RISE Moldova (Romanian: Asociația Reporterilor de Investigație și Securitate Editorială; The Association of Investigative Reporters and Editorial Security) is an independent, non-governmental and nonprofit organization consisting of investigative journalists, programmers and activists from Moldova and Romania.[1][2] Investigations made by RISE Moldova journalists were shortlisted for the European Press Prize for two years in a row.[3][4]
Since its launch RISE Moldova has investigated and published materials, stories and filmed short documentaries on such subjects as corruption, conflict of interests and cross border organised crime schemes and networks. First investigation signed by RISE Moldova started in 2013, when RISE journalists cooperated with colleagues from United Kingdom, Romania and Russia to uncover complex illegal business and criminal schemes behind a cross border network of assassins-for-hire operating throughout Europe.[7][8] This investigation was a finalist at the 2013 European Press Prize.[3][9]
Another investigation, named "Russian Laundromat", revealed international money laundering scheme that moved tens billions dollars into Europe using offshore companies, fake loans and bribed Moldovan judges. Some of the Russian banks involved were owned in part by Igor Putin, cousin of Russian President Vladimir Putin.[10][11] It was named the best investigation of 2014 by Centre of Independent Journalism of Moldova.[12] It was also shortlisted for the 2014 European Press Prize[4] and won The Special Jury Award.[13][14]
Other important cross border investigations covered such themes as arms smuggling from Transnistria to Ukraine and international routes in Asia;[15][16][17][18] hidden wealth of the Moldovan politicians;[19][20][21][22] the business of priests in Moldova and church's connection to the underworld.[23][24][25][26]