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by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Feb 5 – US State Department official Senior Official Jeremy P. Lewin held a press conference on February 5 about US humanitarian support for the Cuban people. Inner City Press RSVP-ed and had its question asked:

Can you speak to how this initiative shows the increase irrelevance of the United Nations, amid its failures on Sudan, Gaza, Venezuela and elsewhere?   

The moderator read the question out - Inner City Press, still banned from even entering the UN where for years it had a resident correspondent's office for such calls, told them it was too loud in the courthouse it is reporting from - and Jeremy Lewin responded. 

  He said the UN does have to show its relevant, noting that when the US is strong, the UN fades in the shadow.   But, Inner City Press would point out, even where the UN tries to make itself central, it is even worse.

The UN brought cholera to Haiti; UN staff participated in October 7, just as years before UNDP staff participated in the genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda.   Lewin said Ambassador Mike Waltz is working on all this.  

On February 2, Inner City Press wrote to Ambassador Waltz, via the US Mission's website form and the email for the Mission listed in the UN Blue Book, saying he should ensure Inner City Press' re-enter by at latest March 1, when he assumes presidency of the UN Security Council and holds a press conference of the type Inner City Press participated in, with question to Lewin - and can it not have access to the UN, about which it reports daily?

 Watch this site.

***

 Patreon Book Substack

NEW YORK, Jan 24 – As the UN moves in 2026 to pick a new Secretary General, as its last one Antonio Guterres fails on Ukraine, Gaza and basic transparency, staff call for the Office of Internal Oversight Services he has corrupted to be eliminated and replaced. They sent to Inner City Press:

"OIOS is mandated to act independently, objectively, and in good faith under General Assembly resolution 48/218 B and Article 97 of the UN Charter. UNDT and UNAT jurisprudence consistently require investigations to be thorough, balanced, and grounded in reliable and verifiable evidence.

In recent cases, including Tribunal Order No. 002 (NY/2025) and Judgment UNDT/2024/055, serious concerns arise regarding selective fact-finding and undue alignment with management positions. Such practices are incompatible with the Tribunal’s settled requirement that oversight bodies rigorously test allegations against exculpatory evidence. Where investigations lack objectivity and independence, resulting disciplinary decisions cannot be sustained in law. Meaningful structural reform is therefore required to restore credibility and ensure compliance with established jurisprudence, including consideration of dissolving OIOS and internal legal counsel functions and outsourcing oversight to independent external mechanisms or advanced AI-based systems."

  This follow a new book being published. 

 It is "United Nations Betrayals: From Election Stolen by Guterres to Bribes and Banning of the Press," by Matthew Russell Lee (who quickly discloses that he has been ousted and banned from the UN by Guterres, for his reporting). 

 A noted by New York Magazine on Lee's Maximum Maxwell book, at times here he uses the character Kurt Wheelock, who first appeared in his Predatory Bender.  

 The book begins with Guterres beating out female candidates for the UNSG post, after a murky year being paid by Lisbon-based Gulbenkian Foundation. The book digs into the bid by the China Energy Fund Committee, convicted of UN bribery, for Gulbenkian's oil company. Readers can draw their own conclusion, including on the need for SG campaign finance disclosure in 2026. 

  Part of the book in italics delves into the UN Correspondents Association and its efforts to throw Lee out. They appear again in the afterword / novella, "Whacking Qaddafi," which was first mentioned in the New Yorker magazine's Talk of the Town piece about Lee. It addresses more countries: from India to Pakistan, Guinea to Guinea Bissau. 

 The main text addresses UN failures in Sri Lanka - including the UNCA connection - Cameroon, Western Sahara, Syria, North Korea, Sudan, Gaza and elsewhere. UN Betrayals indeed - this should be the first of a series.

***

 Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Jan 21 – As the UN moves in 2026 to pick a new Secretary General, as its last one Antonio Guterres fails on Ukraine, Gaza and basic transparency, a new book has been published. 

 It is "United Nations Betrayals: From Election Stolen by Guterres to Bribes and Banning of the Press," by Matthew Russell Lee (who quickly discloses that he has been ousted and banned from the UN by Guterres, for his reporting). 

 On January 21 as Guterres citing a cold skips any showdown in Davos, this, from UN staff: "Dear Matthew Russell Lee: UN staff is most grateful for your work to uncover corruption in Guterres’ UN. Your article a couple of days ago on the shameful Sandi Arnold brings light on two of the most corrupt individuals in the rotten UN system: Martha Helena Lopez, ASG for Human Resources, and Catherine Pollard USG  for Policy, Management and Compliance.

Both are “HQ rats” with little or no knowledge of field dynamics as their only goal is to stay for as long as possible collecting their fat salaries in New York. The light sanction imposed to  Sandi Arnold is a pattern. Remember the “Sophocles case”, very minor sanction for sexual harassment? There is a pattern of double standards, nepotism and protection to those working on mission support. Every mission is full of complaints and corruption, from Colombia to Somalia, from Libya to South Sudan, from Kosovo to DRC. Yet long term Catherine Pollard, Martha Helena Lopez or arrogant swine Athul Kare are in their posts for decades while staff suffer. The UN is an example of mismanagement thanks to them. Junior staff is being fired on daily basis because of lack of funds while these corrupt Dinosaurs remain collecting their fat salaries and protecting their cronies. Catherine Pollard, Atul Khare and Martha Helena Lopez must be held accountable.

  And many others.

 A noted by New York Magazine on Lee's Maximum Maxwell book, at times here he uses the character Kurt Wheelock, who first appeared in his Predatory Bender.  

 The book begins with Guterres beating out female candidates for the UNSG post, after a murky year being paid by Lisbon-based Gulbenkian Foundation. The book digs into the bid by the China Energy Fund Committee, convicted of UN bribery, for Gulbenkian's oil company. Readers can draw their own conclusion, including on the need for SG campaign finance disclosure in 2026. 

  Part of the book in italics delves into the UN Correspondents Association and its efforts to throw Lee out. They appear again in the afterword / novella, "Whacking Qaddafi," which was first mentioned in the New Yorker magazine's Talk of the Town piece about Lee. It addresses more countries: from India to Pakistan, Guinea to Guinea Bissau. 

 The main text addresses UN failures in Sri Lanka - including the UNCA connection - Cameroon, Western Sahara, Syria, North Korea, Sudan, Gaza and elsewhere. UN Betrayals indeed - this should be the first of a series.

***

by Matthew Russell Lee

UN GATE, Jan 12 –  On World Press Freedom Day, the United Nations of Antonio Guterres claimed to be in support of journalists being able to do their work without hinderance.

  But UN Global Communications chief Melissa Fleming put out a video of Guterres equating what he (and she) characterize as disinformation as the threat to press freedom, Guterres has banned Inner City Press from entering the UN since 2018, when it exposed the omission of links to bribery firm CEFC China Energy from his financial disclosure. 

On June 19, 2025, Inner City Press submitted an application to cover the UN General Assembly, letter here.

 Law firm Quinn Emanuel, on a pro bono basis, wrote to Fleming and the UN Correspondents Association (with state media of China on its board of directors) seeking a dialogue to reinstate Inner City Press. Later, so did the pro bono law firm of Duane Morris.

There has been no answer to an appeal to Guterres head of security Gilles Michaud.   

On January 12, 2026, more than six months after it was submitted, the UN denied Inner City Press' application, without giving any reasons. It said, if you believe there is an error, asking the manager. So Inner City Press immediately emailed Tal Mekel:

"Earlier today I received:   #179584 Full Name - Matthew Lee | Badge Length - Long-Term | Access Start Date - 19 Jun 2025 | Access End Date - 17 Oct 2025  Your accreditation has been rejected Contact manager if you think this is an error.     I am writing to contact you as manager: I think this is an error.   

 For InnerCityPress dot com I write more stories about the UN than the vast majority of correspondents, including resident correspondents, you accredit. I publish exclusive stories, many of them back on my journalistic contacts among UN whistleblowers. Already this year I have published stories about the mission in Colombia, South Sudan, and the proposed merger of UNFPA and UN Women.... So I think it is an error and I am asking you to reverse it, or as a first step to provide an explanation for the denial, in light of the above.   On deadline."

Watch this site.

***

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Jan 7 – From the Oval Office on the afternoon of January 7, a list of UN entities the US will be quitting was issued. Hours later UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric could not even comment, putting it off to January 8. But Inner City Press, banned by UNSG Guterres and whose questions Dujarric refuses to answer, put out this:

Many of these entities are bogus and ban the Press. 

DESA - run by the CCP - partnered with convicted bribers Ng Lap Seng & CEFC China Energy, here

ECA? Corrupt in 2025  Corrupt in 2018 (when Antonio Guterres banned Press)

ECLAC - stomping ground of Alicia Barcena, who tried to oust Press, promised UN FOIA, never did it

ESCAP? Whistleblowers leaked the waste of Big Tony  Antonio Guterres ' cronies, here

ESCWA? See, "UNSG Guterres Protected Hezbollah Head of ESCWA now Staff Speak out to Inner City Press"

Int'l Law Commission? UN hindered Press coverage of election, incl Borrego Pérez (Venezuela)

Criminal Tribunals? UN participated in Rwanda genocide (UNDP's Calixte) and see, Srebrenica

International Trade CentRE? Here's before the Ban, ex-Steph Dujarric (who since left X), video

Special Adviser on Africa? UN itself almost killed the office until using it as a dumping ground

Children & Armed Conflict?  Antonio Guterres  took bribes to put countries off (or on) list, then bribed Malta PR with post

Sexual Violence in Conflict? Bogus office never investigated the UN's own rapists like Elkorany 

Alliance of Civilizations? Bought by Gulf countries, partners with UN Censorship Alliance, UNCA

UNCTAD? Whistleblowers complained of misuse by #NextSG candidate Rebeca Grynspan. Another censor?

HABITAT? Another sinkhole of corruption and UN nepotism.   The World Is A Ghetto? 

UN Water? UN failed in Haiti, putting (Nepal peacekeepers') cholera into the river 

UN Oceans?  Antonio Guterres  used it to buy off  UNPGA  Peter Thompson, who was supposed to oversee him, book at page 36 

UN University? They banned the Press from event (fish rots from the head:  Antonio Guterres ) video

 What about the "University for Peace"? There are (many) of other rotten UN entities-

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

***

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Jan 2 - The UN Security Council presidency for January has been taken over by Somalia's Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman - while Inner City Press remains banned from the UN, despite its June 19, 2025 application.

  On December 31 Inner City Press wrote to the Somalia mission seeking access to the January 2 "press" conference of Ambassador  Osman in order to ask questions about his role in Progressive Health Care Services and about  Somaliland and other UNSC agenda  items, notingg

"I have also reported on UNSOS (recent, and see here)  and a recent Al Shabaab sentencing (Cholo Abdi Abdullah) in SDNY court. And most recently South Sudan and UNECA, and the verdict against BNP Paribas on Sudan."

  No answer - and question not asked by UN Corrrespondents Association press corpse in 40 minute "press" conference here

Now Somalia PR Abukar Dahir Osman holds presser as president of UNSC - Inner City Press, banned by SG Guterres, asked for WebEx code to ask about Somaliland - and Ohio business. No answer. So this https://t.co/AiyILj7QW6

— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) January 2, 2026

This while UN's Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit still has not responded to when Inner City Press six months ago on June 19 applied to the UN for access, as it gives 2500 - according to the new UN Betrayals book here, to cover the UNGA week. Inner City Press has a NYC Press Pass and writes about the UN. From Somalia and its UN Mission, nothing.

Watch this site. 

***

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Dec 24 –  How corrupt and decrepit has the UN system become under Antonio Guterres, in this case due to Guterres? Today's example is again from the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights, to which Guterres appointed his unqualified crony Volker Turk more than two years ago.

 From OHCHR staff: "Dear Matthew Russell Lee - Help us to expose how bad the situation has become on OHCHR under Guterres’ crony Volker Turk. 350 fired this year and more lined up for 2016. “Small moments of clarity can be enough to transform stress into perspective” writes Volker Turk in X as he gets his meditation room in UN Geneva. Those are his priorities. Meditation as he sinks OHCHR confirm Volker Turk lacks touch with reality. His words are a ridiculous and cruel slap in the face to more than 350 junior (and mainly female P2 and P3 including soc and pregnant ones) fired in 2025. Meditation will be no consolation for them or for their families.

Perspective is useful to review his performance as High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2025: deficit doubled from 45 to 97 million dollars in one year, all cash reserves were spent in expensive units like his “Analític Hub” (the fact that it was established in the most expensive duty station, Geneva, same as with his questioned “Investigations Branch”, is testament of how money has been wasted), most field presences have lost capacity to pay for expenses in Geneva and in Colombia all field offices closed and 70% of the staff fired, globally OHCHR is irrelevant as the High Commissioner models after his master SG Guterres who has made the UN invisible.

Stress is what 350 young colleagues fired face. Perspective is, against the Controller’s instructions, not one single ASG, D2, D1 or P5 have been part of the mass dismissal in OHCHR.  Stress is what 120 staff and their families face as they have been threatened  “relocate or will be fired”.  Perspective is the Cleptocracy headed by Volker Turk and his cronies including Nada al Nashif, Kim Taylor, Maarit Kohonen, Peggy Hicks, Mahamane Cisse Gouro, Michael Camilleri, Matthias Behnke, Francesco Motta, Dimiter Chalev, Abdul Aziz Thioye, Juliette de Rivero, Scott Campbell, Beatrix Balbin, Veronica Birga and those who run OHCHR like a family affair. 

Earmarked money is routinely deviated to cover financial holes. Reprisals against whistleblowers are tolerated routinely. Do not forget, Volker Turk’s term ends in September 2026, watch out Master Guterres does not extend him as his farewell present. The UN needs a new High Commissioner for Human Rights before Volker Turk and his gang destroy the Office and deplete all the accounts."

Inner City Press re-applied to re-enter the UN on June 19, 2025 - no answer at all from Melissa Fleming, Tel Mekel, Stephane Dujarric. Today's UN is corrupt.

***

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Dec 19 –  How corrupt and decrepit has the UN system become under Antonio Guterres, in this case due to Guterres? Today's example is again from the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights, to which Guterres appointed his unqualified crony Volker Turk more than two years ago.

 From OHCHR staff: "Dear Matthew Russell Lee:

Inner City Press re-applied to re-enter the UN on June 19, 2025 - no answer at all from Melissa Fleming, Tel Mekel, Stephane Dujarric. Today's UN is corrupt.

***

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Dec 12 –  In the UN bar now  on December 12 there is an overpriced tuxedo event which was billed as featuring UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Expensive tickets were sold - previous guests have included the indicted and imprisoned UN briber Ng Lap Seng and others.  Then, no Guterres. Instead, PGA Annalena Baerbock, the subject of detailed complaints of corruption.

Also celebrated is Javier Bardem, who famously defended Woody Allen (whose photos with Jeffrey Epstein were released in DC today).

In the morning Inner City Press asked dozens of UN officials in writing to "immediately disclose the financial and other relationships and payments between the UN and UNCA for use of the Delegates Lounge and any other facility for tonight's "gala" with the PGA, and how it relates to the stated policy (including on paper towels and Cafe) of saving money." No answer. Just UNITAR patting itself on the back.

The UN Correspondents Association will be giving a "Gold" award to two of its own board members. The membership includes Iranian state media known to feature "interviews" of tortured guests. Javier Bardem is another honoree.

 The UNCA group targeted Inner City Press, ultimately working with Guterres to have it banned from the UN, after it reported that UNCA President Gianpaolo Piolo gave an UNCA event to Sri Lankan ambassador Palitha Kohona after engaging in a financial transaction with his. Pioli is still on the board, having handed over the presidency to a friendly fellow Italian. Whistleblowers be damned - and ousted.

This is today's UN - and we will have more on it.

***

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE / Juba, Dec 5 – How corrupt is today's UN under Antonio Guterres? Consider South Sudan, where UN personnel stand accused of child rape on which UN spokespeople Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming have refused all Press questions. On December 5 this, from a UN whistleblower sent to Inner City Press:

Dear Matthew Russell Lee, 

 UNMISS has incurred an additional loss of approximately USD 30 million following the cancellation of the scheduled rotation of Indian troops. This situation reflects serious operational and financial mismanagement, raising deep concerns about accountability and oversight within the Mission’s leadership. 

Furthermore, a number of staff members have been instructed to go home, while Mission leadership appears to be misusing its authority and resources.  Previously, it was reported that last week, UNMISS leadership failed to properly inform the Host Government about the planned rotation of the Nepalese Contingent.

As a result, UNMISS suffered another loss of over USD 300,000, as the chartered aircraft that arrived in Juba to fly out the contingent was sent back empty because the Host Government had not been properly notified. This incident clearly demonstrates how disconnected the Mission’s leadership has become from the Host Government. The contingent remains stranded in Juba.

 Such wasteful expenditures, combined with negligence and lack of due diligence on the part of management, continue to cause serious financial strain and reputational damage to the Mission.  Due to these repeated oversights and excessive spending by the Mission, more personnel posts are now being cut than initially projected — 30% instead of 15%. This raises a legitimate question: Why are the members of the Mission’s management and their protected circle of associates not included in the CRP process?

This question remains unanswered, like so many in the UN of Guterres, with the Press banned.

  At a time when staff are losing their jobs and struggling with uncertainty, it is unacceptable that the Mission continues to make such gross oversights resulting in further losses.  It is also worth noting that while affected staff are barely coping with the anxiety surrounding their future, almost all senior members of UNMISS management — including the SRSG, DSRSG, DMS, Chief of HR, several Heads of Sections, and the Chief of Staff — are currently on leave.

The latter was even seen on social media over the weekend, celebrating and dancing, despite the ongoing crisis and disruption within the Mission.  These actions illustrate a profound lack of awareness and empathy on the part of the leadership, who seem indifferent to the grave consequences their decisions have on staff livelihoods and the Mission’s credibility. It is equally concerning that the same leadership circle and their close associates have excluded themselves from the CRP process.

 While leadership continues to dismiss these genuine concerns, claiming that staff are “simply unhappy to go home” or that complaints are “anonymous,” the reality is that staff remain silent out of fear of retaliation and targeting by senior officials. These issues are factual and verifiable.  It is also widely recognized that the current UNMISS Field Staff Union (FSU) has proven weak, unreliable, and untrustworthy. Rather than representing the voice of the vulnerable, it has remained silent in the face of widespread staff distress.

 Guterres, they say, should end censorship. Application was made on June 19, 2025, here. Still as of October 7 no answer at all from Melissa Fleming or Stephane Dujarric. Totally corrupt. Watch this site.

***

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Nov 28 - The UN Security Council presidency for December is being taken over by Slovenia - while Inner City Press remains banned from the UN, despite its June 19, 2025 application.

  On November 26 Inner City Press wrote to the Slovenian mission seeking access to the December 1 "press" conference in the UN of Ambassador Samuel Žbogar in order to ask questions about items on the UNSC's agenda:

"I have questions to ask on what you will do this month about DPRK, Gaza, UNRWA and Rwanda, Kashmir, DRC, Greenland, Sudan, Ukraine, DRC and Rwanda, about the SDNY indictment involving Turkey's Mission to the UN as well as the coups in Gabon and Niger and the conflicts in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Yemen and Libya -  and on ongoing cases of sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers, and Missions' abuses in NYC, on many of which Inner City Press first reported - including its current scoops on Colombia, DRC, Libya and Somalia. And most recently South Sudan and UNECA, and the verdict against BNP Paribas on Sudan."

  No answer, even as November 28 ended - only an autoresponder from Ursa Ponikvar, "I am out of the office until 28.11.2025 - meanwhile UNSG Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric has said Žbogar "press" conference is only for those allowed into the building.

 Inner City Press on June 19 applied to the UN for access, as it gives 100s, to cover the UNGA week. Inner City Press has a NYC Press Pass and writes about the UN. From Sierra Leone and its UN Mission, nothing.

Watch this site. 

***

by Matthew Russell Lee

UN GATE, Nov 19 –  On World Press Freedom Day, the United Nations of Antonio Guterres claimed to be in support of journalists being able to do their work without hinderance.

  But UN Global Communications chief Melissa Fleming put out a video of Guterres equating what he (and she) characterize as disinformation as the threat to press freedom, Guterres has banned Inner City Press from entering the UN since 2018, when it exposed the omission of links to bribery firm CEFC China Energy from his financial disclosure. 

On June 19, 2025, Inner City Press submitted an application to cover the UN General Assembly, letter here.

Five months later, nothing. No answer. Totally corrupt. And now we exclusively publish this, leaked to Inner City Press by UN whistleblowers, from the head of UN Security Gilles Michaud who is complicit in a non-public permanently banned from the UN without due process list:

Dear colleagues,     I would like to update you on our restructuring process, with a focus on our field operations.   

 As you recall, we were forced to initiate this process earlier this year when the Finance and Budget Network (FBN) decided on a 20% reduction to our JFA budget for 2026. This budget funds primarily our operations in the field as well as parts of HQ.  

  We reviewed and reconfigured our operational footprint. In the field, this has meant painful but inevitable decisions: closing certain offices, reducing team sizes, and establishing more multi-country offices. At HQ, it has required consolidating desks and reorganizing several units. 

   Second, staff were invited to express interest in Agreed Termination/Early Separation.  

  To help limit involuntary separations, we also carried out a matching exercise within DFO to reassign affected international staff from posts that were being frozen to posts in the new footprint – either current vacancies or positions becoming vacant from agreed terminations. This process helped us preserve a number of jobs and reduce the number of colleagues facing separation.   

 However, we were not able to replicate this exercise for national staff, simply because locally recruited personnel cannot be moved internationally. Without the flexibility of international mobility, we were unable to match national colleagues to alternative positions in the same way. Despite all efforts, the scale of the budget cuts means that 33 of our locally recruited colleagues have now received separation notices.

 Several peace operations are now reviewing their Integrated Security Workforce structures in light of their own budget pressures, and any adjustments they make will naturally affect colleagues serving in those components. 

  Looking ahead, we cannot yet know what 2026 holds for the UN and for UNDSS. Later in December, we will hear from the General Assembly on the SG’s revised estimates, which includes a proposed 16.7% cut to our Regular Budget (the other half of our budget which funds much of our uniformed Safety and Security Services).     Sincerely,     Gilles 

Gilles Michaud  Under-Secretary-General, UNDSS

There has been no answer to an appeal to Guterres head of security Gilles Michaud.   

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE / Juba, Nov 21 – How corrupt is today's UN under Antonio Guterres? Consider South Sudan, where UN personnel stand accused of child rape on which UN spokespeople Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming have refused all Press questions. On November 21 this, from a UN whistleblower sent to Inner City Press:

"Dear Matthew Russell Lee, 

Please find the attached list of UN Volunteers to be terminated due to downsizing."

  Inner City Press has put the list on DocumentCloud here and embedded below.

Actually, it's less than half of the full list - but these are people given 30 days notice on November 20 that it's all over December 20, and that if they have accumulated days they "may utilize them for early check-out."

  Check-out of funds as well - to Swiss banks, see below. The leaked UNV hit list:

 Previously:

Dear Matthew Russell Lee

 After the UNMISS [South Sudan] ring group of Aggrey, Victoria, and Leda controlled the staff selection process, they were finally compelled—following exposure by Inner City Press—to establish the attached Staff Management Group (SMG) as a committee.

Although some members of the SMG remain weak and easily influenced by these rogue managers (Aggrey Kedodo, Leda Limann, and Victoria Browning), staff members are nonetheless pleased to see the formal establishment of this group and express their gratitude to Inner City Press for being their voice.

  There are also credible reports that several managers currently or previously assigned to UNMISS have opened personal bank accounts in South Africa and Switzerland. Why was this necessary? Could it be an attempt to evade tax scrutiny or conceal potential financial irregularities from their countries? 

Despite numerous reports of misconduct and corruption, the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) has failed to investigate these matters thoroughly appearing instead to act as an “apple polisher” for management, remaining in its comfort zone rather than confronting corruption and illegal practices within UNMISS.

 Guterres, they say, should end censorship. Application was made on June 19, 2025, here. Still as of October 7 no answer at all from Melissa Fleming or Stephane Dujarric. Totally corrupt. Watch this site.

***

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Nov 14 – How corrupt is today's UN under Antonio Guterres? Today's example is from Colombia, on which Spox Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming have refused all written questions from banned Inner City Press:

Dear Matthew,   Following the information and warnings you previously reported, it’s now widely acknowledged within UNVMC that corruption has taken deep root, with figures like SRSG Carlos Ruiz, Chief HR Mar Brusola, and her partner Chief Conduct and Discipline Federico Ledesma heavily involved. The recent allegations only add to Brusola’s documented history of corrupt practices, as outlined in prior Inner City Press reports. Her actions demonstrate a disturbing pattern of favoritism, manipulation, and abuse of power. 

[Note: Carlos Ruiz is aware of the banning of Inner City Press, and has done nothing]

Now after Guterres' OIOS wrote to Inner City Press asking it to confirm and locate a whistleblower - pure abuse, rejected by Inner City Press - now this:

Dear Matthew Russell Lee:

A senior United Nations official is facing serious allegations of misconduct, favoritism and abuse of authority following an internal complaint related to his previous tenure in Colombia.  Carlos Gabriel Ruiz Massieu Aguirre, currently serving as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Haiti (since August 2025), is alleged to have engaged in a long-standing romantic relationship with a direct subordinate during his time as SRSG of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC).

The relationship remained undisclosed to the UN Ethics Office or senior leadership at UN Headquarters, despite UN regulations requiring full transparency where conflicts of interest may arise.  According to sources and internal documentation, Mr. Massieu began a personal relationship with Ms. Loreto Ferrer Moreu, initially his P-3 Senior Administrative Assistant. Shortly after, on 3 June 2021, Ms. Ferrer was promoted to a P-4 Special Assistant post reporting directly to him. Then, on 1 April 2024, she was elevated again, this time to a P-5 Senior Political Affairs Officer post, where Mr. Massieu was reportedly the hiring manager and both her First and Second Reporting Officer.  What raises alarm is not just the rapid career trajectory, but that Ms. Ferrer had previously failed the required competitive process for Political Affairs Officer roles. 

Only after her relationship with Mr. Massieu began did Ms. Ferrer receive successive promotions. Staff members have also raised serious concerns about the involvement of Chief Human Resources, Ms. Mar Brusola, whose management of recruitment processes is biased and corrupted.  This is not the first time Mr. Massieu has faced misconduct of engaging in romantic relationships with subordinates. During his SRSG assignment in UNMVC, he was priorly involved in a romantic relationship with another subordinate administrative assistant, Ms. Daniela Vargas, a national staff member, whom he helped secure a P-3 role at UN Headquarters. That relationship became public after it was reported by independent watchdog Inner City Press.

At that time and after the article Mr. Massieu publicly acknowledged the relationship at a townhall,  claiming he was engaged to Ms. Vargas however he never reported the relationship before as per UN staff rules. Short after he started being involved with Ms. Ferrer.  Despite clear ethical obligations, Mr. Massieu failed to recuse himself from any stage of Ms. Ferrer’s hiring, supervision or promotion. Internal travel records suggest they routinely traveled together on official business, raising further questions about the use of organizational resources for personal purposes.

 In May 2024, Mr. Massieu restructured the Office of the SRSG and appointed Ms. Ferrer as its Head, giving her a team of six. This move, perceived as consolidating power around a romantic partner, has reportedly damaged staff morale and contributed to a culture of favoritism and exclusion within the mission.  Sources close to the matter describe an unhealthy work environment characterized by nepotism, preferential treatment and sidelining of professional staff. “It’s a textbook example of institutional breakdown through unchecked personal influence,” one official stated anonymously.  Legal experts and ethics officers familiar say that failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, particularly when hiring and promotion decisions are involved, constitutes a clear breach of UN Staff Regulations and the standards of conduct expected of senior leadership.

 Mr. Massieu is now reportedly working to have Ms. Ferrer transferred to the UN mission in Haiti, where he currently leads.

 The UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) is being urged to initiate an investigation --

Wait, the same OIOS which wrote to Inner City Press asking it to confirm and locate a whistleblower? Today's UN is corrupt and must be made to stop banning Press.

***

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE / Juba, Nov 6 – How corrupt is today's UN under Antonio Guterres? Consider South Sudan, where UN personnel stand accused of child rape on which UN spokespeople Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming have refused all Press questions. On November 6 this, from a UN whistleblower sent to Inner City Press:

Dear Matthew Russell Lee, 

 The UNMISS Leadership has failed its' Staff, as a result, staff have lost confidence and trust in its Leadership and in the ongoing CRP process. On 6 Nov, in what seems like a pre-approved list shared by the UNMISS-SMG by mistake - and now given no answers published by Inner City Press on its DocumentCloud here - details some offices with specific names of International staff, to be considered for cuts. 

  This Mission Leadership's internal conspiracy list, shows names of who they already recommended for the CRP, which will result in staff cuts.  Miraculously, the decision makers' offices such as the SRSG, Human Resources, Chief of Staff - JOC, JMAC, etc, offices have been exempted from the CRP, whereas, other offices' staff have been thrown in the dungeons to compete amongst themselves. This cancels the fairness of the CRP process.

 It is evident that the Mission Leadership have been very unfair and biased, contrary to the tenets of natural justice as the flawed CRP exercise itself is being conducted with due regard to individual parochial interest.  It is no secret that prior to the start of the CRP process, the final outcome of the CRP with names of staff that are confirmed to go home had already been decided and known by the Chief of Staff. T

he plan was to serve staff with termination letters on/after 20 November, however, it will change, as the Contigency plan is on hold.  That being said, the formation of the SMG and talks about fairness and transparency are all lies and a Mirage. Of note, the Mission was compelled to form the SMG only because of the pressure from and awareness raised by whistle blowers.  The level of deception by UNMISS Senior Management raises serious concerns about their integrity and calls for urgent HQ intervention in ensuring that these 25 - 30% cuts applies to all offices in all locations, and at all levels/categories.  It should be noted that, the USG's instruction of *15% cut is for the entire Mission* however, from the onset, the Chief of Staff, Ms Leda Limann together with her Country woman - the Acting SRSG, Ms. Anita Gbeho at their discretion (with no consultation with others such as, Section Heads) unilaterally, decided that, the cuts should affect only some locations in order to protect some staff in HQs.

 Guterres, they say, should end censorship. Application was made on June 19, 2025, here. Still as of October 7 no answer at all from Melissa Fleming or Stephane Dujarric. Totally corrupt. Watch this site.

***

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN Gate Exclusive, Oct 29 – How corrupt is today's UN under Antonio Guterres? Consider South Sudan, where UN personnel stand accused of child rape on which UN spokespeople Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming have refused all Press questions. On October 29 this, from UN whistleblowers sent to Inner City Press, which exclusively publishes the government's cable to the UN, here

Dear Matthew Russell Lee, 

 During these critical periods when the UNMISS Mission Leadership are cutting staff posts and have informed staff to reduce expenditure, etc causing severe mental health and low morale amongst staff, it is noted that UNMISS Senior Management continue to spend unnecessarily/ wasting funds. It is not clear why its leadership are still planning to spend so much money on Special flights traveling to the field locations for one (1) day return trips. The only advantage for these trips is that they receive DSAs for personal gains. Are these trips necessary during these critical periods?

The UNMISS Chief of Staff, Leda Limann ( Pastor Leda) planned visit to Aweil on 29 Oct was cancelled due to the attached code cable.   The mission is now in a very confused state and it is not clear if the contingency plan will be effective. The mission has failed by not coordinating with the host government earlier. The mission continues to be discreet creating more confusion amongst staff members.  It appears that most mission leaders are currently absent from duty.

The Director of Mission Support is reportedly on vacation, the SRSG Haysom is on extended medical leave [no answers from Guterres Spox Dujarric], and the Chief of Staff is preparing to depart the mission area and traveling to new York for a long vacation. This leadership gap has left staff increasingly concerned about mission direction, continuity, and accountability.  

  Many staff members believe the mission leadership has drifted from the core UN mandate and has instead engaged in questionable administrative practices. Concerns have been raised regarding possible coordination between senior leadership, the Chief of the Conduct & Discipline Unit, and OIOS in the use of disciplinary mechanisms. Reports indicate that cases have  been initiated against genuine staff members based purely on managerial instruction  during private party gatherings, where senior officials(including OIOS & CDT) drink vodka and smoke weed.

Staff also report that key decisions appear to be influenced through informal social gatherings among certain senior officials rather than through transparent, impartial institutional mechanisms. There are serious concerns regarding informal networks influencing decisions on staff retention and separation, reportedly in alignment with certain interests at UN Headquarters. These practices undermine transparency, fairness, and the credibility of the internal justice system. These issues have not gone unnoticed. The Government of South Sudan is reportedly aware of financial and administrative irregularities within the mission. As a result, it has introduced measures such as restricting contracts for non-South-Sudanese companies operating outside South Sudan. Many staff view this as a response to long-standing governance concerns and hope it will prompt meaningful accountability and restore confidence in the mission’s leadership and operations. 

 Guterres, they say, should end censorship. Application was made on June 19, 2025, here. Still as of October 7 no answer at all from Melissa Fleming or Stephane Dujarric. Totally corrupt. Watch this site.

***

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon

UN GATE, Oct 22 – In the United Nations under Antonio Guterres, there is nothing but failure and excuses and fundraising on crises like Gaza, Ukraine, Syria, Burma, Haiti and Cameroon.  The nearly over UNGA week, with sleeping Japanese journalists and Guterres lying about press freedom and UN equipment shows it.

There is impunity for sexual abuse by peacekeepers and UN staff like Juan Carlos Cunillera, just "along for the ride" during the UN sex-in-the-van exposed by Inner City Press. 

But now as we again look at and ask about Guterres' omission of his links to UN briber CEFC China Energy, leading to him banning the Press (and Melissa Fleming continuing the ban, not even answering a law firm's pro bono letter), on April 17, 2022 we published on other officials - including long time UNOPS operative Vitaly Vanshelboim (whom Inner City Press covered in connection with UNOPS gag orders before being banned from UN by corrupt Guterres.)

We noted  that Vanshelboim's skeeze in the S3i scam of UNOPS's Grete Faremo.

  While others then noted for example that a long time member of the UN Correspondents Association Gloria Starr Kins played a role in hooking up the fraud, they don't mention UNCA and their role in banning the Press. On December 13, 2024, UNCA will put access to Guterres up for sale again at Cipriani: no questions have been answered.

Now this: Spanish judges say Vanshelboim will be extradited on three of the six charges against him there: soliciting and receiving bribes as a member of an organization that receives federal funds, wire fraud through honest services, and money laundering. But -- Vanshelboim’s lawyers have three days to appeal the extradition ruling.

Early on October 22, this from UNOPS staff to Inner City Press:

This decision marks a turning point in one of the most controversial corruption scandals within the U.N. system. Once in U.S. custody, Vanshelboim could choose to cooperate with federal prosecutors to mitigate his sentence — a common practice in U.S. criminal proceedings. Such cooperation would likely lead to new revelations about his network of associates, potentially implicating figures such as Abdoul Dieng and other UNOPS insiders who benefited from or helped conceal the illicit operations during the S3i era.  The court approved the extradition for only some of the five counts in the U.S. indictment, rejecting the remaining charges. [Echoes of SBF's extradiction and the dropping of the campaign contribution charges]

The extradition could open the floodgates of accountability within UNOPS, where internal oversight has long been criticized as weak or compromised. As the case proceeds in the United States, several current and former UNOPS officials may now find themselves under growing scrutiny — and potentially facing justice.

  First among them - Guterres himself.

 Perhaps that explains:  From Guterres? Silence, no answers to Press - which has asked him and Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming every day for the past month -  censorship and corruption. A fish rots from the head.

By Matthew Russell Lee, Book here

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 17 – BNP Paribas was sued in 2016 for enabling genocide in Sudan, and raised as its defense the laws of Switzerland and that the UN did the same thing.

 In September 2025 Inner City Press covered the trial as a former compliance officer was asked about blocked transactions resubmitted without the word Sudan and passing; and a journalist testified about El Fasher, where Inner City Press reported on UN corruption until it was (and still is) banned.

On October 16 the closings, in which BNP's lawyer said among other things that BNP thought things were getting better in Sudan because the UN was there, and the IMF. Thread.

On October 17, the verdict:

2:15 pm Deputy: Have plaintiffs proved BNP is liable?

Foreperson: Yes

Deputy: How much to Turjuman Ramadan Adam? Foreperson: $6.75 million 
Deputy: And to first plaintiff? Foreperson: $7.3 million Deputy: And second? Foreperson: $6.7 million

[Plus Turjuman's $6.75 = $20,750,000 that BNP owes - but they will move for "judgment as a matter of law - a UN-like impunity move.]

Now "Banking on Dictators" book here

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

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by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Oct 12 – How corrupt is today's UN under Antonio Guterres? Now with Guterres cravenly heading to Egypt while refusing Press questions about UNRWA, his staff tell Inner City Press things have hit a new low about which his spokespeople Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming refuse all Press questions:

Guterres has now presented the UN80 Budget Proposal for 2026 to Member States — a plan prepared under the leadership of former trade unionist Guy Ryder.  This proposal, which applies to the UN Secretariat (excluding funds, programmes, and specialized agencies), introduces sweeping staffing changes and an estimated $200 million cost for restructuring — covering post abolitions, indemnities, and relocations. 

 Despite earlier commitments to focus reductions on senior management levels and to respond to the General Assembly’s call to reverse top-heaviness, the outcome appears to have gone in the opposite direction.

 Among the 58 Under-Secretary-General (USG) positions — equivalent to cabinet rank — only two are proposed for abolition, even though many now oversee smaller teams and lighter portfolios.  Peacekeeping and Operational Staff Bear the Burden: The largest proportional cuts are aimed at peacekeeping staff, particularly those in the Field Service (FS) category, facing a 29% reduction — despite repeated calls from Member States to strengthen peace and security operations.

 National Professional Officers (NPOs), who form a vital link between missions and local communities, will also be severely affected, with a 25% reduction.  Within the Professional (P) category, the brunt will fall on P-3 officers (-17%), who perform much of the core policy, analytical, and programmatic work. Entry-level P-2 and P-1 posts — the primary entry point for nationals from un- and under-represented developing countries — are also reduced by 13%.  It should be noted that developing countries are disproportionately represented in the groups facing the deepest cuts.

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) faces a 19% cut, and UNCTAD an 18% cut — both higher than the overall 15% average reduction.  This raises serious questions about the organization’s priorities - they have been hijacked by Guterres and his cronies.

This was about inequitable cuts at UN ESCAP in Thailand:

Dear Matthew Russell Lee, 

The plan for abolishment from UN-ESCAP  is directed only at GS staff, while senior positions—P-5, D-1, D-2, and USG—remain untouched. The salary of a single one of these officials is equivalent to that of fifty or more local staff members. If justice truly mattered, it would be these high-level posts under review—not the livelihoods of ordinary staff.

Many of these officials are beyond retirement age, largely inactive in their offices, while their administrative assistants act more like personal aides or cooks than contributors to the Organization’s actual work.  This is not about fairness—it is about selfishness and corruption. Guterres and his team have revealed themselves as weak, wicked, and corrupt. They cling to their privileges while sacrificing the most vulnerable staff, simply because they hold the power to decide.  It is therefore no surprise that more and more staff are coming to agree that the UN has become useless, especially under the failed leadership of Guterres.

 Guterres appears increasingly surrounded by what staff describe as “phone-call human resource advisors and legal officers.”

   Martha Helena Lopez, the Secretary-General’s senior advisor on human resources, has become emblematic of this “don’t care” policy. Observers note she looks fatigued, more focused on retirement than on strengthening governance. Rather than engaging with tribunal rulings, she and her team have defaulted to what staff now mockingly call “phone-call directives,” issuing guidance over the phone without regard to established precedent or proper review.  In New York, staff have started referring to her and her legal colleagues as “phone-call officers and advisors” because of their casual approach to matters of grave consequence.

Their advice to the Secretary-General effectively shields misconduct from judicial scrutiny, entrenches his culture of impunity.

 Guterres, they say, should end censorship. Application was made on June 19, 2025. Watch this site.

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