Follow the Money: The Podcast
Follow the Money 39 afleveringen nov. 4, 2026
Every week, this podcast dives into a Follow the Money investigation exposing Europe's hidden powerbrokers: from deceiving companies and influential lobbyists to corrupt politicians and financial fraudsters. Tune in and join journalists as they reveal how they uncovered the truth and held power to account. Presented by Emma du Chatinier.
Afleveringen
Big Food’s battle to block sugar taxes
Sugar taxes are meant to make people healthier. But as journalists Thin Lei Win and Irene van den Bergh discovered, the food industry is working to stop governments from trying to improve public health. Related stories: https://www.ftm.eu/articles/industry-lobby-sugar-taxes-postponed-cancelledFollow the podcast: https://www.ftm.eu/podcast/who-really-runs-europeFollow FTM on social media:Insta
We uncovered a billion-euro online drug trade
Buying drugs can be as easy as ordering a pair of shoes online. Exploiting legal loopholes, traders can sell substances – known as designer drugs – that closely resemble banned drugs, such as LSD or ecstasy. Journalist Nikki Brands followed the trail from chemical factories in India and China to her own home and uncovered a billion-euro trade.
The global crackdown on dirty money is failing
For decades, governments have spent billions of euros to stop money laundering worldwide. But is the system actually stopping financial crime? Emma, together with financial journalist Roel Janssen, speaks to British investigative journalist and author Oliver Bullough about why the anti-money-laundering system is far from doing what it is supposed to do, and who pays the price.
Football never stopped doing business with Russia
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western governments tried to stop business as usual with Russia. In football, the country was banned from major international competitions. But the money flows in football haven’t stopped. Journalist Krijn Schramade found that European clubs continue to do millions of euros worth of business with Russian clubs.
The fight over Europe’s promise to save forests
A landmark EU law was meant to ensure that products such as coffee, soy, and timber do not fuel deforestation globally. However, the legislation has been watered down and delayed twice – with Brussels blaming IT issues. Journalist Hans Wetzels found that the story went far beyond technical failures. Related stories ➪https://www.ftm.eu/articles/eu-says-it-problems-delayed-deforestation-law-cri
The EU’s hydrogen dream in Namibia is falling apart
Namibia was supposed to become one of the countries powering Europe’s climate goals: a multibillion-dollar EU-funded project to develop green hydrogen promised jobs and economic growth. But when journalist Olivier van Beemen travelled to Namibia, he found a very different reality.
Summer series | Hungary’s hotline to the Kremlin
Viktor Orbán has drawn Hungary increasingly close to Russia. But what has been happening behind closed doors between the Hungarian government and Moscow?
Investigative network VSquare obtained recordings and transcripts of calls between Hungary’s foreign minister and senior Russian officials, offering a rare glimpse into Hungary-Russia relations and the conversations taking place away from publi
Summer series | Exposing a pro-Russian disinformation network
Disinformation campaigns are no longer built around a single false claim or suspicious account. Hundreds of profiles can push the same message simultaneously, creating the illusion of widespread public support. But how can journalists tell the difference between a genuine political movement and a coordinated influence operation?
Romanian investigative newsroom Context.ro has built its own software
Summer series | Investigating the killing of journalists in Gaza
Hundreds of Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza – making it the deadliest conflict for reporters in decades. Were their deaths an inevitable consequence of Israel’s war, or has the media been deliberately targeted?
As part of the Gaza Project, dozens of journalists from around the world joined forces to investigate the killings.
Emma and Lise speak to Frederik Obermaier, co-founder
Summer series | From a fish to the fall of Lithuania’s PM
Last year, Lithuanian journalist Šarūnas Černiauskas began investigating his prime minister’s finances. What started as a seemingly small story soon grew into a series of scandals. The government turned against Černiauskas and his colleagues – but they persevered: their reporting ultimately helped force the prime minister to step down.
And yet, that wasn’t the end of the story.
Emma and Lise spe
Summer series | Profits, not politics, behind AI hate boom
Persecution, corruption, and even murder. In this summer series, Emma du Chatinier and Lise Witteman unpack recent groundbreaking stories by fellow journalists from across Europe. How did their investigations impact society? And what does their journalism reveal about the state of European democracy?
In this episode: Journalist Niamh McIntyre went deep into the world of hateful content on social
Summer series | They killed the journalist, but not the story
Persecution, corruption, and even murder. In this summer series, Emma du Chatinier and Lise Witteman unpack recent groundbreaking stories by fellow journalists from across Europe. How did their investigations impact society? And what does their journalism reveal about the state of European democracy?
In this episode: Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée – archeologist Martin
The man who sold Brussels the hydrogen dream
Europe set sky-high targets for green hydrogen. Today, it’s nowhere near meeting them. Journalist Jesse Pinster traced Brussels’ big hydrogen bet back to one professor: Ad van Wijk. How did his vision become that of Europe?
Special: Is Spain really Europe’s progressive poster child?
For many observers across Europe, Spain has become a rare success story – offering hope that progressive politics can still succeed, govern, and project confidence on the world stage. But the reality behind the country’s image as the continent’s left-wing darling is more complicated, Spanish political scientist and activist Elsa Arnaiz says in a special episode.
PayPal and the business of hate
Far-right groups in Europe are using PayPal to sell merchandise and raise money, despite the payment giant’s own rules prohibiting transactions that promote hate or discrimination. This highlights a broader failure by Big Tech, which is not just turning a blind eye but allowing extremist content to remain on its platforms.
Reporting by: Polina Bachlakova.
Investors flock to Palantir as governments flee
The controversial US company Palantir supplies crucial software to intelligence services, armies and police forces in Europe. European governments are growing nervous about the US firm. Meanwhile, European investors have scaled up their investment in the company.
Europe’s €2.9 billion tax fraud, explained
When Portuguese investigators looked into a suspicious smartphone trader, they thought they were dealing with an €80 million VAT fraud case. But that small-town raid soon grew into one of Europe’s biggest VAT fraud investigations, involving thousands of companies, hundreds of suspects, and an estimated €2.9 billion in lost tax revenue. Journalist Salsabil Fayed retraced the steps of the alleged fr
How US lobbying helped derail Europe’s supply chain rules
When the EU passed its corporate sustainability legislation in 2023, it was hailed as a game-changer for holding companies accountable for abuses in their supply chains. But the law was quickly diluted after industry lobbying. Journalist Hans Wetzels obtained leaked documents suggesting that the U-turn was largely driven by pressure from Washington.
Betting billions on rising food prices in wartime
The Iran war has upended oil and gas markets and disrupted global supply chains. But the fallout may affect something more fundamental: the price of food. Journalists Ties Gijzel, Remy Koens, and Jan Daalder found that investors have bet billions on agricultural commodities. What could this mean for global food security?
The cost of influencing EU politics
Manfred Weber is one of the most powerful lawmakers in Brussels. Under his leadership, Europe’s top political family hired two consultants with close ties to Greece’s ruling party. Journalist Simon Van Dorpe found that more than €500,000 was spent in six months, yet results were limited. The affair has raised questions about political spending in the EU and oversight by the European Parliament.
The billion-euro battle over workers’ wages
The Dutch economy runs on low-paid temporary workers, including large numbers of migrants from countries such as Bulgaria, Poland, and Ukraine. But journalist Lise Witteman found that employment agencies may have underpaid them, in breach of EU law. The sector could now face a bill worth billions of euros as a mass lawsuit looms.
From community leaders to suspected smugglers
For years, Senegalese community leaders Cheikh Sy and Njouda Ndiaye warned people about the deadly risks of migration to Europe. Then they themselves were arrested for migrant smuggling. Reporter Andrei Popoviciu uncovered that their case is part of a wider EU-funded crackdown on migration.
Unmasking the car industry's dirty deals
A decade ago, Volkswagen was caught cheating emissions tests, putting far more toxic cars on the road than anyone knew. Journalist Peter Teffer got a rare glimpse into corporate emails and uncovered how Dieselgate wasn't the only time that carmakers tried to outsmart regulators.
The colonial roots of Europe’s flower market
Europe’s lucrative flower market is rooted in a colonial past, built on genetic material taken from the Global South and commercialised by Western companies. While the multi-billion-euro industry continues to flourish, virtually nothing flows back to the developing nations where the plants originated. Journalist Dylan Carter investigates the imbalance behind the blooms in our homes.
Related stori
How Russian oligarchs are suing Ukraine in wartime
In the midst of war, Russian oligarchs are suing Ukraine – not in Moscow, not in Kyiv, but through European trade treaties and arbitration courts in Washington.
What might sound like a legal technicality is actually part of a powerful global mechanism known as ISDS, which allows corporations to sue governments for billions over lost profits.
Journalists Alistair Keepe and Hans Wetzels take us ins
Big Tobacco shows Big Alcohol how to lobby
Alcohol and tobacco are both linked to serious disease, yet the industries have spent decades casting doubt on the risks. Journalist Irene van den Berg revealed how cigarette giants invested heavily in treatment for smoking-related conditions and funded scientific research to widen their influence. Just months later, she uncovered how Big Booze has used the same playbook as Big Tobacco to downplay
Special: Our toxic obsession with the US
How not to save the planet
Carbon credits are marketed as a simple solution to climate change: companies can offset CO₂ by funding green initiatives such as forest protection and tree planting. Yet many of these offsets have been exposed as ineffective at cutting emissions, or even harmful. Follow the Money reporters Mira Sys and Ties Gijzel explain how this market really works – and why we shouldn’t bank on it to protect o
Who’s the man aiming to oust Orbán?
Hungary is heading into a pivotal election. After 16 years in power, Viktor Orbán faces his most serious challenger yet. Péter Magyar emerged out of the blue and quickly transformed himself into the face of the opposition. But who is he really? Hungarian journalist Patrik Galavits traces the rise of the man expected to become the country’s next premier – and explains what that could mean for Hunga
The lottery scandal that shook Brussels
As the European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders was tasked with defending the rule of law across the EU. But days after leaving office, his home was raided as part of a money laundering probe. Journalist Simon Van Dorpe unpacks the story of one of Europe’s most influential politicians – and his fall from grace.
Related stories ➪
https://www.ftm.eu/articles/reynders-charged-in-money-lau
The EU's lost battle over media power
Before Hungarian premier Viktor Orbán dismantled Hungary’s independent press, before media tycoons conglomerated power across Europe, there was a chance to stop it all. Our podcast goes behind the scenes of an investigation that found secret letters and lobbying that killed a plan to protect Europe’s media.
European money pushes Cambodians into despair
Microloans were meant to lift people out of poverty. But in Cambodia, they’ve pushed families into crushing debt – and in some cases, even to suicide. Reporters Leila Goldstein and Phon Sothyroth travelled across the country to investigate how European development institutions helped fuel a system that profits from desperation.
Content warning: This episode discusses suicide.
How we tracked soldiers on Tinder
Soldiers are no strangers to danger. But what if they’re putting themselves, and national security, at risk by swiping on Tinder? Journalists Dimitri Tokmetzis, Sebastiaan Brommersma, and Martijn Reuvers revealed how data from Tinder can be used to track where soldiers are and even find out where they live.
See you in 2026!
We’re taking a short podcast break and will be back early next year! Got any tips, feedback, or comments? Email us at emma.du.chatinier@ftm.eu
Related stories ➪
https://www.ftm.eu/articles/bitcoin-mining-in-congo-rainforest-thanks-to-eu
https://www.ftm.eu/articles/europe-health-data-us-firm-israel-spies
https://www.ftm.eu/articles/google-antitrust-eu-us-regulators?
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Europe’s second-hand clothing crisis
Donating old clothes or buying second-hand is widely seen as eco-friendly. Yet an FTM investigation reveals a more complicated – and polluting – reality. Journalists Helena Rodríguez Gómez, Raluca Besliu, and Vittoria Torsello tracked clothes donated across the EU. The garments travelled thousands of kilometres, passed through special economic zones, and in some cases even returned to Europe – exp
The hidden U.S. influence on Europe’s policymaking
Think tanks present themselves as neutral institutions shaping Europe’s policy debates. But an investigation by FTM paints a different picture. Journalists Salsabil Fayed, Alistair Keepe and Ada Homolova found that Brussels’ most influential think tanks receive a third of their funding from U.S. sources – from philanthropists to major tech firms. This gives American interests a little-known but si
Plenty of money (but not for you)
Money shapes nearly every part of our lives, but few of us understand how it really works. In his upcoming book Plenty of Money (But Not for You), journalist Thomas Bollen exposes the hidden machinery of money, and the power wielded by commercial banks. His research demonstrates why real reform has stalled, and what it would take to regain control of the financial system.
EU vs Google: The battle for the internet
Google is under growing pressure from EU regulators, who are considering breaking up the tech giant over its market dominance. An investigation by FTM revealed how the company’s controversial business strategies helped it cement its grip on the internet. Journalists Alexander Fanta and Simon Van Dorpe explain how Brussels set its sights on Google – and why the U.S. may block efforts to dismantle o
The Libyan war crimes suspect released by Italy
When Italy arrested an alleged Libyan war criminal wanted for torture and crimes against humanity earlier this year, it made international headlines. Forty-eight hours later, Osema Habish Najim Almasri was flown home as a free man. Lorenzo Bagnoli and Paolo Riva reveal how migration politics seem to have trumped international justice.
The dark side of Morocco's mining boom
Phosphate minerals from Morocco are essential for producing fertiliser and the batteries that power electric vehicles. But local communities say that the world’s biggest exporter – the state-owned OCP – is causing pollution and harming their health. Despite concerns about the government’s attempts to stifle the media, journalist Manon Stravens travelled to Morocco to uncover OCP’s toxic trail.Rela
Europeans' health data in ex-Israeli spies' hands
Tech company Zivver promised Europe it would keep its health and legal data safe. But FTM journalists Sebastiaan Brommersma and Siem Eikelenboom reveal how the company can in fact access private messages, and how that data came in reach of a U.S. company led by former Israeli spies.
Related stories ➪
https://www.ftm.eu/articles/europe-health-data-us-firm-israel-spies
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Inside the NATO corruption schandal
A NATO corruption scandal made international headlines when several suspects were arrested across Europe earlier this year. But a cross-border investigation reveals that just a few months later, the United States quietly dropped charges against four of them – despite strong evidence.
FTM journalists Jesse Pinster and Simon Van Dorpe reveal how one of NATO’s most important members seems to have g
How Orbán funnels Hungary’s assets to his allies
As Europe ramps up its defence spending, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has handed over his country’s entire defence industry to a trusted business ally.
Journalist Jesse Pinster uncovers how EU money and state assets are being funnelled into the hands of Orbán’s inner circle — continuing a pattern of cronyism that’s reshaped Hungary over the past decades. Despite growing concerns in Bruss
A Belgian prince’s parade in Congo
A Belgian prince is running a conservation project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, financed by millions in European aid. Journalist Olivier van Beemen reveals how more than 150 million euros in European funding ended up powering a failed conservation dream – and even Bitcoin mining in the rainforest.
Related stories ➪
https://www.ftm.eu/articles/bitcoin-mining-in-congo-rainforest-thanks-
European money is fueling the global spyware industry
A stranger reading your messages, tracking your movements, scrolling through your photos. That's what spyware can do – without you even knowing. It’s marketed as a tool to fight terrorism and crime, but it’s also used to silence journalists, activists, and political opponents.
Greek journalist Vas Panagiotopoulos reveals how the EU and national governments give public funds to companies behind th
Why Europe can’t stop Nestlé's false health claims
Health supplements are booming. Pills, powders, and gummies promise to make us fitter, stronger, and younger – and the industry is worth billions. But a Follow the Money investigation by Irene van den Berg and Mathilde de Jeu uncovered that nearly half of these products carry claims that aren’t allowed under EU rules. Still, Nestlé, Unilever, and other food giants keep them on the shelves, exploit
European companies are plundering Senegal’s seas
In Senegal, fishing is the backbone of the economy. But local fishermen’s nets are coming back empty. Journalists Hans Wetzels and Remy Käller discovered how European fishing companies are plundering Senegal’s seas through joint ventures that let them fly Senegalese flags – while profits flow back to Europe. With livelihoods disappearing, many young Senegalese see no other option but to migrate t
Meloni's €70 million migration fiasco
When Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ran her election campaign in 2022, she promised a bold solution to Italy’s migration challenges: building offshore migrant centres in Albania. The hubs should process asylum seekers abroad. But three years later, the reality looks very different. The hubs stand half-empty, construction costs have spiraled, and courts have thrown up roadblocks at every tur
Von der Leyen’s secret texts with Pfizer
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission struck a multi-billion-euro deal with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer for vaccine doses. In preparations to the deal, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen texted with the company’s CEO, Albert Bourla. But when journalist Alexander Fanta requested access to those messages, the Commission refused – and they have still never seen the li
A billionaire’s hidden empire built on coal and post cards
You probably have never heard of him, but he’s one of Europe’s most influential billionaires: Daniel Křetínský, a Czech businessman who built his fortune on coal – all the while receiving hundreds of millions of euros for green subsidies from the EU. In this episode, investigative journalists Hazel Sheffield and Sofia Cherici unpick Křetínský’s vast empire: from fossil fuels and biomass plants to
How Europe’s largest party made an enemy out of NGOs
Europe’s most powerful political party has picked an unexpected enemy: NGOs. After it claimed Brussels was secretly bankrolling green lobbyists, journalists Lise Witteman and Hans Wetzels of Follow the Money found a very different story. Their investigation shows how the European People’s Party has cast NGOs into convenient scapegoats as it backpedals on the Green Deal.
Related stories ➪
ftm.e
Bottled lies: Europe’s wine industry is tainted by fraud
The bottle of wine on your dinner table might not be what it claims. Journalists Barnaby Eales and Dominique Mesmin took a deep dive into how fraudsters sold millions of litres of Spanish bulk wine, passing them off as more prestigious French labels. With climate change disrupting harvests, this kind of fraud may only become more common.
Related stories ➪
https://www.ftm.eu/articles/as-climate-ch
The corporate campaign to weaken Europe’s fight against forever chemicals
It’s in our food, wine and water: Rising levels of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) – a type of “forever chemical” linked to serious health problems – are causing alarm in Europe. Yet when Brussels revised its drinking water law and regulated the toxic substances, high concentrations of TFA were ultimately overlooked. Journalist and physicist Thomas Goorden reveals how the chemical industry downplayed t
How a vulture capitalist quietly took over Europe’s festival scene
U.S. investment giant KKR has quietly bought up major European music festivals like Sónar and Sziget. Investigative journalists Henk Willem Smits, Salsabil Fayed, Nick de Jager, and Remy Koens have uncovered ties between KKR and Israel-linked firms, including controversial projects in the occupied Palestinian territories. As outrage grows over Israel’s war in Gaza, artists and festivalgoers are pu
The Western oil tankers that fund Putin's war
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia has generated over 900 billion euros from fossil fuel exports – funds that have helped sustain its military aggression. To circumvent Western sanctions on oil trade, it had to build a ‘shadow fleet’ of hundreds of old oil vessels. Led by Follow the Money’s Birte Schohaus, Jesse Pinster and Dimitri Tokmezis, an international team of investigative report
Inside the Huawei corruption scandal that rocked Brussels
The Huawei corruption scandal has cast a long shadow over Brussels. Several individuals have been charged over allegations that lobbyists for the Chinese tech giant bribed Members of the European Parliament. Investigative journalists Simon Van Dorpe, Alexander Fanta and Lisanne van Vucht have revealed exactly how Huawei’s lobbying campaign in the EU went rogue – and shed light on the man accused o
Shein’s toxic business model
Millions of people across Europe buy their clothes on the fast fashion app Shein. But the Chinese company’s aggressive tactics for recruiting users have attracted the attention of European regulators. Investigative journalists Yara van Heugten and Alexander Fanta looked into this ultra-fast fashion firm that is dreaming of entering the stock market. They cut through the smoke and mirrors behind th
