Connor Plunkett
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conplnk.bsky.social
Connor Plunkett
@conplnk.bsky.social
Investigator @bellingcat.com

Signal username: conp.121
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Ireland winning goal and end of match with Irish commentary
November 16, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Streets have been renamed, Ukrainian monuments removed, and murals painted over. Bellingcat investigates how apartment blocks in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol have been demolished to make way for a new Russian suburban utopia… www.bellingcat.com/uncategorize...
Building on Ruins: The Russification of Mariupol, One Apartment Block at a Time - bellingcat
Bellingcat has identified 23 multi-storey housing complexes being built in occupied Mariupol and advertised for sale to Russian citizens.
www.bellingcat.com
November 14, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
The FBI has subpoenaed the domain registrar of archive.today, demanding information about the owner.

www.404media.co/fbi-tries-to...
FBI Tries to Unmask Owner of Infamous Archive.is Site
The FBI has subpoenaed the domain registrar of archive.today, demanding information about the owner.
www.404media.co
November 7, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
We mapped Operation Midway Blitz in Illinois with @evidentmedia.org.
A federal judge will hold a hearing today (November 5th) on whether a temporary restraining order restricting crowd-control tactics in Illinois should be converted into a preliminary injunction.
youtube.com/shorts/HKXEY...
Mapping Midway Blitz in Illinois
YouTube video by Bellingcat
youtube.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
New from Bellingcat: “‘Pattern of Extreme Brutality’ — Tear gas, pepper balls among weapons used by federal agents at Illinois immigration protests.”
Read the full investigation:
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/10...
Tear Gas, Pepper Balls Among Weapons Deployed Against Illinois Protesters
A judge recently issued a restraining order on crowd-control tactics by federal agents in the state, including those involved in Operation Midway Blitz.
www.bellingcat.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
I wrote about Daniel Kinahan and his family for @newyorker.com. The story features boxers, assassins, Hezbollah, a billion-dollar cocaine empire, the Open University, and a debonair gangster in a prison in Rome who is singing like a canary...
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
The Cocaine Kingpin Living Large in Dubai
Daniel Kinahan, an Irish drug dealer, commands a billion-dollar empire from the U.A.E. Why isn’t he in prison?
www.newyorker.com
October 20, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Satellite analysis by Bellingcat found that wildfires destroyed over a third of Namibia’s most visited wildlife reserve last month, impacting crucial grazing lands for endangered species, including black rhinos and elephants. www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/10...
Wildfires Ravage One of Africa’s Largest Nature Reserves - bellingcat
Satellite analysis of the Etosha wildfires in Namibia has found that more than a third of the nature reserve was burned.
www.bellingcat.com
October 7, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
We're happy to see that this important project covering the plight of journalists in Gaza has been recognised with an award. You can read Bellingcat's contribution here, which includes explorable 3D models of Jabalia Refugee Camp and Al-Shati Refugee Camp. www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/03...
September 30, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
A small plane crashed in Brazil recently; amongst the wreckage was the body of a former Melbourne stockbroker and 200kg of cocaine. Bellingcat and @thetimes.com reveal how the deceased Australian pilot was linked to an associate of the notorious Kinahan cartel: www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/09...
Australian Cocaine Pilot Killed in Brazil Plane Crash Linked to Kinahan Drug Cartel - bellingcat
An Australian pilot who died when his plane crashed in Brazil during a failed drug run has links to an alleged Kinahan cartel associate who is facing drugs charges in Western Australia.
www.bellingcat.com
September 27, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
A small plane crashed in Brazil recently; amongst the wreckage was the body of a former Melbourne stockbroker and 200kg of cocaine. Bellingcat and @thetimes.com reveal how the deceased Australian pilot was linked to an associate of the notorious Kinahan cartel: www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/09...
Australian Cocaine Pilot Killed in Brazil Plane Crash Linked to Kinahan Drug Cartel - bellingcat
An Australian pilot who died when his plane crashed in Brazil during a failed drug run has links to an alleged Kinahan cartel associate who is facing drugs charges in Western Australia.
www.bellingcat.com
September 27, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Israeli forces continue to push into Gaza City, but in recent days important historical and cultural sites have also been further damaged by IDF operations across Gaza. Many of these sites held unexplored archaeological data that could now be lost 🧵
September 19, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Our researcher @conplnk.bsky.social appears in this new Frontal video by German broadcaster ZDF discussing our investigation into the networks advertising powerful synthetic opioids to the general public. youtu.be/F7YFeTLBgN8?...
How to BUY Drugs online (fast) | frontal
YouTube video by frontal
youtu.be
September 5, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Finding key information shared at council meetings takes time and effort. Today, we've launched a tool that allows you to search verbatim quotes from council meetings in the UK and Ireland, without the need to watch long recordings or sift through extensive notes. council-search.bellingcat.com
Bellingcat Council Meeting Transcript Search
Find verbatim quotes from council meetings in the UK and Ireland using this free open source research tool by Bellingcat.
council-search.bellingcat.com
August 28, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
We thought it was time we introduced ourselves...
From a global crisis to an underreported event, we find the facts using publicly available resources. By detailing our methods, we invite you to explore, replicate, and contribute to investigations. Find out more:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyQy...
What is Bellingcat?
YouTube video by Bellingcat
www.youtube.com
August 19, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Our very own @oldpete45.bsky.social appeared on The Underworld Podcast this week discussing his investigation into the cold case murder of a Texas oilman and his circle of gambling, sharpshooting friends. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS3x...
Dixie Mafia's Texas Millionaire Murders
YouTube video by The Underworld Podcast
www.youtube.com
August 15, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
In May, we, alongside CBC's Visual Investigation Unit, @tjekdet.dk and @politiken.dk revealed the identity of the key administrator behind one of the largest AI porn sites. Dutch politicians across political parties are now calling for the Canadian to be extradited. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
August 14, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Two months have passed since we last tested AI models against our geolocation skillsets. Within that time more advanced models like GPT-5 and Google AI mode have launched. So @foeke.bsky.social is back again to put the chatbots to work… www.bellingcat.com/resources/20...
LLMs vs. Geolocation: GPT-5 performs worse than other AI models - bellingcat
Bellingcat challenged the latest models—Grok, GPT and Gemini—on geolocation tasks, revealing GPT-5 as a clear downgrade.
www.bellingcat.com
August 14, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
More than 40 people have been confirmed dead, and 80,000 residents have been evacuated across Beijing due to widespread flooding. Bellingcat used public sources to begin to track the damage. www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/08...
What Can Open Sources Reveal About Beijing’s Deadly Floods? - bellingcat
After days of torrential rain and more than 40 people confirmed dead, what can open sources tell us about the damage in China's capital?
www.bellingcat.com
August 8, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Awesome work by @georgekatz.bsky.social and @conplnk.bsky.social on Chinese fentanyl smuggling networks running out of Japan, who use “Russian Doll-like setups involving multiple companies sharing the same contact details, salespeople, advertisements and website layouts.”
August 7, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Pleased to have our latest piece in collaboration with @nikkei.com finally out. Thanks to @beaudonelly.bsky.social @conplnk.bsky.social and @merelzoet.bsky.social
August 7, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Bellingcat, in collaboration with @nikkei.com, uncovered a Chinese fentanyl smuggling network’s operations in Japan. Read our full investigation here: www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/08...
A Chinese Fentanyl Smuggling Network’s Footprints in Japan - bellingcat
Bellingcat, in collaboration with the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, uncovered a Chinese fentanyl smuggling network's operations in Japan.
www.bellingcat.com
August 7, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Sadly new SkySat imagery from @planet.com shows that even more graves at the Commonwealth Gaza War Cemetery ran by @cwgc.bsky.social have been destroyed by the IDF. Parts of Sections A, B, XXV, XVII, XVIII and XXVI appear to have been completely bulldozed with the creation of dirt berms on July 27.
August 1, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
A massive crowd of Palestinians surrounding aid trucks is visible in July 26 SkySat imagery from @planet.com near the so-called Morag Corridor at 31.3104, 34.2822 in southern Gaza.

July 26 video from Ibrahim Alsallout on Instagram showed the crowd from the ground: www.instagram.com/p/DMkmVvNo6n...
July 28, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
This is probably my favorite coverage of our @conplnk.bsky.social @johnmooneyirl.bsky.social @beaudonelly.bsky.social story about Christopher Kinahan’s online habits so far. Phoebe Judge and co. are some of the best crime podcasters out there week after week: thisiscriminal.com/episode-307-...
Episode 307: Five Stars (3.7.2025)
“Christopher Kinahan is probably the most successful and entrepreneurial criminal that Ireland has ever produced.”
thisiscriminal.com
July 25, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Reposted by Connor Plunkett
Together with partners at @bellingcat.com and @calmatters.org we collected videos of over 100 incidents of DHS operations between June 6 and June 30, picking out what appear to be recurring trends and tactics used by officers in and around Los Angeles.
youtu.be/6BuxaVdv7po?...
Masked, Armed, Forceful: Finding Patterns in California Immigration Raids
YouTube video by Evident Media
youtu.be
July 8, 2025 at 8:09 PM