Shanti Das

Epstein sent woman to British anti-trafficking charity boss

A multimillionaire British businessman who helps to lead a global anti-trafficking charity faces questions over his links to Jeffrey Epstein after emails suggested that the convicted sex offender introduced him to several young women

Home Office lets rogue firms regain licences to sponsor migrant visas

Employers targeted in a government ‘crackdown’ on abuse of the skilled work system are routinely being granted fresh approvals, Times analysis reveals

Revealed: how fake jobs for migrants are rife on Facebook Calls for Meta and other social media companies to clamp down on visa scams after a Times undercover investigation

Calls for Meta and other social media companies to clamp down on visa scams after a Times undercover investigation

How migrants are buying fake jobs to stay in the UK illegally

A burgeoning industry offers skilled worker visa sponsorships for positions that do not exist. A Times undercover investigation exposes those behind the schemes ⬇️

Who's secretly filming fake TikToks inside Londoners' homes? We tracked down the viral video account invading people's houses to spread false claims about immigrants.

Last year I found a TikTok account invading people's homes to spread hate against immigrants. With a little bit of OSINT & a lot of legwork @londoncentric.media and I went looking for its owner. www.londoncentric.media/p/tiktok-lon...

Sonia Sarkar, FGM In The UK: A Common Sexual Assault On Migrant Women Alannah Francis, My daughter, 15, was murdered by her ex. It must be called domestic abuse Shanti Das, ‘Would love to see her faked’: the dark world of sexual deepfakes – and the women fighting back Alia Waheed, For Muslim women, images of us without our hijabs can be as damaging as nude photos Anna Moore, ‘There is no safe way to do it’: the rapid rise and horrifying risks of choking during sex Sharan Dhaliwal, Too many crimes against women of colour are being ignored Lucy Morgan, Bonnie Blue, Channel 4 and the problem with commodifying sexual violence

✏️ BEST FEATURE

Congratulations to the writers of our shortlisted pieces: Sonia Sarkar, Alannah Francis, Alia Waheed, @shantidas.bsky.social, Anna Moore, @lucymorgan.bsky.social and @sharandhaliwal.bsky.social

Inside Haiti: where women are raped on the street and gangs rule The capital of the Caribbean nation of Haiti is now at the mercy of gangs bent on kidnap, rape and murder. Louise Callaghan meets their victims — and confronts a warlord

The capital of the Caribbean nation of Haiti is now at the mercy of gangs bent on kidnap, rape and murder. Louise Callaghan meets their victims — and confronts a warlord

Tommy Robinson charging £28 a minute as personal coach to far right The EDL founder is charging about £28 a minute for videos giving advice to supporters on anti-Islam activism and migrant hotel protests

The EDL founder is charging about £28 a minute for videos giving advice to supporters on anti-Islam activism and migrant hotel protests

Fifty peers have worked for lobbying firms since last year A Times investigation raises questions as to why members of the House of Lords don’t face the same restrictions as MPs on work for lobbyists

At least 50 members of the House of Lords have worked for lobbying firms since January last year despite MPs being banned from paid advisory roles, a Times investigation has found.

www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Revealed: Labour group’s £9,500 ‘cash for access’ breakfasts A Times investigation has found companies have been offered sponsorship deals involving private meetings with an ‘influential Labour figure’

The Labour government faces questions over “cash for access” after a Times investigation found that businesses have been offered private meetings with “an influential Labour figure” as part of sponsorship packages costing almost £9,500.

www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Covid fraud convictions at risk over investigators’ legal failure Officials did not have the power to gather evidence in hundreds of cases linked to the misuse of government ‘bounce-back’ loans

Hundreds of pandemic fraud cases are at risk of collapsing because the investigating officials were gathering evidence without the legal right to do so.

An FOI shows officials at Thurrock Council based Natis were not correctly certified to do this work.

www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

thanks so much Poppy :)

thanks so much Campbell!

Very happy to share that I’ve joined the investigations team at The Times, working under @paulmorganbentley.bsky.social. Please get in touch if there’s something we should be looking into - my new email is shanti.das@thetimes.co.uk

Last week was my final one at the Observer after three years. It’s been a privilege to work with such a brilliant team and I got to work on some stories I'm really proud of. Wishing everyone all the best for life at the new Obs. I’m having a little break before the next chapter 🗞️

‘It felt like a demon was inside me’: young Christian missionaries allege spiritual abuse They travel the world to convert every ‘tribe, tongue and nation’ to Jesus. But behind the scenes, young missionaries describe discipline, pressure and strict controls

‘It felt like a demon was inside me’: young Christian missionaries allege spiritual abuse

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

Christian missionary group accused of public shaming and rituals to ‘cure’ sexual sin Exclusive: young volunteers also allege spiritual abuse and controlling behaviour at bases of Youth With a Mission * ‘It felt like a demon was inside me’: young Christian missionaries allege spiritual abuse The world’s biggest youth Christian missionary organisation is facing allegations of spiritual abuse and controlling behaviour from young people who say they were left “traumatised”. An Observer investigation has revealed evidence of safeguarding failings within Youth With a Mission (YWAM), a global movement that trains young Christians to spread the gospel. A spokesperson for YWAM said the organisation was “heartbroken” by the claims and was “deeply committed to the safety and wellbeing” of everyone in its care. Continue reading...

Christian missionary group accused of public shaming and rituals to ‘cure’ sexual sin

Prosecutors told to do more to strip ‘revenge porn’ abusers of victim images New CPS guidance aims to boost use of deletion orders after Observer revealed systemic failings The Crown Prosecution Service is to update its guidance on so-called “revenge porn” crimes to stop perpetrators being allowed to keep explicit photos of their victims. The Observer revealed last month that magistrates courts were routinely failing to make orders for the deletion of content linked to intimate-image abuse cases – and that prosecutors were failing to request them. Continue reading...

Prosecutors told to do more to strip ‘revenge porn’ abusers of victim images

‘I’ve been getting 100 messages a day’: Church of Scientology accused of intimidating UK critics Campaigners face online attacks, claims of criminality and complaints to employers. The Church says it’s the victim Alex Barnes-Ross, a marketing director from east London, regularly posts YouTube videos criticising Scientology. In some of them, the former Scientologist, 29, describes his experience of joining aged 15 and becoming its London director of book sales. In others, he talks about his mental health struggles after signing a “billion-year” contract devoting himself to the organisation – only to be kicked out a few years later, labelled a “potential trouble source”. Other videos scrutinise its finances and ask questions about alleged mistreatment at Narconon UK, a Scientology-linked rehab facility investigated by the Observer last year. Continue reading...

‘I’ve been getting 100 messages a day’: Church of Scientology accused of intimidating UK critics

Women seeking asylum in UK allege sexual abuse in mixed-sex hotels Claims of sexual violence made against other asylum seekers and staff include case of a 14-year-old who was allegedly raped Women and girls seeking asylum in Britain have alleged that they were raped, sexually assaulted and harassed after being placed in mixed Home Office accommodation. An Observer investigation has uncovered claims of sexual violence at multiple Home Office hotels including allegations against fellow asylum seekers as well as hotel staff. Continue reading...

Women seeking asylum in UK allege sexual abuse in mixed-sex hotels

Flawed UK visa scheme led to ‘horrific’ care worker abuse, says watchdog Anti-slavery commissioner says scheme to plug staffing gaps post-Brexit was a ‘blunt instrument’ that enabled exploitation of the vulnerable A post-Brexit visa scheme to fill vacancies in social care was badly designed and enabled “horrific” abuse of…

Flawed UK visa scheme led to ‘horrific’ care worker abuse, says watchdog

Mastercard and Visa linked to illegal gambling sites accused of scamming UK customers Card giants processing payments for unlicensed operators as customers report losing thousands Mastercard and Visa are processing payments for illegal gambling websites accused of scamming UK customers out of thousands of pounds. An investigation has…

Mastercard and Visa linked to illegal gambling sites accused of scamming UK customers

‘It’s not ethical and it’s not medical’: how UK rehab clinics are cashing in on NAD+ They are beloved by A-listers and surging in popularity. But claims that NAD+ infusions are a fix for addiction are unproven, risky – and possibly illegal, an Observer investigation reveals

‘It’s not ethical and it’s not medical’: how UK rehab clinics are cashing in on NAD+

UK rape victims are waiting too long for court cases, say top lawyers Campaigners urge overhaul of system for prioritising hearings as less serious crimes move ahead in queue

The prioritisation of court cases must be changed to stop victims of horrific crimes facing years-long waits for trials as less serious crimes are bumped ahead in queue, barristers and victims’ advocates have said

A listing review is set to report back next week
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/feb...

Surgeons accused of racism, bullying and toxic power struggle An investigation into the facial trauma unit at Barts Health NHS Trust says a corrosive culture of competition and bigotry led to patients being harmed

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Surgeons at a top NHS trust embroiled in allegations of racism, sexism, homophobia and bullying that created a “toxic” culture and harmed patient care, according to a secret report: www.thetimes.com/article/aa76...

‘It’s not ethical and it’s not medical’: how UK rehab clinics are cashing in on NAD+ They are beloved by A-listers and surging in popularity. But claims that NAD+ infusions are a fix for addiction are unproven, risky – and possibly illegal, an Observer investigation reveals

‘It’s not ethical and it’s not medical’ -- Claims that NAD+ infusions are a fix for #addiction are unproven, risky – and possibly illegal, by @shantidas.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/society/2025... via @theguardian.com

‘It’s not ethical and it’s not medical’: how UK rehab clinics are cashing in on NAD+ They are beloved by A-listers and surging in popularity. But claims that NAD+ infusions are a fix for addiction are unproven, risky – and possibly illegal, an Observer investigation reveals

I wrote about the murky world of "anti-ageing" therapy NAD - from retracted research and celebrity hype to the clinics pushing it as an addiction cure ⬇️

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

‘It’s not ethical and it’s not medical’: how UK rehab clinics are cashing in on NAD+ They are beloved by A-listers and surging in popularity. But claims that NAD+ infusions are a fix for addiction are unproven, risky – and possibly illegal, an Observer investigation reveals

Pleased to see @shantidas.bsky.social continuing her excellent work reporting on some of the more questionable activities of the private (and expensive) drug treatment industry [with some thoughts from myself] www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

thanks Sian, that's very lovely of you

‘Revenge porn’ abusers allowed to keep devices with illicit images Prosecutors in England and Wales are failing to obtain orders requiring the deletion of intimate content shared without consent, analysis reveals Perpetrators of “revenge porn” offences are being allowed to keep explicit images of their victims on their…

‘Revenge porn’ abusers allowed to keep devices with illicit images