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 "hidden cameras" ...
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Concealing County Corruption: Anatomy of a Cover-Up
Wayne Dolcefino saves the best for last. In his final investigation for KTRK-TV, he and the 13 Undercover Unit demonstrated relentless persistence as they attempted to shake up a county government with an abysmal record of policing itself. This submission begins with four reports detailing shocking evidence of corruption inside the downtown precinct of Constable Jack Abercia. 13 Undercover spent several months doing painstaking surveillance -- catching the Constable’s deputies running his personal errands, working extra jobs on the clock and stockpiling never driven county patrol cars while lawmen were being laid off. 13 Undercover then managed to get a hidden camera inside the chief deputy’s office as he and two deputies talked openly about corruption inside the precinct. The language is often foul mouthed and always revealing. The FBI nabbed Aberica and two top commanders in a bribery sting weeks later. The veteran former constable is now awaiting trial. Eventually, 13 Undercover turned our cameras on county leaders to say “enough is enough.” Not only was action not forthcoming, it quickly became clear that many in positions of power wanted this all to go away without getting their hands dirty, without ending decades of a patronage system that made deputies feel required to give money to their boss’s campaigns and charities to keep their jobs. That was not an option. This investigation demanded accountability and we held leaders to the promises they made to the public. In late summer, 13 Undercover scored a major public records victory that revealed what one commentator dubbed "a cover-up of Nixonian proportions." The series culminated with the long awaited, and previously unimaginable, indictment of one of the county’s most popular elected officials – precinct 6 Constable Victor Trevino. New county directives now prohibit constables from soliciting money from their deputies and legislation is expected to filed in Austin to protect county employees from further shakedowns.
Tags: Corruption; county government; officials
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Questionable Coverage
“Questionable Coverage” was a hidden camera investigative report about systematic health insurance scams affecting victims in nearly every state. As a direct result of our reporting, two companies ceased operations, a third has been sanctioned, and insurance regulators in Georgia and New York have launched their own investigations into the fraud.
Tags: health insurance; scams; fraud; hidden cameras
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Seattle Police:Vanishing Videos
This story began as a relatively simple venture; how to get copies of police dashboard camera videos to provide watchdog oversight of a police department facing growing criticism. It grew into a major expose of questionable police tactics and a battle for public access to critical public records that is currently before the state Supreme Court. Over the course of a year and a half, KOMO TV’s fight for videos and the video database became a game of strategy and attrition as the Seattle Police Department denied us access to public records at every opportunity. We tried every means at our disposal to get these records including direct appeals to elected officials. Finally, with no other recourse, KOMO TV sued the SPD and the city of Seattle. Only then did we make our fight for these records public. What followed in 2012 was a cascade of stories; people coming forward alleging police misconduct and an attempt to hide the videos that would tell the truth. In addition to KOMO TV’s public records lawsuit, our investigation has prompted state legislators and other open records advocates to pursue changes in state law to ensure these records can no longer stay hidden.
Tags: police; camera videos; SPD; Seattle Police Department; public records
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Conviction
This is a 10-year hidden camera investigation into a likely case of a wrongful conviction in New York City. Ultimately, our broadcast triggered the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to officially reopen and reinvestigate the case as part of its newly created “Conviction Integrity Unit.” Our investigation may also have led to the identity of the real murder suspect. It was reported by Luke Russert.
Tags: conviction; attorney; murder; suspect
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The Mafia of Public Job Competitions
The story shows that investigations for fraud in public job competitions have been carried out in every Brazilian state. Required to join municipal, state and federal institutions, the competitions should be meant to choose the best applicants. However, only those appointed by politicians, and people who pay for a given position, are approved. Making use of a hidden camera, the reporter caught off-guard seven companies that fraud competitions and still approve only applicants appointed by mayors and other officials. Some sell the positions directly to the applicants.
Tags: international; job; fraud; Brazil; politicians; mayors
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Bath Salts
Using hidden camera, Dateline infiltrated a national network of Bath Salts distribution demonstrating the deceptive marketing practices intentionally used to skirt the law.
Tags: bath salts; hidden cameras; drugs
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It Is What It Is
Using hidden cameras, Jeremy and Jason Finley found that the city of Nashville was ripe with nepotism and poor work habits. What was found were several cases of elected officials hiring their family members for jobs that were never advertised and in some cases substantial raises were given.
Tags: nepotism; elected officials; broadcast; hidden camera
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Air Duct Investigation
Using hidden cameras, Inside Edition exposes a national ripoff where an organized group of individuals use air duct cleaning companies to go from state to state defrauding homeowners.
Tags: homeowners; scam; air ducts
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Councilmen on Tourism
With the help of a hidden camera, this RBS-TV/Globo TV investigation of city council members in seven Brazilian states shows how many politicians were skipping taxpayer-funded seminars and classes to vacation instead.
Tags: Brazil; politician; taxpayer; tourism; council
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"Furnasman"
The heating and air conditioning company, Furnasman, routinely fabricated problems in their client's homes in an attempt to sell them unneeded equipment. Canadian Broadcasting Corp. set up hidden cameras in different homes and asked the company to clean and evaluate the furnaces. They found most technicians were not doing their job and were making bogus claims on the state of the furnaces to make a sale.
Tags: Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning; HVAC; air conditioning; furnace; Red River College; Brian Baker; Dave Warriner