Cormac Kehoe
@coramazov.bsky.social
Investigative Correspondent at The Fence Investigative Reporter for London Centric & BBC Radio 4 - "The Naked Week." Fellow Centre for Investigative Journalism 23'.
💷 Corruption, tax avoidance and UK high streets Our research with @coramazov.bsky.social at The Fence helped uncover a business network originating in Afghanistan linked with candy & souvenir stores in London buying up millions of pounds of UK property. More below ⤵️
The Graveyard of Empires
How did the British high street become littered with American Candy stores? The answer lies in Afghanistan.
the-fence.com
So the reason there's so many American Candy shops in Britain right now has to do with the War on Terror and Harry Potter. the-fence.com/article/grav...
The Graveyard of Empires
Cormac Kehoe went shopping for a souvenir.
the-fence.com
Cormac's staggering piece of reportage is still available to read for free at the link below...
Cormac Kehoe@coramazov.bsky.social · 2mo agoMy investigation into the network that pioneered the "dodgy shop" model just landed. I trace the group’s mid-2000s takeover of the West End souvenir trade, their expansion across the UK, and follow the money used to fuel it all the way to the badlands of Afghanistan the-fence.com/article/grav...
An excellent article. It shows, amongst other things, the backwash of the USA's realpolitik approach to their obsessive meddling in other countries, throwing huge amounts of greenbacks about with no accountability whatsoever. Also, how Britain's laissez faire attitude towards capital 1/2
The Fence@thefence.bsky.social · 2mo agoHuge new investigation from @coramazov.bsky.social on the Afghan trio who pioneered the model of the 'dodgy shop' that litter Britain's high streets. the-fence.com/article/grav...
A great read on behaviour that is just waved through, time and again, by those who could put a stop to it.
Cormac Kehoe@coramazov.bsky.social · 2mo agoMy investigation into the network that pioneered the "dodgy shop" model just landed. I trace the group’s mid-2000s takeover of the West End souvenir trade, their expansion across the UK, and follow the money used to fuel it all the way to the badlands of Afghanistan the-fence.com/article/grav...
My investigation into the network that pioneered the "dodgy shop" model just landed. I trace the group’s mid-2000s takeover of the West End souvenir trade, their expansion across the UK, and follow the money used to fuel it all the way to the badlands of Afghanistan the-fence.com/article/grav...
The Graveyard of Empires
Cormac Kehoe went shopping for a souvenir.
the-fence.com
Huge new investigation from @coramazov.bsky.social on the Afghan trio who pioneered the model of the 'dodgy shop' that litter Britain's high streets. the-fence.com/article/grav...
The Graveyard of Empires
Cormac Kehoe went shopping for a souvenir.
the-fence.com
Issue 28 Is Here 🤭 With writing from @coramazov.bsky.social, James Ramsden, @heawood.bsky.social, @danielshailer.bsky.social, Lucy Peett, Clive Martin, Zara Meerza, @williamasclarke.bsky.social & many more www.the-fence.com/shop
Investigation with @thedetailtv.bsky.social & the Guardian this morn. We reveal how British security services were involved in formulating the Legacy Act, despite the fact the act was supposed to investigate state killings. Read here thedetail.tv/articles/sec... - www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Lots of work went into getting the detail on this group, by human rights group @cajni.bsky.social and investigative reporter @coramazov.bsky.social Have a read this morning... Revealed: The secret group linked to security services that helped shape the Legacy Act
The secret group linked to security services that helped shape the Legacy Act
Attendees warned of 'vast' legal risks from Government's legacy proposals
thedetail.tv
Some great news to announce this morn😁: The case against us has been thrown out! However, its absurdity highlights the urgent need for the govt to stop talking about it and just go ahead with reform. A waste of time and energy for all involved. pressgazette.co.uk/news/mill-me...
'Scamming' landlord libel claim thrown out as Lammy promises legislation on SLAPPs
A County Court judgment for £10,000 made against a Mill Media reporter has been thrown out after a judge ruled it was an
pressgazette.co.uk
A good email to get from our lawyers: "Great news!! The attached judgment was handed down this morning and we have won!!!” Nightmare over for @londonermag.bsky.social and @coramazov.bsky.social. And a huge win for the free press. So delighted with this. ✊ www.the-londoner.co.uk/we-won-our-d...
In 2015, the ORCL was set up by PM David Cameron (who later became a lobbyist) to monitor lobbying activities. We analysed all of its investigations for @thenewworldmag.bsky.social & found that 95% ended with findings of no wrongdoing. Read below - www.thenewworld.co.uk/charles-ross...
The lobbying industry is still getting away with it
David Cameron promised to fix the lobbyists – but then he went off and became one. Despite all the promises, the rules are still porous and the watchdog is only part-time. Most of Britain’s lobbying g...
thenewworld.co.uk
Our investigation - a Democracy for Sale co-production with @newstatesman1913.bsky.social by me and @jennacorderoy.bsky.social - is already prompting cross-party calls for libel reform. www.newstatesman.com/investigatio...
The Slapp trap
As media lawyers battle to keep Britain’s libel industry lucrative, hopes for reform are fading
newstatesman.com
🔴 Keir Starmer promised to crackdown on "Slapps" - abusive libel cases to silence journalists and critics Then Labour quietly dropped it We can reveal why: a three-year lobbying blitz by libel lawyers who've acted for Russian oligarchs, Epstein + more democracyforsale.substack.com/p/how-lawyer...
How lawyers to the super-rich strangled Labour's Slapp bill
Exclusive: A discreet lobbying campaign by lawyers who have acted for oligarchs and the super-rich told government that reforming England's libel laws was too difficult.
democracyforsale.substack.com
Don’t miss the ground breaking investigation by @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and @jennacorderoy.bsky.social exposing how lawyers for the ultra-rich derailed Labour’s plans to tackle SLAPPs. democracyforsale.substack.com/p/how-lawyer...
How lawyers to the super-rich strangled Labour's Slapp bill
Exclusive: A discreet lobbying campaign by lawyers who have acted for oligarchs and the super-rich told government that reforming England's libel laws was too difficult.
democracyforsale.substack.com
A remarkable lament of Labour's failure to reform UK libel laws by @petergeoghegan.bsky.social & @jennacorderoy.bsky.social in the NS this morn. It details the genesis of the law from Postwar era to Londongrad, up until my own & @londonermag.bsky.social case today newstatesman.com/investigatio...
a proud day at London "2.5 journalists in a trenchcoat" Centric towers! www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-f...
UK: Local Media Outlet and its Journalist Threatened with Civil and Criminal Legal Action and Imprisonment Find out more 👉 go.coe.int/bY5rw Alert submitted by @indexoncensorship.org @europeanjournalists.org @ifjglobal.bsky.social #EuropeForFreeMedia @londonermag.bsky.social @coramazov.bsky.social
Our @prospectmagazine.co.uk piece shows how, over the last decade, 120+ ex snr military officers, civil servants & politicians made apps to work at defence firms, some of them holding MoD contracts. We ask if this revolving door comes at taxpayers expense? www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/pol...
The defence industry’s revolving door
Exclusive analysis reveals the high rate of former MoD and military officials moving to major defence firms vying for UK government contracts. Are cur...
prospectmagazine.co.uk
The Detail is proud to announce the No Stone Unturned Journalism Fellowship. It is dedicated to pursuing issues arising out of the landmark 2017 documentary and the subsequent arrest of Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney. Investigative reporter @coramazov.bsky.social will be the first fellow.
Launch of No Stone Unturned Journalism Fellowship
"Investigative journalism is essential in restoring public confidence at a time of widespread distrust"
thedetail.tv
Immensely proud to be granted the No Stone Unturned fellowship & to carry on the work of Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney who were arrested in 2018 after exposing the extent of collusion btw the British state & loyalist paras in the Loughinisland massacre thedetailni.substack.com/p/launch-of-...
Launch of No Stone Unturned Journalism Fellowship
"Investigative journalism is essential in restoring public confidence at a time of widespread distrust"
thedetailni.substack.com
Claudio Di Giovanni is suing me, @coramazov.bsky.social and @millmedia.bsky.social because we are refusing to take down a great piece of investigative journalism published by @londonermag.bsky.social. He also pursued Cormac personally and sent bizarre threats. www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-londoner...
The Londoner is being sued by a holiday let grifter. We’re going to fight him in court
Mysterious emails, incessant demands and a fake lawyer — an editor’s note about a serious threat we’re facing
the-londoner.co.uk
🚨Grateful to be a recipient of the 2026 Tenacious Journalism Award from @publicinterestnews.org.uk . Putting the money toward an incredibly exciting investigative project with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social at Democracy for Sale🚨 Stay tuned & all that www.publicinterestnews.org.uk/blog/announc...
Announcing the 2026 Tenacious Journalist Award winners
PINF and Changing Ideas are delighted to announce this year’s cohort of tenacious journalists!
publicinterestnews.org.uk
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher yesterday claimed that journalist Vincent Kearney was not treated as a criminal suspect. However, police documents from 2013 explicitly label him as one — Piece with @lukejbutterly.bsky.social in @thedetailtv.bsky.social this morn open.substack.com/pub/thedetai...
PSNI challenged on claim that journalists were not treated as criminal suspects
Jon Boutcher also said politicians and the media had continued to ‘misinterpret’ revelations about the extent of police surveillance of journalists
open.substack.com
Asif Aziz evictions story is going mainstream. Telegraph and Independent have covered in recent days. Now the FT has done a brilliant piece - including finding another property affected, where a Ukrainian refugee and their disabled son are being evicted by Aziz. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
London landlord begins evictions ahead of new renters’ rights law
Asif Aziz’s Criterion Capital owns several apartment blocks in capital as well as Trocadero centre in Piccadilly
giftarticle.ft.com
Have a short piece in off @thefence.bsky.social newsletter today about the appearance of an Irish lawyer (who represented Britney Spears and Gerry Adams) in the Epstein Files
Off The Fence: More Epstein, Vicar?
And we have ten discounted subscriptions available...
open.substack.com
Been a lot happening over last 24 hours, obviously, but worth flagging again this story again We really need more accountability in British politics. Should have been mechanisms to properly investigate Simons weeks ago
Peter Geoghegan@petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 6mo agoWow. Josh Simons has resigned as govt minister Follows weeks of reporting by Democracy for Sale and others about how he paid PR firm to smear journalists investigating Labour Together Huge thanks to all our supporters. Couldn’t have done it without you democracyforsale.substack.com/p/starmer-al...
