Sofia Cherici is an Italian investigative journalist currently based in Istanbul. 

Sofia specialises in multimedia long-form journalism and narrative reportage. She combines extensive legwork with access to public records and financial registries, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, data, and open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools. She has coordinated and reported for several successful cross-border journalism teams, and she is also an experienced project manager.

She is currently focusing on uncovering stories related to shady businesses and supply chains, environmental and social crimes, failed urban policies and governmental negligence. Through her reporting, she captures the intricacies of modern societies in complex regions.

Her work has been published in La Repubblica, Follow the Money, New Lines Magazine, IrpiMedia and The New Arab, among other outlets. She was a Climate Fellow at Arena for Journalism and is a member of the Arena Climate Network. 

Prior to embarking on her journalism career, she graduated from Sciences Po Paris and gained experience working in the humanitarian and development sectors in Libya, Tunisia, and Turkey.

Basic information

Name
Sofia Cherici
Title
Investigative and Multimedia Journalist
Expertise
OSINT, corporations, environment, social crimes, data journalism, urban policy failures & planning, governmental negligence, supply chains, corruption, human rights.
Country
Turkey
City
Istanbul
Links

Supported projects

Scrap Wars

  • Armed conflict
  • Human Rights
  • Industry

ISTANBUL / DAMASCUS – A cross-border investigation uncovers how Turkey’s booming recycled steel industry is fuelled by scrap metal sourced from war-torn countries such as Syria, Libya, and Ukraine. By tracing shipping data, satellite images, and smuggling routes, journalists reveal a shadow trade involving militias, child labour, and sanctioned actors, linking Europe’s steel supply chain to the region’s conflicts.

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Biomass: The Green Mirage

  • Environment

CROTONE / STRONGOLI / LYNEMOUTH - This extensive, months-long investigation by a cross-border team of journalists from five countries and in collaboration with Follow The Money, scrutinizes EPH – one of the largest biomass operators in Europe  – to unveil the loopholes in EU regulation and verify the company’s sustainability claims.

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Behind The Flames: Wildfires in Turkey and Italy

  • Climate
  • Environment

IZMIR / CATANIA – Forest wildfires have increased in size and impact. Every year, 375,000 hectares of land in Mediterranean countries are scorched. Journalists tried to identify the main factors that lead to these disasters, which treaten entire ecosystems.

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Parasite Waters: Roman and Istanbul Water Mismanagement

  • Climate
  • Data Journalism
  • Exploitation

ROME / ISTANBUL - As big cities try to cope with population growth, climate change, and more frequent droughts, the grasping for available water sources wears out small communities and ecosystems.

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Federico Ambrosini