Stephen Engelberg

Editor-in-Chief

Photo of Stephen Engelberg

Stephen Engelberg was the founding managing editor of ProPublica from 2008–2012, and became editor-in-chief on January 1, 2013. He came to ProPublica from The Oregonian in Portland, where he had been a managing editor since 2002. Before joining The Oregonian, Mr. Engelberg worked for The New York Times for 18 years, including stints in Washington, D.C., and Warsaw, Poland, as well as in New York. He is a member of the Pulitzer Prize Board.

Mr. Engelberg’s work since 1996 has focused largely on the editing of investigative projects. He started the Times’s investigative unit in 2000. Projects he supervised at the Times on Mexican corruption (published in 1997) and the rise of Al Qaeda (published beginning in January 2001) were awarded the Pulitzer Prize. During his years at The Oregonian, the paper won the Pulitzer for breaking news and was a finalist for its investigative work on methamphetamines and charities intended to help the disabled. He is the co-author of “Germs: Biological Weapons and America’s Secret War” (2001).

About That Unbelievable Story

The Painting That Saved My Family From the Holocaust

A frightened young woman left her apartment in Munich in November 1938 and returned with the visa that saved her family. A team of German journalists launched an improbable search to find the missing artwork and tell its story.

Our Rebuttal to RAND’s Critique of Surgeon Scorecard

The think tank claims Scorecard’s methods aren’t reliable, but its commentary is undermined by supposition, conflicts of interest and a lack of evidence.

Editor’s Note: ‘Dr. Abscess’ and Why Surgeon Scorecard Matters

Critics claim our analysis of surgical complications is flawed. We disagree. For the first time, patients can see a surgeon’s record – and use it to help make their best choice.

How Crowdsourcing Helped Bring Red Cross Problems to Light

The ability to reach a much wider universe of sources gives reporters a powerful new tool — if they know which questions to ask.

For the Next Attorney General, a Modest Suggestion: Fix Presidential Pardons

More than two years ago, a ProPublica series showed that white applicants were far more likely to receive clemency than comparable applicants who were black. Since then, the government has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a study, but the pardons system remains unchanged.

Nine Ideas to Make Tylenol and Other Acetaminophen Drugs Safer

Scientists, regulators and manufacturers have come up with numerous proposals that could reduce the toll of deaths and injuries from one of America’s most popular drugs.

Why We Published the Decryption Story

We explain why publishing this story about U.S. and U.K. government efforts to decode enormous amounts of internet traffic previously thought to have been safe is in the public interest.

Celebrating Five Years at ProPublica

Five years later, many things have changed at and around ProPublica, but its mission to hold those in power accountable remains the same.

Lifting the Veil on Dangerous Prescribing

The release of Medicare Part D records changes the conversation about how practitioners prescribe drugs -- and indicates the government could do more to ensure they do so safely.

A Simple Fix: Should New York Compel Judges to Report Problem Prosecutors?

When judges find that prosecutors have abused their authority, other states require them to refer such cases for investigation by disciplinary committees. Should New York follow suit?

Cash, Cars and Contracts: IBM, HP and Oracle in the Crosshairs of Overseas Corruption Investigation

The three American companies are cooperating with a Polish investigation into how the companies won lucrative contracts to upgrade Poland’s technology.

Sheldon Adelson's Casino Company Stirs Fresh Questions With Admission It 'Likely' Broke Federal Law

Las Vegas Sands' filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on a possible violation of anti-bribery law leaves unanswered the most fundamental questions about its conduct in Asia.

Mexico’s Newspapers Shy From Covering the Drug Gangs Behind Continuing Violence

A new study shows that papers have stepped up reporting on murders but remain wary of covering the Zetas and other gangs responsible for the killings.

Dark Money and the 2012 Election: We Need Your Help!

Join ProPublica’s campaign to shine a light on the hidden aspects of campaign finance by chronicling ad spending in Las Vegas, one of the nation’s most heavily blanketed cities.

Flood of Secret Campaign Cash: It’s Not All Citizens United

The Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Elections Commission and Congress have all played a role in the emergence of undisclosed contributions in the 2012 elections.

New Questions About Sheldon Adelson’s Casino Operations in Macau

Las Vegas Sands has insisted for more than a year that it needed approval from Macau authorities to turn over documents sought by federal investigators and a former employee suing the company for wrongful termination. Now, the company owned by the biggest single Republican donor acknowledges that many of the documents have been in the United States all along.

Inside the Investigation of Leading Republican Money Man Sheldon Adelson

In just a few years, the chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands created a gambling empire in Macau that made him one of the world’s richest men. Now, Sheldon Adelson’s business methods are under expanding scrutiny by federal and Nevada investigators.

Our FTC Privacy Story and Its Critics

Follow ProPublica

Latest Stories from ProPublica