Justin Elliott
Justin Elliott is a ProPublica reporter covering business and politics. To send Justin a tip or documents, reach him through one of the methods below.
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Justin Elliott has been a reporter with ProPublica, where he covers business and politics, since 2012.
In 2023, he and colleagues 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 gold medal for public service.
He was previously on the team of reporters documenting how the rich avoid taxes for “The Secret IRS Files” series. He co-wrote a story revealing how tech mogul Peter Thiel turned a Roth IRA into a multibillion-dollar tax haven.
His work has spurred congressional investigations and changes to federal law. His coverage of TurboTax-maker Intuit’s misleading marketing tactics led to a settlement delivering $141 million back to consumers.
His work has won numerous awards. In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, he has won a George Polk Award, the Selden Ring Award, and a Gerald Loeb Award for business journalism. His stories have been published and aired in outlets including The New York Times and NPR. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University in history and classics.
You can send him feedback, story tips and documents via email at [email protected], or by Signal or WhatsApp at 774-826-6240.
Thinking about getting in touch? For more on how Justin handles tips and story ideas, read his piece on the important role of reader tips in the Supreme Court series.
Despite Federal Ban, Landlords Are Still Moving to Evict People During the Pandemic
ProPublica found landlords in at least four states have violated the ban, which was put in place by the CARES Act but has no clear enforcement mechanism.
Millions of Americans Might Not Get Stimulus Checks. Some Might Be Tricked Into Paying TurboTax to Get Theirs.
Congress gave the IRS the job of sending out coronavirus rescue checks. But the underfunded agency is struggling, while for-profit companies like Intuit have started circling, hoping to convert Americans in need into paying customers.
How New York City’s Emergency Ventilator Stockpile Ended Up on the Auction Block
A 2006 pandemic plan warned that New York City could be short as many as 9,500 ventilators. But the city only acquired a few hundred, which were ultimately scrapped because it couldn’t afford to maintain them.
Your Neighborhood Might Be a Coronavirus Hot Spot, but New York City Refuses to Release the Data
Some local governments have published where coronavirus cases appear, down to the neighborhood level. New York City has made public only county-by-county data, making it difficult to see which communities are being hardest hit.
Work in Government, Finance or an Industry Affected by the Trump Administration’s Bailouts? Talk to Us.
Coronavirus has triggered a global economic crisis. We are trying to cover it — and we need your help.
As Coronavirus Cases Rise, Members of Some Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Communities Continue to Congregate
On Wednesday afternoon in New York City, a large group of men moved prayers outside, but huddled together in spite of public health directives.
TurboTax’s Bid to Buy Free Tax Prep Competitor Might Violate Antitrust Law, Experts Say
“Allowing a near-monopolist to eliminate a maverick competitor poses obvious risks of harm,” said one former DOJ lawyer of Intuit’s proposed Credit Karma acquisition. “It’s hard to imagine any reason why this should be allowed.”
Steve Bannon’s Use of Private Jet Linked to Chinese Businessman Could Violate Campaign Finance Law
The former Trump adviser used a plane apparently owned by businessman Guo Wengui. Americans are barred from receiving services for campaigns donated by foreign nationals.
TurboTax and Others Charged at Least 14 Million Americans for Tax Prep That Should Have Been Free, Audit Finds
Tax software companies made around $1 billion in revenue by charging people who were eligible to file for free.
Donald and Ivanka Trump Were Involved in Inauguration’s Inflated Payments to Family Business, New Suit Says
“Members of the Trump family were aware of and involved in the negotiation of this unconscionable contract,” the District of Columbia’s attorney general wrote in the suit.