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 "racketeering" ...
-
The Big Business of Breast Cancer
For the past 20 years, breast cancer has been the NFL of diseases, awash in money, marketing campaigns and endorsements deals. Each year, $6 billion is raised in the name of breast cancer, yet we are still no closer to a cure now than we were. Why is that? "The Big Business of Breast Cancer" is a powerful piece that exposes an uncomfortable truth about breast cancer fundraising; it's become a massive racket, overrun by scammers and profiteers.
Tags: breast cancer; fundraising; scammers; profit
-
The Rainmaker
From the questionnaire," The story shoed how [Albert D.] Rossellini, Washington state's elder statesman, conducted an extensive lobbying campaign at Seattle City Hall on behalf of the Colarcurcios, a family notorious for their involvement in racketeering and political corruption, involving ten of thousands of dollars of political contributions.
Tags: None
-
Hotel Workers Held in IRS Sweep
This story exposes new ways that employers and big business use to get around laws to recruit and retain illegal immigrant labor. Specifically, the story focuses on the practices of National Sales and Service LLC. What sets this story apart is how it takes a thoughtful look at the lives of the workers and their family members in Mexico, and the hardships they suffer.
Tags: immigration; illegal alien; federal racketeering law; RICO; FOIA
-
Road Racket
The story explains how some Florida contractors [involved in highway construction] "have used the claims process to re-engineer the low-bid system" because "they underbid to get the job and then try to make their profits with supplemental claims and lawsuits." From 1995 to 2000, Florida road builders demanded more than $185 million in claims from the State's Department of Transportation. Anderson Columbia Co. and White Construction were two of the companies that accounted for most lawsuits filed from 1995 to 2000 (18 percent and 13 percent), respectively.
Tags: Anderson Columbia Co.; White Construction; JB Coxwell Contracting; Florida Department of Transportation; Florida Transportation Builders Association; Pensacola; Tallahassee; Dispute Resolution Board; Florida Legislature
-
Mob Meltdown in Las Vegas: Inside the FBI's Operation Thin Crust
This is the story of the FBI's last major racketeering investigation of traditional organized crime in Las Vegas. With FBI agents and the lead undercover informant as the major sources, this story gives a glimpse through the eyes of those involved of what took place. The series concludes that the mob's influence in Las Vegas has declined dramatically over the years and that the mob no longer has a major presence in the casino industry.
Tags: Organized Crime; Murder; FBI; crime
-
Gary City Clerk
When reporter Steve Patterson started investigating the Gary City Clerk's office, he found an office fraught with deception and illegal activity. From the city clerk's attempts to make her employees sell candy for her campaign fund (with threats of being let go for noncompliance) to a ghost-payrolling operation, this in-depth investigation covered it all. The result was a pending trial against Katie Hall, the clerk, and her daughter, who was also involved in the scheme.
Tags: City government; racketeering; payroll fraud
-
Putting the Sqeeze on Lemon Dealers
One of the most profitable rackets in the automotive industry is lemon laundering.
Tags: lemon laundering; car dealers; fraudulent resale; lemon law
-
Selling Atlanta's Children
The Journal-Constitution investigates teenage prostitution in Atlanta. The investigation focuses on the fact that prostitutes as young as 10 are going to jail while the adult men who exploit them go free. As a result of the investigation the state legislature passed laws making pimping minors a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and allowing the government to seize assets of those involved in child prostitution. Eleven alleged pimps were arrested on racketeering after the series ran.
-
Gunning For Eddie
The New Times reports on the saga of former Hollywood nightclub owner Eddie Nash, who evaded prosecution for murder, arson and drug dealing. Nash walked away from a conviction in the high-profile Wonderland Avenue murder trial -- twice -- but in 1997 a former business partner admitted to involvement in bribing a jury member. At the time the article was written Nash was awaiting trial under the RICO act.
Tags: law enforcement; racketeering; RICO; bribery; Wonderland Avenue murders
-
Tobacco Companies Linked to Criminal Organizations in Lucrative Cigarette Smuggling
This nine-part investigative report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a project of the Center for Public Integrity, reveals "how Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds and British American Tobacco became enmeshed with organized crime worldwide as they fought to expand markets and increase profits through cigarette smuggling." While corporate officials were pleading ignorance in explaining how one-third of the world's exported cigarettes end up on the black market they were in fact working closely with companies and officials directly connected to organized crime in the United States, Canada, Italy, China, Taiwan and other countries, the investigation reports.
Tags: Sicilian Mafia; Latin America; Cocaine barons; crime; smoking; smokers; business; government; tax evasions; Third World countries; money laundering; financial crimes; customs; witness protection; transit trade; exports; imports; racketeering