Funding Sources and Implications

A significant portion of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project's funding, over half, comes from the United States government, primarily through USAID and the State Department's International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau. This raises important questions about the influence of U.S. interests on the narratives defined by OCCRP's investigations, which often target U.S. adversaries. The inherent risk is that U.S. funding may shape the focus of investigations, encouraging journalists to avoid probing American allies or interests, thus creating a subtle but powerful bias in their reporting. The discussion highlights that while OCCRP produces valuable investigative journalism, the reliance on U.S. financial support complicates the perception of its independence and objectivity.