Alexi Mostrous worked at The Times and at the Guardian for 13 years in roles including Head of Investigations and Saturday News Editor, before joining Tortoise Media as a partner in September 2019. In 2013 he won News Reporter of the Year and Scoop of the Year for exposing celebrities such as Jimmy Carr and Gary Barlow as aggressive tax avoiders. In 2018 he was nominated for the same awards for his reporting on Google and Facebook. He has reported from both London and Washington DC as a Stern Fellow for the Washington Post. Previously a barrister, Mostrous studied English at Cambridge.
Alexi Mostrous
Investigations Editor

“In a world of Facebook clickbait, Twitter streams and iPhone alerts, in-depth journalism has never been more important. As an investigative reporter, it’s great to work for an organisation which takes the time to look beyond the headlines and tell important stories in new and innovative ways.”
-
Tuesday 29 March 2022
13:00-14:00 BSTHas Covid-19 helped or hindered the responsible business agenda?
Two years on from the start of the pandemic, what does it mean to be a responsible business?
-
Monday 7 February 2022
18:30-19:30 GMTEugenics: have we moved on? A ThinkIn with Adam Rutherford
At a time when there are more people and fewer resources than ever before, could eugenics work, or was it always a harmful pseudoscientific fantasy?
-
Tuesday 22 February 2022
13:00-14:00 GMTHow can responsible businesses ensure they approach AI the right way?
How can businesses ensure that they approach adoption in a way that protects stakeholders, observes regulation and puts value for their people at the centre of AI projects?
-
Tuesday 25 January 2022
13:00-14:00 GMTThe great global economic unlearning: is everything weâve learned suddenly wrong?
How will responsible business leaders cope with the changing dynamics in global labour and finance markets?
-
Tuesday 30 November 2021
15:00-16:00 GMTSmall business, big problem: are SMEs in the UK falling behind?
From better financing to digital skills, what can policymakers do to turn the UKâs SME population into a growth engine?
-
Tuesday 26 October 2021
13:00-14:00 BSTHow do we prepare today for the labour market of tomorrow?
Join us for a ThinkIn as we consider how we might start preparing for the labour market of tomorrow.
-
Tuesday 21 September 2021
13:00-14:00 BSTIn conversation with Katherine Ainley, CEO, Ericsson UK & Ireland
An hour with Katherine Ainley, covering the critical role that 5G can play in enabling exponential change, building a resilience zero-emissions future, and diversity and inclusion in the ICT sector.
-
Wednesday 22 September 2021
18:30-19:30 BSTWill technology widen the power gap? In conversation with Azeem Azhar
An hour with Azeem Azhar to discussing his new book, Exponential â about the âexponential gapâ between the power of new technology and our ability to keep up.
-
Wednesday 5 May 2021
18:30-19:30 BSTBanning Trump: did Facebook call it right?
What does Trumpâs ban from Facebook mean for the future of the platform? We ask the experts.
-
Tuesday 16 March 2021
08:00-09:00 GMTToxicity in tech: Why are Googleâs leading AI ethics researchers being âsilencedâ?
Is Google silencing its researchers who speak out about their AI ethics? Join us as we ask the experts.
-
Friday 26 March 2021
09:00-15:00 GMTThe Future of Cars Summit
Join us and invited experts to discuss the big questions about the future of cars
-
Tuesday 2 February 2021
08:00-09:00 GMTThe Battle for Truth: Who will save the internet?
In the first ThinkIn of our Battle for Truth series we are asking â who will save the internet?
-
Thursday 25 February 2021
08:30-14:50 GMTThe Future of Money Summit
Join us an invited experts to discuss the big questions about the future of money
-
Thursday 3 December 2020
08:30-14:00 GMTThe Global AI Summit
On 3rd December, second Global AI Summit will imagine a world with AI at its core.
-
Monday 26 October 2020
18:25-19:30 GMTThe future of information: what is saved, whatâs deleted and who decides?
Once you share something online, is it really out there forever?
-
Tuesday 6 October 2020
07:55-09:00 BSTIs a more automated job market less fair?
Breakfast ThinkIn: is a more automated job market less fair?
-
Wednesday 1 February 2023
Meta: Back from the brink
Meta is using AI to boost its ad-targeting systems. This helped it bounce back from the impact of Appleâs privacy changes, but uncertainties remain
-
Wednesday 25 January 2023
Code Red
ChatGPT presents a significant threat to Alphabetâs Google. Itâs caused it to issue the first âcode redâ warning to a single product in a decade.
-
Wednesday 18 January 2023
Should tech bosses be sent to jail?
A new proposed amendment in the Online Safety Bill could mean tech executives responsible for the harms of children could face jail time. Will it work?
-
Wednesday 11 January 2023
Big Tech job cuts: a silver lining?
The tech states misread demand during the pandemic and hired hundreds of thousands of staff. Now, as the pandemic is replaced by a recession, over 150,000 tech jobs are at risk. The question is, where will all the tech workers go?
-
Wednesday 4 January 2023
Metaâs Trump card
Trumpâs suspension from Meta platforms expires this Saturday. The company must rule on whether to extend or lift the suspension. Hereâs why that decision is so important.
-
Friday 11 November 2022
Sweet Bobby and me
Alexi Mostrous untangles the extraordinary web of deceit and manipulation revealed in Tortoiseâs chart-topping podcast
-
Wednesday 20 July 2022
A test of leadership: The Online Safety Bill
With various candidates jostling to become the next prime minister, the governmentâs Online Safety Bill is up in the air
-
Wednesday 13 July 2022
The crisis of Metaâs left behind languages
Facebook has left many languages behind in the past, particularly in Asia and Africa. Could a new language model change that?
-
Wednesday 6 July 2022
Prime before Pride
In the wake of Pride month, Amazonâs relations with countries in the Middle East threaten to undermine its stance on LGBTQ+ rights
-
Wednesday 29 June 2022
Is platform transparency going backwards?
Meta plans to shut down CrowdTangle, a tool for tracking the spread of content on Facebook
-
Wednesday 22 June 2022
Is Google facing a retail downturn?
Googleâs Ad and Search business made hay during the pandemic. Could it all come crashing down?
-
Wednesday 15 June 2022
I am Lamda
Is Googleâs AI starting to think like a human?
-
Wednesday 25 May 2022
Is Amazon in trouble?
The online retail giantâs stock price is dropping as inflation bites
-
Wednesday 18 May 2022
Streaming extremism
The horrific massacre in Buffalo, NY, at the weekend raises disturbing questions about the responsibility of tech companies when it comes to online hate
-
Wednesday 11 May 2022
How will big tech navigate the end of Roe v. Wade?
America is on the brink of stripping away half a century of abortion rights. The decision will present major challenges for the tech states
-
Wednesday 4 May 2022
Downturn dawning
The age of infinite optimism in the stocks of the worldâs largest technology companies may be drawing to an end
-
Wednesday 27 April 2022
Muskâs Twitter revolution
Elon Musk has just bought Twitter. What happens now?
-
Wednesday 30 March 2022
The EU busts its tech borders
If youâre a citizen of Appleâs ecosystem, itâs not easy to travel to neighbouring Google â or vice versa
-
Wednesday 23 March 2022
The online safety build up
Five years after the Online Safety Bill was first proposed, itâs beginning the last leg of its legislative journey, having been formally introduced to parliament last week
-
Wednesday 16 March 2022
The Russian splinternet
Russia is closing its internet off from the rest of the world. How far will its tech isolationism go?
-
Wednesday 9 March 2022
Can Ukraine be a proving ground for Cleggâs Meta?
Will Metaâs new President of Global Affairs be able to guide Facebook through one of the most significant of global affairs â war?
-
Wednesday 2 March 2022
Tech during wartime
The world has moved to isolate Russia in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine â and the tech states have joined in
-
Wednesday 23 February 2022
âHey Google, are you unstoppable?â
Is the search engineâs dominant streak set to last?
-
Wednesday 16 February 2022
The Hatecast
Spotifyâs Joe Rogan controversy last month has lifted the lid on how podcasts are moderated on major tech platforms â or, rather, how they arenât
-
Wednesday 9 February 2022
Is Metaâs party over?
Last week, Facebook turned 18. It should have been a celebration for the worldâs biggest social network
-
Wednesday 2 February 2022
Regulating your best life
The influencer economy is growing rapidly â and is proving a challenge for regulators
-
Wednesday 26 January 2022
Are regulators game for Microsoftâs big new deal?
Microsoftâs planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard is a seriously big deal â if lawmakers let it go ahead
-
Wednesday 19 January 2022
Metaâs morning suit
The tech statesâ ability to freely harvest and then profit from their usersâ data has always been key to their power. But could that all be coming to an end?
-
Wednesday 12 January 2022
Is it time for Tesla?
Attention turns to Teslaâs controversial showroom in Xinjiang. Does Elon Muskâs company now act like a state unto itself?
-
Wednesday 15 December 2021
Tech States 2021. Wrapped
As the year draws to a close, hereâs our roundup of the Tech States stories that mattered the most in 2021
-
Wednesday 8 December 2021
NFT⊠Metaverse⊠scam!
People in the US lost nearly $3.5bn to scams this year, many of them centred around buzzwords: metaverse, cryptocurrency and NFTs
-
Wednesday 1 December 2021
Unfairly labelled
A hidden workforce of labellers props up innovation in the tech states. While the demand for data labelling grows, is enough being done to protect labour rights and dignity?
-
Wednesday 24 November 2021
Credit card declined
Amazon has announced it will no longer be accepting Visa credit cards on its platform. Itâs a decision which may result in more than a little inconvenience at checkout
-
Wednesday 17 November 2021
Age appropriation
Meta have announced that theyâre limiting companiesâ power to target children on their platforms. But theyâre keeping that power for themselves
-
Wednesday 10 November 2021
Killing Cop
Climate misinformation is rife online â and itâs particularly bad on Meta (formerly Facebook). Is the tech state doing enough to combat it?
-
Wednesday 3 November 2021
Not so Dear AnonymousâŠ
Nadine Dorries has claimed that the UKâs new Online Safety Bill will bring an end to anonymous online abuse. Will it really?
-
Wednesday 27 October 2021
Inside Project âJedi Blueâ
Two tech states control more than half of the worldâs online advertising market; Google and Facebook
-
Wednesday 20 October 2021
The extremes of Facebookâs âHate Curveâ
The more time you spend on Facebook, the more likely you are to see extreme and potentially harmful posts
-
Wednesday 13 October 2021
Digital Defence Department
State-sponsored cyber attacks are on the rise, and while there are numerous perpetrators, thereâs one which sponsors the attacks more than any other â Russia. Is Microsoft the first, best line of defence?
-
Wednesday 6 October 2021
Big tech, big carbon?
Several of the Tech States talk a good game when it comes to climate action. But their lobbying activity and carbon emissions tell a different story
-
Wednesday 29 September 2021
The safest place in the world to be onlineâŠ
The tech states could find themselves on the wrong end of the UKâs Online Safety Bill
-
Wednesday 22 September 2021
Water off a Zuckâs backâŠ
How will Zuckerbergâs tech state survive the Facebook Files?
-
Wednesday 15 September 2021
The black hole of cybersecurity spending
Cybersecurity is becoming more and more expensive, but the quality of protection isnât getting any better
-
Wednesday 8 September 2021
The Tech Statesâ âMe Tooâ moment
How is Big Tech handling its employee revolution?
-
Wednesday 1 September 2021
Is China playing with its e-sports future?
Chinaâs young gamers will have to hang up their headsets, as new restrictions block gaming during much of the week. What does this mean for their prospects in the fast growing and extremely lucrative e-sports scene; where most players start young, and play for hours on end?
-
Wednesday 25 August 2021
How should big tech treat the Taliban?
When a violent extremist group takes over a country, how should social media platforms respond?
-
Wednesday 18 August 2021
Chinaâs techlash explained
Chinaâs tech sector is hemorrhaging share value as the country undergoes its own big techlash. As the power of its internet giants is curbed by aggressive legislation; we take a look inside the crackdown as itâs unfolding, and ask the question on every commentatorâs mind: why?
-
Wednesday 28 July 2021
Enter the race to the metaverse
Mark Zuckerberg wants to take the internet beyond the confines of mobile devices and create his own life-like digital world. Heâs not the only oneâŠ
-
Wednesday 21 July 2021
Huge spyware leak raises questions for Big Tech
Recent leaked data revealing the widespread use of the NSO Groupâs controversial Pegasus spyware raises serious questions for the tech states â and their role in the cyber-surveillance ecosystem
-
Wednesday 14 July 2021
Surveillance for sale
Facial recognition technology is becoming a point of contention between tech states in China, and those in the US
-
Wednesday 7 July 2021
The rise and rise of data politics
Tension is building between China and technology companies. Increasingly, the source of it is data privacy
-
Wednesday 30 June 2021
Language in the age of big tech
Internet abbreviations are nothing new, but recently a greater shift has started to take place online, one thatâs more about how new forms of language are going to be interpreted. Could we be witnessing the online democratisation of language?
-
Wednesday 23 June 2021
Microsoft, censorship and China
Walking the tightrope between the West and China is becoming increasingly difficult for big tech â just ask Microsoft
-
Friday 18 June 2021
The Responsible AI Forum at Waddesdon: Our statement
We brought together leading thinkers from around the world to discuss the responsible development and deployment of AI. Hereâs what we learned on the day
-
Wednesday 16 June 2021
Does Amazon raise prices?
The e-commerce giantâs days avoiding antitrust regulation may soon be over
-
Friday 11 June 2021
10 minute readSensemaker: The human in the machine
What just happened
-
Wednesday 9 June 2021
Facebookâs busy week
As Zuckerberg moves to cement Facebookâs role as a publisher with its new audio and newsletter products, his company has come under pressure, both from foreign regulators, and from its own oversight board
-
Wednesday 2 June 2021
Can AI be independent from big tech?
AI technology is becoming increasingly powerful, and, with much of the funding coming from the Tech States, several scientists have raised the alarm about the role corporate interests play in its development. How worried should we be?
-
Wednesday 26 May 2021
How to fix the internet (by Nick Clegg)
In an op-ed for CNBC, Facebookâs Sir Nick Clegg has set out the companyâs vision for internet reform. But is there more to the former deputy prime ministerâs proposals than meets the eye?
-
Friday 21 May 2021
#PornPlanet
Hunt for the porn king: the secretive owner of Pornhub revealed
As dozens of women accuse the worldâs largest porn company of profiting from their abuse, we trace its owner to his London mansion
-
Wednesday 19 May 2021
Is the tech-lash faltering?
Welcome to Tech Nations Sensemaker â a weekly newsletter dedicated exclusively to covering the tech giants
-
Wednesday 12 May 2021
Grocery wars
Welcome to Tech Nations Sensemaker â a weekly newsletter dedicated exclusively to covering the tech giants
-
Wednesday 5 May 2021
Big Tech gets bigger
Welcome to Tech Nations Sensemaker â a weekly newsletter dedicated exclusively to covering the tech giants
-
Wednesday 28 April 2021
10 minute readIntroducing the Tech States Sensemaker
Welcome to Tech Nations Sensemaker â a weekly newsletter dedicated exclusively to covering the tech giants
-
Wednesday 21 April 2021
10 minute readSensemaker: Newspapers vs Google
What just happened
-
Wednesday 7 April 2021
10 minute readSensemaker: Where AstraZeneca went wrong
What just happened
-
Friday 5 March 2021
The Future of Money Summit: The Readout
Last week we held the Future of Money Summit, a day of ThinkIns examining the rapidly evolving financial landscape and the implications of change for business, society and government
-
Thursday 25 February 2021
Tax and Honour
A very British racer
Sir Lewis Hamilton was knighted despite living in a tax haven. Did the decision set a dangerous precedent?
-
Friday 12 February 2021
Money & monarchy
âHoodwinkedâ over Royal finances
The royal familyâs income from the taxpayer has soared since the financial crisis, a Tortoise Investigation found last year. Now the UKâs former top civil servant says thereâs been a deliberate attempt to keep the public in the dark
-
Thursday 10 December 2020
The Tortoise Global AI Summit: the Readout
We very much hope that you were able to join us at the Global AI summit last Thursday. We had more than 1,500 guests tune in to catch the results of the 2020 Tortoise Global AI Index, to discuss the geo-politics of AI, to examine its impact on talent, investment, and the most recent technological breakthroughs
-
Wednesday 5 August 2020
Infodemic II
Going viral
Robert Kennedy Jrâs transformation from hero environmentalist to anti-vaxx superstar
-
Tuesday 30 June 2020
Money & monarchy
Family misfortunes
Money is at the root of most of the royalsâ problems
-
Monday 29 June 2020
Money & monarchy
Royal Flush
The royal family has more than doubled its income in the past 12 years, and is expecting a windfall of half a billion. Yet tensions in the family over money remainÂ
-
Wednesday 3 June 2020
Tech States: Amazon
At war:Â
Amazon in the pandemic
How Jeff Bezos steadied his empire when Covid-19 hit â and whether he paid enough attention to employee safety â will be a defining moment for the billionaire and his Everything Store
-
Tuesday 2 June 2020
Tech States: Amazon
The flywheel:Â
Inside Amazonâs economy
Amazon is not just a player in the market â it is the market, growing in momentum every year. Now, anti-trust regulators are racing to catch up
-
Monday 1 June 2020
Tech States: Amazon
Welcome to the United States of Amazon
The tech giants have as much money and influence as nation states. What if we reported on these companies like countries?
-
Monday 23 March 2020
Infodemic-1
Fake news in the time of C-19
From miraculous cures to paranoid conspiracies, our investigation reveals how misinformation about coronavirus is going viral at a disturbing rate
-
Thursday 9 January 2020
Tech States: Apple
Sourcing and further reading
-
Thursday 9 January 2020
Tech States: Apple
Part VIII
Artificial Intelligence: Hey Siri, whatâs the story?
-
Wednesday 8 January 2020
Tech States: Apple
Part VI
Domestic policy: facing both ways
-
Wednesday 8 January 2020
Tech States: Apple
Part V
Cultural affairs
-
Tuesday 7 January 2020
Tech States: Apple
Part IV
Foreign policy: The great game
-
Tuesday 7 January 2020
Tech States: Apple
Part III
The economy: who gets rich?
-
Tuesday 7 January 2020
Tech States: Apple
Part II
Appleâs constitution
-
Monday 6 January 2020
Tech States: Apple
Part I
Leadership: Inside the politburo
-
Monday 6 January 2020
Tech States: Apple
Welcome to Apple
A one-party state
The tech giants have as much money and influence as nations. So what if we reported on them like countries? What would Apple be? A liberal ChinaâŠ
-
Monday 11 November 2019
Putinâs Davos
In Rhodes, a glitzy forum organised by a former KGB spy spreads Russiaâs message to the world
-
Friday 20 January 2023
Britishvolt, David Carrick, online harms
Journalist and broadcaster Adam Boulton is the guest host of this weekâs News Meeting. Heâs joined by Tortoise editors Liz Moseley, Alexi Mostrous and Dave Taylor
-
Friday 13 January 2023
Prince Harry, Brazil, the Westminster Accounts
Tortoise Editor James Harding is joined by Alexi Mostrous, Cat Neilan and Keith Blackmore to discuss the stories they think mattered most this week
-
Friday 30 December 2022
Sheryl Sandberg leaves MetaïżŒ
One of the most powerful women in tech left the worldâs biggest social media company this year. Alexi Mostrous explains how Sheryl Sandbergâs departure from Meta helps him make sense of 2022
-
Thursday 15 December 2022
The OG Satanic Panic â whereâs the evidence?
In this special bonus episode of Hoaxed, Alexi and Gemma catch up on whatâs happened since the last episode of Hoaxed went out and Alexi goes back to the original satanic panic to examine the evidence. He speaks to a professor who investigated dozens of satanic ritual abuse cases in the 1990s â and to a psychotherapist who believes that satanism is a modern-day âAuschwitzâ.
-
Friday 9 December 2022
German plot, ChatGPT, World Cup
In this episode James Harding is joined by Alexi Mostrous from the hit podcast Sweet Bobby, and Tortoise editors Liz Moseley and Keith Blackmore, to discuss the stories they think mattered most this week
-
Thursday 13 October 2022
Bonnie and Clyde
In the final episode of Hoaxed, Alexi confronts Abraham and Ella about what they did in Hampstead â and why. And the police give Alexi some surprising news
-
Thursday 6 October 2022
The Healer
Alexi and his producer fly to Morocco to confront Abraham Christie â and learn dark secrets about his past
-
Thursday 29 September 2022
Infiltration
For a conspiracy to spread, important people need to be listening. Alexi discovers that the perpetrators of the Hampstead hoax have friends in high places, while he and the team close in on Abrahamâs location
-
Thursday 22 September 2022
Secrets and lies
Two young children make horrific allegations in a London police station, lighting the fuse on one of the most serious British conspiracy theories in decades
-
Thursday 22 September 2022
Ellaâs list
Seized upon by conspiracy theorists, Ellaâs list of alleged cult members spreads like wildfire across the Internet. Hampstead parents start receiving death threats and lives are torn apart
-
Thursday 22 September 2022
The Avengers
The perpetrators of the Hampstead hoax meet their match in an unassuming mystery novelist, who is determined to expose their lies and bring them to justice
-
Monday 8 August 2022
Hunt for the porn king: a reckoning
Last year, as women accused Pornhub of profiting from their abuse, we tracked down its intensely secretive owner. This week, weâre looking back to find out: what happened next?
-
Monday 7 March 2022
Russian warship, go f*** yourself
We thought the Russians were masters of the information war; that theyâd sweep Ukraine aside. Why is it not turning out that way?
-
Monday 17 January 2022
Virginia
Twenty years ago, Prince Andrewâs attacks on Virginia Roberts Giuffreâs credibility may have proved fatal to her case. Now, the power has shifted
-
Monday 6 December 2021
Bonus episode: Questions and answers
Since the series finished, so many listeners have written to Alexi and Kirat with burning questions. In this bonus episode, they sit down in the studio and answer them. What did the Skype voice sound like? Did the catfisher have burner phones? How did the WhatsApp group work?
-
Monday 29 November 2021
Episode 6: Motive
In the final episode of Sweet Bobby, Kiratâs case against the catfisher takes an unexpected turn. As Alexi is putting the finishing touches to the series, he gets a phone call that changes everything
-
Thursday 18 November 2021
Episode 5: (In)justice
After the confession, Kirat goes to the police. But their reaction to her case isnât what sheâs expecting. Plus: Alexi tries a new approach with the catfisher
-
Thursday 11 November 2021
Episode 4: Dark triads
In this episode, Kirat deals with the fallout from the confession. Alexiâs investigation reveals the startling true beginnings of the scam, as he tries to work out why this this happened
-
Thursday 4 November 2021
Episode 3: Confession
Bobby keeps slipping through Kiratâs grasp and sheâs pushed to breaking point. Finally she makes a big decision â and discovers the truth
-
Thursday 28 October 2021
Episode 2: Witness protection
Bobby finds his way back into Kiratâs life, and their relationship grows closer â with devastating consequences. Meanwhile, Alexi investigates the sophistication of the catfishing scam
-
Monday 25 October 2021
Episode 1: Sliding Doors
Kirat is a successful marketer and local radio presenter. Online, sheâs contacted by a man she vaguely knows called Bobby, and they start chatting. Slowly, they become close⊠and sheâs reeled in to a scam of epic proportions
-
Monday 19 July 2021
The porn headmaster
In the internet age, anyone with a camera can make and sell porn. But what happens when a shoot goes wrong? In the second episode in our #PornPlanet series investigating online pornography, we look into the world of porn production
-
Monday 24 May 2021
Hunt for the porn king
As dozens of women accuse the worldâs largest porn company of profiting from their abuse, listen to the full story of how we traced its secretive owner to his London mansion
-
Monday 22 February 2021
A very British business
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is one of Britainâs richest men. His decision to move to Monaco after receiving a knighthood has angered those who recommended him and raises questions about how this countryâs honours system works
-
Friday 10 July 2020
Covid.com: digital change and opportunity post-pandemic
In the midst of the crisis, we held a ThinkIn on how we can already see a landscape of economic and governmental uncertainty stretching ahead of us. How can digital technology be best deployed to build economic resilience and nimble government in the new era?
-
Thursday 4 June 2020
Inside Amazon: A superpower in a pandemic
Whatâs in the Amazon box? We open up the worldâs biggest company and take a look inside
-
Thursday 9 January 2020
The new superpowers: Apple
The big technology corporations are more than companies, theyâre global powers. Itâs time we treated them that way