Real estate investor Greg Bingham made a fortune taking Cook County homes through tax foreclosure. Along the way, he has been dogged by allegations of fraud, according to court records and a previously undisclosed probe by the Treasurer’s office.
What journalists can do when agencies block records and how to keep investigations moving without waiting months — or years — for a response.
The Investigative Project on Race and Equity’s recent training on Investigating History for Reparative Storytelling gave journalists practical tools for weaving historical context into their reporting and highlighted real-world case studies where reporters applied these methods. Here are just a few.
Investigative Reporters & Editors and NICAR annual data journalism conference / Indianapolis / March 5-7, 2026
The Chicago Headline Club’s annual public records conference / Chicago / March 21
Strengthen visual literacy in an era of contested images / Virtual / March 27
Our dispassionate style of fact-based, data-driven reporting uncovers systemic racial and economic disparities.
We partner with Chicago media outlets to support major investigations on race and equity issues in the region and across Illinois.
Our investigative workshop series helps journalists develop investigative skills, while creating a pipeline of diverse and skilled reporters.
Our apprenticeship program gives aspiring investigative reporters hands-on experience coupled with a training series and mentorship.
