Follow the Money: The Podcast

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 growing public health concerns.

Dave Keating, American-European author and journalist who wrote The Owned Continent, explores Europe's cultural and strategic dependence on the United States. He traces everyday American cultural dominance, the historical roots of that influence, and how it links to economic and military reliance. He suggests practical steps for reclaiming European cultural agency and rethinking English as a pan‑European tool.

Ties Gijzel, investigative reporter who exposed failing carbon offset projects, and Mira Sys, investigator and author on the carbon credit market, unpack why offsets often do not cut emissions. They trace inflated claims, strange credits like koala or breastfeeding offsets, harms to nature and indigenous people, and who profits from the trade. They question reliance on offsets instead of systemic change.

Patrik Galavits, investigative Hungarian journalist who tracked Péter Magyar's sudden rise, breaks down the whirlwind around Hungary's pivotal election. He chronicles campaign scandals and viral moments. He maps where Magyar fits in Hungary and how EU officials view him. He also reflects on reporting under pressure and what any successor would inherit.

Simon Van Dorpe, in-house corruption specialist and investigative reporter, walks through the fall of a powerful EU politician. He unpacks the raids, the lottery-ticket money laundering allegation, questions around gambling claims, banking red flags, and how reporting brought the probe to light.

Investigative digging into how secret lobbying and a high-level letter derailed an EU plan to limit media concentration. A look at a 1990s proposal that would have capped market shares and eased cross-border rules. Traces how political intervention shaped media landscapes in Central and Eastern Europe and why ownership battles still matter today.

Leila Goldstein, an investigative reporter based in Cambodia, explores how microloans meant to help instead drove families into crushing debt. She recounts stories of suicide and intimidation, explains how European development money and weak oversight fueled predatory lending, and exposes certification and accountability gaps. Multiple scenes from rural Cambodia bring the human toll into sharp focus.

Investigative reporters reveal how dating app data can be manipulated to locate soldiers and even home addresses. They demonstrate creating fake profiles, triangulating positions, and tracking personnel near bases across Europe. The conversation covers how location and advertising data are sold, how adversaries could exploit dating apps, and what changes might reduce these national security risks.

The podcast reflects on a year of eye-opening investigations. It delves into the EU's ambitious conservation efforts in the Congo and their disappointing outcomes. The discussion also covers Ziver's failure to safeguard European health data from a US firm linked to ex-spies. In a teaser, the scrutiny facing Google from EU regulators highlights the tension with the US over antitrust issues. Finally, listeners are invited to send feedback and share their thoughts as the team takes a brief hiatus.

In this insightful discussion, investigative journalist Vittoria Torsello uncovers the hidden truths of Europe's second-hand clothing trade. She reveals how donated garments embark on extensive journeys across the globe, leading to surprising carbon emissions. Using innovative tracking methods, including Bluetooth tags and satellite data, she exposes the convoluted pathways of these clothes, many of which end up in countries like Pakistan and the UAE. Torsello highlights how fast fashion and systemic failures contribute to a looming crisis in the industry.