Reputation is important in the crossover between activism and OSINT that I seem to be in. But without a large institution sponsoring me or employing me, it's hard to be clear about what I'm doing in the capacity that I'm in. I think it's actually fairly rare in investigation, period, that you can be public about what you're doing.
Due to somewhat unique circumstances, I can be somewhat explicit about at least some of this. Let me try to do that.
In July of 2021, I developed a risk assessment and policy recommendation package for a major social network's content moderation team, assessing that their platforms were being exploited by a sanctioned Belarusian secret police agency in violation of U.S. sanctions law and their own terms of service.
I identified one specific department as responsible: Department 3 of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption of the MVD of the Republic of Belarus, GUBOPiK.
Its head, Mikhail Bedunkevich, is somewhat notable because he jailed someone for 18 months for insulting him in a private Telegram chat.
Using publicly available identifying data, I investigated the identities of all Department 3 employees listed on the web. Using this information, I also provided a citizen tip to OFAC through my contacts in public service.
On August 17, August 31st, and September 2, 2021 I notified the social network of my findings.
On December 2, 2021, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Mikhail Bedunkevich, the head of GUBOPiK Department 3.
On December 3rd, I notified the Department of Justice: National Security Division and the Office of Foreign Asset Control, through my lawyers at Whistleblower Aid, that the same social network I had contracted for was willfully and knowingly non-compliant with sanctions law in regard to not only GUBOPiK, but also pro-Russian separatists and militants in the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.
On March 10, 2022, Cat Zakrzewski, Elizabeth Dwoskin and Craig Timberg at the Washington Post wrote a story on it. This is why I can talk about it.
I'm doing a lot of things that I try to keep my supporters updated on, but I can't always. This is just one of them.
I’m also pursuing sanctions designations, OSINT work and investigations around the Ukraine war, domestic political races, and investigations into ongoing disinformation and influence operations that I’m only partially open, or completely secretive about.
All that being said, even despite the fact that it's basically spitting in the face of a (sanctioned) foreign police department with a reputation for hunting people online...
I'm glad I can share at least this.
This is what you’re supporting.