Resource Center

Stories

The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast.

These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need.

Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:



Search results for "Inc" ...

  • Green Inc., Environmentalism for Profit

    With the groundbreaking series Green Inc., USA Today for the first time uncovers the truth behind the soaring movement toward constructing buildings that are certified as environmentally friendly. The series shows how "green" buildings often are barely different from their supposedly conventional counterparts -- except that green-building designers and owners often win huge tax breaks, zoning waivers and other valuable perks from government agencies. The series involves an unprecedented analysis of records for 7,100 green-certified buildings to show how the designers follow the easiest and cheapest steps to get certified. Numerous freedom-of-information requests revealed the enormous tax breaks awards to the building designers and owners, and also show how some buildings are falling far short of their environmental promise.

    Tags: Environmental friendly; taxes; green buildings; certificated

    By Thomas Frank, staff writer; Christopher Schnaars, database editor; John Hillkirk, investigative editor; Shannon Green, video editor; Brett Molina, online technology producer; Maureen Linke, producer

    USA Today

    2012

  • Cyber Espionage: The Chinese Threat

    It’s the biggest threat facing American business today but the least talked about by corporate executives. Experts at the highest levels of government agree, cyber espionage is threatening to steal American wealth, American jobs and ultimately America’s economic security and the biggest aggressor is China. Due to the nature of the crime, the cost to American businesses is nearly impossible to pinpoint. Experts say Chinese hackers are constantly probing corporate networks, sifting through endless amounts of data to decipher what is valuable intellectual property, chemical formulas or proprietary technology. One conservative estimate from the National Counter Intelligence Executive puts the cost of economic espionage at up to $400B annually, but the report states such estimates vary “so widely as to be meaningless,” reflecting the scarcity of data available. CNBC’s David Faber and the Investigations Inc. team spoke with many corporate executives about China’s aggressive effort to target American businesses and their most valuable assets, but many refused to comment on camera for our report, citing becoming more vulnerable to attack by speaking publicly about the issue. However, not one executive denied their company is at risk of cyber-attack on a daily basis or the possibility of losing valuable intellectual property to cyber spies. Government and industry experts we spoke with on-camera have witnessed such costly cyber-attacks during their careers and attest to the fact there are only two companies left in America today: Those who know they’ve been hacked and those who don’t. From a whistleblower claiming telecommunications giant Nortel was one of the first casualties of this all-out cyber war, to high profile and public attacks on Google and RSA, its clear defending against cyber espionage is the new normal for American business.

    Tags: Chinese hackers; American businesses; cyber attacks; cyber espionage

    By Scott Matthews; Sabrina Korber; Jeff Pohlman; Steven T. Banton

    CNBC

    2012

  • Pacific Steel Recycling Pollution

    KGTV 10News revealed toxic waste piles behind the gates of a San Diego County recycling yard- Pacific Steel Inc.

    Tags: Pollution

    By Mitch Blatcher; J.W. August; Felcia Kitt; Arie Thanasoulis

    KGTV-TV (San Diego)

    2011

  • Crime Inc: Counterfeit Goods

    The story gives viewers a rare look at the production and sale of counterfeit goods. Viewers hear the story of a company whose brand was copied as well as that of a defense contractor who made counterfeit defense parts used in Iraq.

    Tags: counterfeit; raid; fake handbag; fake shoes; fake jewelry; designer; underground industry

    By Sharon Barrett; Charles Schaeffer; Jane Petrof; Katie Bryan; Jamie Corsi

    CNBC (Fort Lee, N.J.)

    2010

  • Offshore Crime, Inc./Miskovic Millions

    An investigation of business practices by East European criminals and corrupt politicians uncovers money laundering, tax avoidance, and other illegal actions costing $250 billion each year in lost tax revenues.

    Tags: money laundering; tax evasion; offshore; European crime; offshore accounts

    By Paul Christian Radu; Drew Sullivan; John Holland; Rosemary Armao; Mihai Munteanu

    Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (Sarajevo)

    2010

  • "Medicare and Home Health Care"

    The Wall Street Journal investigated the home health care industry, which has seen increased growth during the last few years. After studying the data found in "millions of Medicare files," reporters found evidence of fraudulent behavior. Several home health companies including one of the largest - Amedisys Inc. - are "taking advantage of the Medicare reimbursement system" by finding ways to pay themselves more.

    Tags: Amedisys Inc.; Medicare; home health; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; MedPAC; William Borne; LHC Group; Gentiva Health Services; Almost Family

    By Barbara Martinez

    Wall Street Journal (New York)

    2010

  • Marijuana Inc.

    Flying over northern California, you will see row upon row of marijuana fields. These rows are worth multi-millions and are left in plain sight. This is “evidence of a lucrative, but also increasingly violent, underground pot industry”. This industry has become a large part of that county’s economy. Many people in this industry are turning to guns as protection, robberies in search of drug stashes, and arrival of Mexican drug cartels.

    Tags: Mendocino County; Emerald Triangle; narcotics; growers; pot brokers; business; trade; Federal Drug Enforcement Administration

    By Mitch Weitzner; Jonathan Dann; Lauren Farrelly; Lauren Kesner; David Dellaria; David Baumgardner; Atticus Brady; Joi De Leon; Christie Gripenburg

    CNBC (Fort Lee, N.J.)

    2009

  • "Properties Disappear From Namvar Holdings List"

    Reporter Daniel Miller finds evidence that suggests Ezri Namvar, now a bankrupt businessman accused of conducting a Ponzi scheme, may have been passing off some of his properties to his creditors. Miller investigates what this means for Namvar and for his creditors, and also shares some of their thoughts on Namvar's actions.

    Tags: Ezri Namvar; Ponzi scheme; Namco Capital Group Inc.; Cal Neva Resort; Frank Sinatra

    By Daniel Miller

    Business Journal (Los Angeles, Calif.)

    2009

  • Full Disclosure

    When the Daily Record used the state's new open records law, it created an open records website. Doing this published multiple public records based stories and investigations. One of the largest stories to come out of this was the compensation paid to the founders and operators of Angel Food Ministries Inc. This raised the question of what their earnings were being used for and if they were really an organization focused on helping the less fortunate.

    Tags: FOIA; Angel Food Ministries Inc; charity; new open records law; records; public; access; documents; Wingo family; non-profit; Christian

    By Daily Record/Sunday News Staff

    Daily Record (York, Pa.)

    2009

  • "Sexual Assault on Campus: A Frustrating Search for Justice"

    Unfortunately, sexual assault occurs on campuses all over the U.S. For the small number of those who come forward to report the act, institutional policies can often make the process toward accountability difficult, sometimes even causing the victim to drop the claim. The Center for Public Integrity finds that most university policies are lacking in "transparency" and often lead to less the harsh punishment for the accused attackers.

    Tags: Title IX; Clery Act; federal Department of Education; sexual violence; FERPA; Security on Campus Inc; Victim Rights Law Center

    By Gordon Witkin; David Donald; Kristen Lombardi; Kristin Jones; Laura Dattaro; Claritza Jimenez; Laura Cheek

    Center for Public Integrity (Washington, D.C.)

    2009