Graham Barrow has worked to prevent money laundering and fraud for decades — in recent years working with journalists to investigate companies. In a guest post he shares his tips with Tony Jarne on what you can do when you are following the money.

Many times, as journalists, we need to investigate businesses to tell our stories. You need to track companies to know how Russia is avoiding the sanctions and who allegedly profited from PPE contracts during the pandemic.

But, how do we begin, and what are the details we need to look out for? To navigate the company’s world, Graham gives some advice when you are tracking the money.

Start with Companies House

Companies House is where all the businesses based in the UK need to be registered. It is fully transparent, open, and free. Check the basics of a company: who are the directors? Does the company have real activity? A website? If a company does not have a website, it is a red flag.  

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