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Investigative·Founded 2014
Bellingcat
IndependentBellingcat (nonprofit, Netherlands-registered)
Bellingcat is a Netherlands-based investigative journalism collective that pioneered open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques. Founded by Eliot Higgins, it gained prominence for investigations into the MH17 downing, the Skripal poisoning, and Syrian chemical weapons attacks. Its funding includes grants from the National Endowment for Democracy.
Ownership Chain
BellingcatBellingcat (nonprofit, Netherlands-registered)Eliot Higgins (founder)
Funding Sources
crowdfundinggrantsworkshop and training feesNational Endowment for Democracy
Known Conflicts of Interest
- •Funding from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which receives funding from the U.S. Congress, raises questions about independence on stories involving U.S. geopolitical interests.
- •Bellingcat's open-source methodology has been praised for democratizing intelligence analysis but criticized for aligning with Western intelligence narratives.
- •Russia and Syria have accused Bellingcat of being a Western intelligence front — allegations Bellingcat denies.
Notable Connections
- •National Endowment for Democracy receives annual appropriations from the U.S. Congress
- •Bellingcat investigations have been cited by the International Criminal Court and national prosecutors
- •Eliot Higgins serves on the board of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab
- •Several Bellingcat investigators have backgrounds in defense and intelligence analysis