanga to Lake Albert in Uganda. Global Witness has spoken to over 200 people impacted by the project, including farmer Jealousy Mugisha, who alleges loss of land and demands fair compensation. Maxwell Atuhura, an environmental activist, reported harassment and intimidation for challenging the project. Global Witness is calling for an official investigation into the alleged rights abuses.

Tags:

Corporate Misconduct Human Rights Environmental Issues