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 "deceased" ...
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Grave Mistakes
Most people have never heard of the Social Security Administration's so-called "Death Master File"- a database of deceased Americans created in 1980 under the Freedom of Information Act as an anti-fraud tool. But each year, many Americans discover that they are listed as deceased by the federal government. Identity thieves have learned to use the Death Master File to commit hundreds of thousands of acts of identity theft for tax fraud, including taking Social Security numbers of recently deceased children.
Tags: Social Security; Fraud; Death Master File; deceased Americans
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Grave Mistakes
An investigation showing how the database of deceased Americans created in 1980 under the Freedom of Information Act accidentally lists thousands of Americans as deceased, suffering frozen bank accounts, refused credit cards, denied student and mortgage loans, or arrests for suspected identity theft. It also exposes how identity thieves have learned to use the filed to commit numerous acts of identity theft for tax fraud.
Tags: identity theft; deceased; federal records; tax fraud
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Profiting From Fallen Soldiers
In this series, reporter David Evans exposed how "more than 130 life insurance companies" devised a system that allowed them to profit from death benefits that were "owed to families of service members, government workers and millions of other Americans." MetLife and Prudential led the scheme. Evans revealed that the companies withheld $28 billion owed to the families of deceased soldiers. The story prompted "almost immediate changes in U.S. government policies."
Tags: life insurance; MetLife; Prudential; Robert Gates; Veterans; taxpayer; American Legion; military
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"Tax Dollars to Dead Farmers"
Some farmers who have died during the last 20 years are still being paid. By comparing the "Farm Bill database" and the "Social Security Death Index," WFOR-TV found 234 deceased farmers in South Florida continue to receive taxpayer money through the U.S. Farm Bill. The amount still being paid is estimated to be $9.5 million.
Tags: Farm Aid; U.S. Farm Bill; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Environmental Working Group; General Accountability Office; Richard Wiles
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"Faces of a Health Crisis: L.A. County's Swine Flu Victims"
The Neon Tommy team takes a look at the people directly affected by the H1N1 virus in L.A. County to find out exactly who was dying from the virus and why. In a review of 44 death certificates, the team found that 22 of the deceased had no "preexisting conditions" before contracting the H1N1 virus. They also found that the majority of those who died from H1N1 were women.
Tags: H1N1; Swine Flu; Los Angeles County; Annenberg Digital News; USC; pre-existing conditions
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Broken Ballots
After a primary election in "an inner city legislative precinct in Memphis" finished with a margin of just 13 votes for the winner, the Commercial Appeal looked into the election. Among its findings were: "names of dead people and others on vacant lots were used to cast ballots." Also, a poll worker who was tasked to monitor voting and "whose signature appears on Election Day records including vote tallies from voting machines was actually in New York on a taxpayer-funded trip that day, not at the polling place." In addition, hundreds of deceased persons and people who have moved away are still on the voter lists, and many Election Day workers at the polls have criminal records.
Tags: Election fraud; false voter registration; dead people on voting lists
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Breach of Trust
When writing a will and picking someone to carry out your final wishes, while in Texas, does not ensure that the heirs picked will be properly given the money and property. State laws have made it easy for the executor of the will to take from the estates.
Tags: death certificate; decease; departed; funeral
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The Body Show
The authors investigated reports that an exhibit of human bodies at the Masonic Center in San Francisco were leaking. Tests revealed the fluid to be a mix of silicone, used in the preserving process, and liquefied human fat. Research led the authors on a global investigation as they uncovered a market in human corpses. A large part of the investigation focused on the origin of the bodies, whether there was consent to use the bodies in the show from the deceased or next of kin in some cases the cause of death.
Tags: The Body Show; Gunther Von Hagens; plastination; human exhibit; Masonic Center; muscular structure; FOIA
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Brains For Sale
This investigation revealed that the King County medical examiner's office was selling the brains of deceased mentally ill people to private research labs. In some instances, next-of-kin were not notified of these organ donations. In others, consent forms were incomplete.
Tags: medical examiners; medical research; cadavers; organ donation; organ sales; open records
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Dead Voters (Deceases residents cast 2003 ballots)
This CAR investigation of voting records and Social Security death records found that deceased residents voted in the primary election in 2003. It was also found that thousands of dead people remain as registered voters on the voter rolls. State and local officials say this can create an 'opportunity for ghostly corruption.'
Tags: election; registered voters; corruption; dead voters; voter fraud