The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "stealing" ...
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Cyber Espionage: The Chinese Threat
It’s the biggest threat facing American business today but the least talked about by corporate executives. Experts at the highest levels of government agree, cyber espionage is threatening to steal American wealth, American jobs and ultimately America’s economic security and the biggest aggressor is China. Due to the nature of the crime, the cost to American businesses is nearly impossible to pinpoint. Experts say Chinese hackers are constantly probing corporate networks, sifting through endless amounts of data to decipher what is valuable intellectual property, chemical formulas or proprietary technology. One conservative estimate from the National Counter Intelligence Executive puts the cost of economic espionage at up to $400B annually, but the report states such estimates vary “so widely as to be meaningless,” reflecting the scarcity of data available. CNBC’s David Faber and the Investigations Inc. team spoke with many corporate executives about China’s aggressive effort to target American businesses and their most valuable assets, but many refused to comment on camera for our report, citing becoming more vulnerable to attack by speaking publicly about the issue. However, not one executive denied their company is at risk of cyber-attack on a daily basis or the possibility of losing valuable intellectual property to cyber spies. Government and industry experts we spoke with on-camera have witnessed such costly cyber-attacks during their careers and attest to the fact there are only two companies left in America today: Those who know they’ve been hacked and those who don’t. From a whistleblower claiming telecommunications giant Nortel was one of the first casualties of this all-out cyber war, to high profile and public attacks on Google and RSA, its clear defending against cyber espionage is the new normal for American business.
Tags: Chinese hackers; American businesses; cyber attacks; cyber espionage
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Terror on the Tracks
"Terror on the Tracks" exposes major gaps in freight rail security. We spent months criss-crossing the state gathering undercover video of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway trains carrying hazardous cargo. We found locomotives idling, unlocked, unmanned, unguarded - with the key, called a reverser, inside. The reverser makes the train move forward or backward on the track. The presence of the reverser would allow any intruder with basic knowledge to steal the train - potentially making them easy targets for terrorists. Our sources - current engineers and conductors working for BNSF with everything to lose by talking to us - say the trains are much more vulnerable than the company or the government is willing to admit. During our investigation we discovered trains had been stolen before - mostly by joy riders - all across the country.
Tags: freight rail security; terrorists; hazardous; cargo; engineers; conductors
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ID Theft: Who's Got Your Number
The reporter discovers an unexpected and enormous surge in the latest ID theft schemes -- stealing tax refunds and scamming free medical care.
Tags: ID theft; identity; identity theft
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Sovereign Citizens Stealing Houses
The story investigated the criminal actions of anti-government extremists calling themselves sovereign citizens. Homes in foreclosure were being "stolen" by these suspects filing fake real estate paperwork at local courthouses.
Tags: sovereign citizens; anti-government; foreclosure; real estate; political movement
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60 Billion Dollar Fraud
“Medicare Fraud, a crime that steals an estimated $60 billion a year from the American taxpayer”. Medicare stated they were made efforts to crack down on the fraud, but this investigation proved otherwise. This investigation revealed how easy Medicare fraud is and that zero experience can still result in thousands of dollars from Medicare.
Tags: health care; medical; medicine; officials; federal government; Congress; system; insurance; plan; doctors; hospitals; benefits
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Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: Black in Bellaire
Robbie Tolan dreamed of a career in Major League Baseball, until a night that changed it all. While driving home to a predominantly white and affluent neighborhood, he was stopped by the police in front of his home and was suspected of stealing his own car. As his parents stood by, the police officer shot Robbie and almost killed him. He now lives a life without his love, the game of baseball.
Tags: Bobby Tolan; Bellaire, Texas; gunpoint; crime; law enforcement; criminal; race; bias; discrimination
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Space Florida
A new agency, Space Florida, was created in the state of Florida to find innovative ways to help those who were losing their jobs and create alternative business. But an investigation into the agency revealed that it was creating more controversy than helping. Some of these include things like spending huge amounts of money without return, stealing ideas, not creating jobs because they didn’t track it, and awarding contracts to those later convicted of crimes.
Tags: Steve Kohler; NASA; space shuttle fleet; astronauts; space-tourism; industry; aerospace; state crisis; rockets
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When Caregivers Harm
The investigation exposes failure of state nursing overseers to take corrective action against licensed caregivers accused of malpractice. Lack of competent oversight led impaired nurses to cause harm to patients through abuse, negligence and stealing patient medication for recreational use among other wrongdoings.
Tags: nurses; California; Nursing Board; harm; caregivers; Tracy Weber; malpractice; drugs; abuse; negligence; discipline;
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Zero Day Threat
"Zero Day Threat is an accessible, important primer on an insidious public hazard that touches us all. As such, it sets the agenda for wrenching changes in business practices and public policy that must inevitably follow, and, in fact are in the early stages of playing out."
Tags: bank; finance; credit; identity; steal; cyber; crooks; truth; money; theft;
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Access to Steal
KIRO-TV investigated the security flaws in airports "that allow baggage handlers to enter luggage storage areas, steal items, then remove the goods from the property." The investigative teams also "tracked dozens of missing handguns, stolen by criminals, who had direct access to loaded passenger jets."
Tags: airports; security; theft; baggage; hidden camera; luggage; handguns; property