Posted by NEW: How Western oil companies bet on Kazakhstan — and ended up at the mercy of Vladimir Putin
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| The ICIJ Team <website@icij.org> Unsubscribe | Fri, Nov 22, 11:12 PM (17 hours ago) |
| The story behind the stories. View this email in your browser DONATE The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is proud to bring you our latest investigation: Caspian Cabals Western governments once envisioned the Caspian pipeline as a pathway to independence from Middle Eastern oil and an instrument of post-Soviet democracy. But over the past 30 years, the pipeline, which runs 939 miles from Kazakhstan’s vast crude reserves through Russia to the Black Sea, has enriched elites and left a trail of environmental destruction and corruption allegations in its wake. The two-year investigation led by ICIJ reveals how Western oil giants were there from the start — and ignored red flags in order to secure their stake in the critical artery that pumps Kazakhstan’s most-coveted resource to global markets. The companies turned a blind eye to inflated budgets, rigged bids and suspect payments to subcontractors, only to deliver substantial control to the Kremlin. Caspian Cabals, in collaboration with 26 media partners, is based on interviews with hundreds of sources, including whistleblowers, company insiders and former executives. “It’s not just the oil companies who were complicit — so was the U.S. government,” Edward C. Chow, a former executive for Chevron Overseas Petroleum Ltd, said of the alleged corruption. “They all knew, or they should have known, and chose to look the other way.” READ: Putin’s pipeline: How the Kremlin outmaneuvered Western oil companies to wrest control of vast flows of Kazakhstan’s crude READ: Oil giants ignored red flags, enriched elite for Kazakhstan pipe dream EXPLORE: Uncovering Timur Kulibayev’s European property empire READ: The lost village: Western oil companies enriched Kazakhstan’s powerbrokers — and left a community in ruins READ: Inside Big Oil’s war against transparency WATCH: A one-minute introduction to Caspian Cabals ABOUT: About the Caspian Cabals investigation FAQS: Answers to questions about the Caspian pipeline, ICIJ’s reporting, and more Thanks for reading! Joanna Robin ICIJ’s digital editor P.S. Investigations like Swazi Secrets would not be possible without the generous support of ICIJ’s donors. Please join our community of supporters. |
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