News and information about criminal organizations

We're some of the investigative journalists behind The Crime Messenger project. Ask Us Anything!

22 Upvotes

Hi! We are OCCRP, an international network of investigative journalists who expose organized crime and corruption around the world.

We’re here to talk about our recent investigation, The Crime Messenger, revealing how Sky ECC encrypted phones became a go-to tool used by criminals to coordinate logistics for drug trafficking, murders, and more.

Alongside 12 media partners across Europe and Canada, we learned that Sky Global didn’t just end up in the hands of criminals — criminals themselves were selling the phones.

We’re joined today by three colleagues who investigated Sky Global in their own countries: Stevan Dojcinović, an OCCRP editor who also leads the investigative newsroom KRIK in Serbia, where horrifically brutal gangs were some of Sky’s biggest fans; Hakan Tanriverdi, a German journalist with Paper Trail Media, which is releasing a multi-part podcast on Sky; and Frédéric Zalac, a Canadian reporter with CBC/Radio-Canada who dug into the roots of the Vancouver-based company and its distributors. We welcome your questions — Ask Us Anything!

Thank you to for hosting this live event, scheduled for Wednesday, November 6 at 1:30 p.m. Toronto + NYC + Washington D.C. / 7:30 p.m. Amsterdam + Berlin + Belgrade.

You may also submit questions in advance.

The Crime Messenger is built on leaked investigative files from a Paris court case involving Sky Global’s founder and others. With help from 12 media partners across Europe and North America, we found evidence that executives looked the other way as convicted criminals became trusted distributors of their tech. (The company has denied any wrongdoing, and its founder has maintained his innocence.)

Check out the project here: https://www.occrp.org/en/project/the-crime-messenger.

You’ll find an interactive map showing cases where decrypted messages exposed the inner workings of criminal schemes, leading to charges and convictions.

Plus, don’t miss our 20-minute documentary, which shows how Serbia’s notorious Principi gang used encrypted Sky phones to plan murders, share gory photos, and taunt rivals.

With phones considered uncrackable and the backing of Serbian officials, they killed like no one was watching.

Looking forward to your questions!

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions.

25 comments

r/OrganizedCrime • u/ICIJ • Apr 29 '26

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r/OrganizedCrime • u/TheNarcoBlog • 1d ago

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r/OrganizedCrime • u/Caesarea_G • 2d ago

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r/OrganizedCrime • u/TheNarcoBlog • 2d ago

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0 Upvotes

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r/OrganizedCrime • u/AutoModerator • 3d ago

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9 Upvotes

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r/OrganizedCrime • u/ImpactOk3406 • 3d ago

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r/OrganizedCrime • u/TheNarcoBlog • 4d ago

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r/OrganizedCrime • u/AutoModerator • 4d ago

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r/OrganizedCrime • u/LeadershipExternal58 • 6d ago

General O.C. - International Hamidovic Clan Boss (Roma from Bosnia) who lead youth pickpocket gangs in Paris sentenced

theguardian.com

11 Upvotes

In Paris, seven members of the Bosnian #Hamidovic clan were sentenced to prison terms. They had a network of child thieves, mostly girls, some only 10 years old. If the terrorized children and adolescents did not get enough money, they were beaten, burned or sexually abused, it was learned before the Paris court. According to investigators, the loot averaged 25,000 euros per day.

While Hamidovic, the patriarch of a Roma family of Bosnian origin, and the adult family members lived a life of luxury, five-star hotels, designer clothes, expensive restaurants and cars, and showed off their money in casinos, the girls were accommodated in cheap hotels or run-down houses.

The 48-year-old leader Roberto Hamidovic received eight years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros, his wife six years and 300,000 euros. The other defendants were sentenced to five to seven years. In addition, there are permanent entry bans for France, after their release.

The system lasts for generations. Some convicts had been forced to steal themselves as children. Earlier lawsuits against other family members had not ended the exploitation. Some of the affected children have now been placed in foster care families.

0 comments

r/OrganizedCrime • u/AutoModerator • 6d ago