Justin Elliott
I am a ProPublica reporter covering business and politics.
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What I Cover
I report on money and power. I’m currently focused on the second Trump administration, but I’m always looking for under-covered business and politics stories.
My Background
I’ve been a reporter with ProPublica for more than a decade. In 2023, my colleagues and I revealed how a set of politically connected billionaires provided lavish gifts and travel to Supreme Court justices over many years. Those stories won the Pulitzer Prize for public service.
I was previously on a team of reporters documenting how the rich avoid taxes for “The Secret IRS Files” series. I co-wrote a story revealing how tech mogul Peter Thiel turned a Roth IRA into a multibillion-dollar tax haven.
My work has spurred congressional investigations and changes to federal law. My coverage of TurboTax-maker Intuit’s misleading marketing tactics led to a settlement delivering $141 million back to consumers.
In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, I have won a George Polk Award, the Selden Ring Award and a Gerald Loeb Award for business journalism. I earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University.
You can send me feedback, story tips and documents via email at [email protected], or by Signal or WhatsApp at 774-826-6240.
If you want to better understand how I handle tips and story ideas, read my piece on the important role of reader tips in the Supreme Court series.
The Justice Department May Have Violated Attorney General Barr’s Own Policy Memo
In a memo from May, the attorney general reminded Justice Dept. prosecutors to avoid partisan politics. Then a U.S. attorney in Pennsylvania announced an election investigation that had partisan overtones.
Meet the Customer Service Reps for Disney and Airbnb Who Have to Pay to Talk to You
Arise Virtual Solutions, part of the secretive world of work-at-home customer service, helps large corporations shed costs at the expense of workers. Now the pandemic is creating a boom in the industry.
Do You Work in Customer Service? We’d Like to Hear About Your Work-From-Home Jobs.
Have you worked with a contractor such as Arise, Sykes, LiveOps or Concentrix? We want to learn more about how customer service works at big companies like Apple, Intuit, Disney and Airbnb.
The Big Corporate Rescue and the America That’s Too Small to Save
Girish Patel doubts his small, 20-year-old shop will survive the pandemic economy. Thirty stories above, aerospace company TransDigm has sustained eye-popping profits thanks to steep layoffs and raised over a billion with help from the U.S. government.
The FTC Is Investigating Intuit Over TurboTax Practices
The probe, spurred by ProPublica reporting, centers on whether Intuit tricked customers into paying for tax filing when they should have been able to file for free.
Justice Department Is Scrutinizing Takeover of Credit Karma by Intuit, Maker of TurboTax
The antitrust probe comes after ProPublica detailed how the takeover could reduce competition in the tax prep business.
How the Trump Administration Allowed Aviation Companies to Keep Relief Money That Was Supposed to Go to Workers
One of the most generous programs of the bailout was meant to help airline industry companies keep their workers on the payroll. Some laid workers off first and then got the money anyway.
TurboTax and H&R Block Used “Unfair and Abusive Practices,” State Regulator Finds
The investigation, which is ongoing, came after a ProPublica series showed that millions of Americans were coerced into paying for tax filing they should get for free.
The Airline Bailout Loophole: Companies Laid Off Workers, Then Got Money Meant to Prevent Layoffs
Three companies including Gate Gourmet, a global provider of airline meals, received $338 million in relief money for workers — and laid workers off anyway.
Trump Administration Discloses Some Recipients of $670 Billion Small Business Bailout
After resisting its release, the administration revealed information on companies that received more than $150,000 in PPP funds.