A tip from a source who had noted David Rising’s reporting on Vietnam led him to obtain documents showing that Russia and Vietnam have developed a backdoor method of concealing arms deal payments to avoid potential American and other Western sanctions.
The Vietnamese-language document seemed legitimate, but there was no immediate way to prove it. The source refused to meet in person or reveal their identity — not in Hanoi or abroad — out of concern that authorities in the country had people under surveillance.
Rising determined that the source had access to high-level classified information and cross-checked their credibility and knowledge multiple times by assessing their awareness of high-level government events. He also reported more on the document itself, talking to experts on sanctions and the oil and gas industry. Crucially, no Vietnamese or Russian entities involved denied the information or sought to cast doubt on the document.
Judges were impressed with the diligent sourcing work over several months without compromising the source’s safety.
For his ability to score a scoop in a country where information is tightly controlled, David Rising is this week’s Best of AP — Second Winner..
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