Truth
In Persistance
Exposing corruption, uncovering hidden truths, and holding power to account with facts that others want to keep buried.
Frederik Obermaier is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist and bestselling author. He is co-director of the investigative newsroom paper trail media. Before, he was deputy head of investigations at the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung. Obermaier helped expose the Panama Papers, the Suisse Secrets, the Pegasus Project and other investigations that sparked global debate and political fallout.
“With precision and purpose, The Panama Papers is what „Follow the Money” means.”
Bob Woodward (Washington Post #WatergateScandal)
Panama Papers
Together with Bastian Obermayer, Frederik Obermaier initiated the Pulitzer Prize-winning Panama Papers investigation after receiving 2.6 terabytes of leaked data from the law firm Mossack Fonseca.
Ibiza Affair
In 2019, Frederik Obermaier helped expose the “Ibiza Video” showing Austria’s vice chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache offering deals to a supposed Russian millionaire—reporting that led to his resignation.
Suisse SEcrets
In 2022, Frederik Obermaier co-initiated the Suisse Secrets investigation, revealing how Credit Suisse held billions for autocrats, criminals, and human traffickers—reporting that exposed major due diligence failures.
INVESTIGATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS
Frederik Obermaier is member respectively co-founder of several initiatives dedicated to exposing corruption and defending press freedom.
ICIJ
Frederik Obermaier is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Its global investigations — including the Panama Papers and Pandora Papers — exposed hidden wealth and corruption.
Arab Reporters for investigative Journalists
ARIJ is the leading non-profit supporting investigative journalism and fact-checking in the Arab world, empowering reporters to expose the truth and hold power to account since 2005. Frederik Obermaier is a board-member.
Anti-Corruption Data Collective
ACDC unites journalists, analysts, and advocates to expose global corruption and push for policy change, leveraging data and networks in over 100 countries. Frederik Obermaier is one of the founders.
Paper trail Media
Paper trail media is a Munich-based newsroom of award-winning investigative journalists dedicated to impactful, cross-border reporting in print, digital, audio, and video. Frederik Obermaier is co-founder and co-director.
Netzwerk Recherche
Netzwerk Recherche is a German non-profit organization founded in 2001, dedicated to strengthening journalism, with a focus on promoting and supporting investigative reporting. Frederik Obermaier is a member.
Reporters without Borders
Frederik Obermaier serves on the jury of Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Awards, honoring journalists and media defending press freedom worldwide.
The Signals Network
As a member of The Signals Network Friends, Frederik Obermaier supports efforts to protect whistleblowers who risk everything to expose the truth, uncover wrongdoing, and hold powerful institutions accountable.
Frederik Obermaier has received numerous honors, including the CNN Award, Otto Brenner Prize, Wächterpreis, and Helmut-Schmidt-Journalistenpreis. He shared awards like the Scripps Howard, the European Press Prize, the George Polk-Award, Barlett & Steele, and IRE Award with international teams. For the Panama Papers, he won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting. He was also a Pulitzer finalist for ICIJ’s FinCENFiles-investigation.
Frederik Obermaier 