The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) examined the Republic of Cyprus’ declared plan to join the Schengen Area in 2026. Is the process simply a matter of meeting technical goals, or does Cyprus’ “special situation” carry political dimensions that remain unaddressed? CIREN conducted a fact-check and issued its verdict.
As Ukrainian cities face relentless Russian bombardment, Kyiv has sanctioned a Cyprus-based gambling empire allegedly funneling millions to Russian-linked owners behind the online casino Pin-Up. The Ukrainian owner denies the allegations.
A Cypriot court this week ordered that a defunct company owned by sanctioned Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s offshore trust be reinstated so it can pay the 14 million euros in VAT it failed to pay before it was closed.
Former President of the Supreme Court, Myron Nicolatos — who chaired the ad-hoc Committee to investigate irregularities in the Cyprus Investment Program, commonly known as the “golden passports” scheme — speaks exclusively to CIReN, four years after submitting the Committee’s final report.
Authorities cited legal constraints and registry practices in their explanations during a Parliamentary session. Abramovich’s involvement was never investigated, but officials admitted that his name appeared in documents […]
Almost all of Cyprus’ political parties received donations from people or companies connected to the citizen-by-investment scheme, which was halted amid allegations of corruption. Cypriot political parties received […]
Blue Ocean, tied to a sham superyacht charter scheme, was struck off the registry without paying its €14 million tax debt. The Attorney General claims the Legal Service […]
CIReN delves into one of the most pressing issues concerning environmental protection and public health.It fact-checks the government narrative around the recent European Commission’s decision to refer Cyprus to the Court of Justice of the EU over the improper closure and waste management at the Vati and Kotsiatis illegal landfills.
The Russian tycoon’s company, Blue Ocean, was dissolved, its directors vanished, and the money can no longer be recovered after 12 years of court battles. Members of Parliament are now summoning the Attorney General for explanations.
The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) has handed down a landmark ruling to end the selling of “golden passports”, the practice of member states such as Malta and Cyprus that have turned European citizenship into a commercial transaction.
Cyprus slips 12 places in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by RSF. Cyprus now ranks 77th among 180 countries. Legislative attempts by the government that would undermine press freedom are causing concern. Turkey’s increasing pressure on the media and growing concentration in the hands of businessmen undermine press freedom in the north.
Journalists and experts have sounded the alarm over draft legislation in Cyprus that would allow for court-ordered surveillance of journalists and their acquaintances in an attempt to uncover their sources.
Vladimir Plahotniuc is on the run from Moldovan authorities, and reporters discovered he has a fake Mexican passport.
Members of the Parliament have asked if authorities managed to reclaim millions in taxes from the now-defunct company that was owned by the Russian billionaire. Previous reporting by CIReN and OCCRP revealed the company’s involvement in a fake superyacht-leasing scheme.
A draft law allowing offshore funds to be brought into northern Cyprus with little oversight could turn the breakaway territory into a money laundering hub, experts warn.
An investigation into leaked data exposes scam call centers whose employees convinced thousands of people to make “investments” on fake trading platforms. A call center in Cyprus was part of an operation based in Israel that appears to have targeted 26,810 individuals around the world.
The OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project) team of journalists has uncovered details about the multi-million-dollar betting business of Turkish businessman Halil Falyalı. Falyalı’s former CFO Cemil […]
Casino owners are linked to Belarusian officials, politicians and security officials.
Malta was one of the cogs in what Turkish prosecutors allege was a cross-border illegal online betting operation
Halil Falyali, a Turkish Cypriot businessman known for his flashy lifestyle and political connections, was shot dead in 2022. Behind the scenes, he allegedly ran a sprawling illegal online betting empire, according to Turkish prosecutors and his former head of finance, who spoke exclusively to OCCRP.
The Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) is an independent non profit investigative media platform committed to the highest professional and ethical standards of quality journalism in the public interest.
CIReN provides support to professional journalists across Cyprus seeking an independent platform to pursue and publish work that exposes social, financial, environmental, political and institutional wrongdoing. Their stories appear here in English, Greek and Turkish, and where possible are translated in all three languages to reach the widest possible audience in Cyprus.
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