Paul Kiel
@paulkiel
ProPublica reporter covering business. Email me at paul.kiel(at)http://propublica.org.
When the Pandora Papers hit in October, there were plenty of big names among the offshore secrets: the King of Jordan, the PM of the Czech Republic, pop stars, mobsters…. but few Americans. Why? icij.org/investigations…
Today, we issued a letter — signed by 70% of our unit — to @SteveEngelberg and @RobinSparkman91 asking them to uphold ProPublica’s values of fairness, transparency and accountability at the bargaining table.
We launched our union one year ago for a fairer and more transparent workplace, protections for our staff and a seat at the table. We’ve submitted more than 20 proposals to management. Just two have been agreed to. Here's where things stand. 👇 propublicaguild.org/updates/progre…
Tax experts who spoke to @ProPublica & @NYTimes say Trump’s Chicago accounting maneuvers appeared questionable and unlikely to withstand IRS scrutiny. “I think he ripped off the tax system,” said Walter Schwidetzky, @ubaltlaw professor. propublica.org/article/trump-…
@paulkiel of ProPublica and I teamed up to crack open a long-running IRS audit of how Donald Trump turned his financial failure in Chicago into huge and dubious tax write-offs. nytimes.com/2024/05/11/us/…
Our profile a few years ago of Jeff Yass, who not only owns a stake in TikTok, but has managed to pay a lower tax rate than his most prominent Wall Street peers--and many ordinary Americans--even as his income grew to billions *per year* propublica.org/article/jeff-y…
Senate probe casts doubt on Harlan Crow’s tax deductions for his yacht propublica.org/article/senate… by @paulkiel
Senators Question KPMG Role in Microsoft Profit-Shifting Scheme propublica.org/article/senato…
For decades, the biggest U.S. companies sent their profits to tax havens. In one audit, the IRS decided to try and make a statement. That was 12 years ago. This week, Microsoft announced the IRS was seeking $29 billion in back taxes. Read about it here: propublica.org/article/irs-mi…
Intuit still really doesn’t want you to be able to file taxes directly with the IRS for free. I wrote about their latest stealth PR campaign to convince everyone it’s a terrible idea propublica.org/article/turbot…
New this morning: We took a deeper dive into the company Justice Clarence Thomas keeps and found more ultrawealthy patrons funding his undisclosed travel. "I think it's unprecedented," one former federal judge said. With @BrettMmurphy propublica.org/article/claren…
NEW: -Buy your house for $26M -Get it valued at $130M -Put it in your “foundation,” meant for the public -Allow the public access 2hr a week -Voila! Massive tax break @JeffErnsthausen: propublica.org/article/how-pr…
NEW from me: How Harlan Crow slashed his tax bill by taking Clarence Thomas on superyacht cruises – and may have violated tax laws propublica.org/article/harlan…
One of ProPublica’s great strengths is its close collaboration across different teams, and I’m excited today to join with my talented colleagues in both editorial and business to form a union. @ProPublicaGuild
Hello. ProPublica has unionized. We are a wall-to-wall union of reporters, editors, business and communications staff across the nation who are dedicated to investigative journalism in the public interest. propublicaguild.org
The govt is getting into free tax filing (gingerly). propublica.org/article/irs-in… This is a real testament to the power of journalism. @JustinElliott, @paulkiel, @LizDDay & others at ProPublica spent years exposing how Intuit tricks people into paying and lobbying vs alternatives.
MORE IMPACT: States Prepare to Send Checks to Consumers Tricked Into Paying for TurboTax propublica.org/article/consum… @paulkiel
Perhaps the boldest example from my piece today (propublica.org/article/privat…) on the ultrawealthy deducting their jets and yachts:
What’s the only thing better than having your own Gulfstream jet? Why, getting to claim millions in tax deductions for it. All you have to do is make a case you’re using it for business, which turns out to be surprisingly easy. propublica.org/article/privat… @paulkiel
Read the full story from @paulkiel and @JeffErnsthausen here: propublica.org/article/irs-fi…
Some wealthy Americans are avoiding paying millions in taxes by skirting a century-old law against "wash sales" - selling and buying shares in a company in a short period of time. @propublica reporter @paulkiel breaks down how this is happening:
Hedge Fund Manager Ken Griffin Sues IRS Over “Unlawful Disclosure” of His Tax Information to ProPublica propublica.org/article/ken-gr… @eisingerj @paulkiel