Sandrine Rigaud

Sandrine Rigaud is a French investigative journalist. Since 2019, she has been the editor of Forbidden Stories, a non-profit organisation that ensures journalists under threat can secure their information; the Forbidden Stories network of journalists exists to protect, pursue, and publish the work of fellow journalists facing threats, prison, or murder. Among other stories, Rigaud has coordinated Story Killers, an investigation into disinformation, and Mining Secrets, a project on environmental scandals linked to mining. The Pegasus Project, published in July 2021, revealed the widespread misuse of spyware. The Cartel Project, a massive cross-border collaboration to complete the investigations of murdered Mexican journalist Regina Martínez Pérez into Mexican drug cartels and their political connections around the world, won the 2020 George Polk Special Award and a 2021 Maria Moors Cabot Prize. 

Before joining Forbidden Stories, Rigaud directed feature-length documentaries for French television. Her films have been shortlisted or awarded in multiple festivals, including DIG, Europa, Fipadoc, FIGRA, and SeoulEco. Of Egyptian origin, she grew up in the Middle East, where she still travels regularly.