Inside Investigator

In the three years since Inside Investigator launched, we have undertaken several investigations with the goal of answering a substantive question but have run up against issues with the state’s record-keeping and data collection policies, resulting in those stories being primarily about administrative processes rather than providing clear-cut answers. This is one of those stories. Connecticut Ins...

Acting Blue: evidence of fraudulent political donations targeting retirees Dominic Rapini, a cybersecurity professional and 2022 Republican candidate for Connecticut’s secretary of the state, has been investigating straw donors—individuals who pose as a second-party and fraudulently make a donation in their name—and has identified $2 million in donations through ActBlue made in the name of 18 diff...

Control the Narrative: Parents claim school downplayed teacher tickling concerns On January 17, 2025, Nicholas Ricciardi, a teacher for the Solomon Schechter private Jewish day school in West Hartford, was arrested for felony risk of injury, or impairing the morals of a child, and misdemeanor breach of peace for allegedly tickling a young child in the area of her bellybutton, causing the child dis...

A Rat’s Long Tale: How a distribution facility proposal upended Middlebury In the 2023 rush to pass a new state budget, a “rat” was inserted into the budget implementer, one of those political favors that occupy a few lines of a bill nearly 1,000 pages long, often inserted without public notice or hearing in the last minute behind-the-scenes horse trading that eventually produces the budget.  This...

Needs-based or needless? A 2,327% spike in unreturned IV drug needles. From 2019-2023, there were 2,487,747 unreturned needles distributed by SSPs, a 2,327.57% spike that lines up with a change in policy. Read the full investigation at InsideInvestigator.org Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and...

Investigative reporter Katherine Revello teams up with Conner to talk about her newest investigation, Sole Suspect: Utilizing FOIA from Behind Bars. Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through engaging stories. We envision a better Connecticut where corruption has been roote...

 In this episode of Inside Update, Managing Editor Conner Drigotas takes the reins solo and explores some of our recent investigations.  Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through engaging stories. We envision a better Connecticut where corruption has been rooted out.

Investigative Reporter Brandon Whiting teams up with Conner to discuss his recent investigation, "Family Feud: A Closer Look at a Disputed DDS Guardianship Case." Read the full investigation at InsideInvestigator.org Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through enga...

Investigative Reporter Katherine Revello teams up with Conner to delve into topics of transparency, Sunshine Week, and her most recent investigation. Check out the investigation: https://bit.ly/4hIrrsW FOIA Directory: https://bit.ly/4itgFIj Transparency Update: https://bit.ly/3OeZufZ Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through in...

It’s not cheap or quick to evict a tenant in Connecticut. It can take months and cost thousands of dollars, and fighting an eviction has a similar price tag. Tenant advocates say renters need more protections because the housing shortage in Connecticut leaves them vulnerable. Landlords say these protections exacerbate the problem. As pandemic-era policies phase out, evictions are also on the rise....

Partial Record: Sexual Misconduct and Transparency at CSCU 18 sexual misconduct investigations have been opened by CSCU since 2018. UConn and the Coast Guard Academy have not yet provided records. Read the full investigation: https://bit.ly/4bcevKm Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire t...

Toothless: Despite fraud, law lets dentists keep licenses: https://bit.ly/3EsZHuB Lasting Marks: The human cost of the lost wage backlog: https://bit.ly/3WGY5ni Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through engaging stories. We envision a better Connecticut where corruption ha...

CT was invited to join NY and other states in seceding from the United States. Could that plan come to pass? The legislature's labor committee voted to advance two bills that would provide unemployment benefits to striking workers. Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public th...

Topics Discussed: The Authority: PURA chair secretly issues decisions under secretary’s name Read More: https://bit.ly/4a5nNqQ Lamont address takes victory lap, but light on policy Read More: https://bit.ly/3PteYxN Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through engaging stories...

Katherine Revello joins Conner Drigotas to talk about her latest investigation, Ratioed, and also sheds some light on her new series, Transparency Update.  Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through engaging stories. We envision a better Connecticut where corruption has bee...

Lamont's former chief of staff may have violated state policy in using state cars for personal trips and Marc talks about his new investigation. Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through engaging stories. We envision a better Connecticut where corruption has been root...

When it was announced that Tieqiang Ding, a seemingly wealthy and well-educated Chinese businessman, had finalized the purchase of Putnam Science Academy (PSA) in October 2015, it was seen as a triumph for the small town. Despite appearances, however, not all is as it seems. Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigati...

On this episode of Inside Update Conner talks to Marc talk about his latest investigation, Unsealed: Bidding irregularities in Haddam state-funded project, and the Kamala cover-up in Bloomfield. Unsealed: https://bit.ly/3YgCnGu Kamala Cover-Up: https://bit.ly/3UxZiMA Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journ...

It’s Personal: How your information is being exposed through FOIA: https://bit.ly/3Nq1e5O Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through engaging stories. We envision a better Connecticut where corruption has been rooted out.

Meet our new investigative reporter, Alex Appel.  Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through engaging stories. We envision a better Connecticut where corruption has been rooted out.

Education Regulation: Connecticut’s Homeschooling Debate As of fall 2020, 7.5% of Connecticut families were choosing to homeschool. Some regulators want new rules, but many parents are pushing back. E-Can-Omics: The impact of raised deposits Connecticut bottle deposits have gone up, and that means a shift in the landscape for collection, redemption, and spending. Connecticut Inside Investigator is...

Unplugged: The $7 billion tax in your electric bill It seems everybody in Connecticut loves to hate their electric company, especially after the latest two rounds of rate increases. But the question is, should they? Read more >> Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public thro...

Digging In: Cemetery Association Transparency Bill Comerford became a member of Wallingford’s Center Street Cemetery in 2012 to fulfill a promise to a dying friend. His involvement would result in multiple legal battles, including a lawsuit, multiple hearings before the Freedom of Information Commission (FOIC), and a challenge in state superior court. Read the full investigation: https://bit.ly/3X...

66 Kilos: Weed, politics, and a warehouse in Suffield  “I’m just a sp#c to them,” said Rick Sotil, business owner in Suffield. "god-forbid I’m someone with stature in this town.” Read the full investigation. Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through engaging stories....

Controversy ensued after waiver decisions for the state’s Right to Read law were released. We examined the process, findings, and responses. Read More: https://bit.ly/4fAHgC9  Connecticut Inside Investigator is a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to inform the people of Connecticut through investigative journalism and inspire the public through engaging stories. We envision a better Connecticut wher...