Paper Trail

How the Planet-Altering Disaster of “Forever Chemicals” Was Kept Secret

We now know harmful “forever chemicals” are likely in the bodies of most people on Earth. Decades ago, 3M knew that these chemicals had seeped into the public’s blood, bu

The True Story of Why Immigration Agents Raided a Chicago Apartment Building

In the middle of a September night last year, hundreds of agents stormed a Chicago apartment building, some rappelling down from a Black Hawk helicopter. They arrested 37

How “Forgive and Forget” Buried a Church’s Dark Secret

Host Jessica Lussenhop received an unusual email: A prosecutor had major concerns about a case in Minnesota. A man had pleaded guilty to felony child sexual abuse, but it

What Happened When Trump Officials Destroyed USAID (From Reveal)

This week, we’re presenting a conversation with ProPublica reporters that originally aired on Reveal’s podcast “More to the Story.” When the administration and DOGE cut o

How Microsoft’s “Little Workaround” Created a Major Pentagon Threat

A source told reporter Renee Dudley something she found hard to believe: that Microsoft was running tech support for the Department of Defense through China, the country’

Should People Who Killed Their Abusers Walk Free?

In 2024, Oklahoma legislators passed an unusual law: It would create a pathway to freedom for people who could prove that domestic violence was a substantial contributing

How a 25-Cent Pill Became a Hundred-Billion-Dollar Business

Reporter David Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer and soon learned that one of his drugs would cost almost $1,000 per pill. He set out to discover why, and uncovered fin

How to Fight a Health Insurance Denial With a Little-Known Tool

ProPublica got a tip from a reader named Teressa. Her husband was having a severe mental health crisis, and her health insurance company was denying coverage for his hosp

How to Lose a Car in 15 Days

Local reporters at The Connecticut Mirror heard story after story of drivers having their cars towed and then sold out from underneath them, sometimes in just 15 days. Th

What the FDA Won’t Tell You About Your Medications

For years, the Food and Drug Administration told the public that generics are just as safe and effective as brand-name medications. But ProPublica reporters uncovered rep

Introducing “Paper Trail”

Investigative journalism can change the world. Host and reporter Jessica Lussenhop tells the story of how she learned that for herself. Follow this feed for a new invest