Investigative Reporting on Debt

Riverboat Gambling Eyes a Move to Dry Land, Sports Teams Backing Sports Betting and Other Quiet Expansions

by Derrick Clifton,

April 25, 2019, 4 a.m. CDT

Many People are Too Broke for Bankruptcy. A New Report Suggests Some Fixes.

by Paul Kiel,

April 15, 2019, 5 a.m. EDT

The Missing Millions: Some States Are Still Waiting for the Gambling Windfall

by Derrick Clifton,

April 10, 2019, 4 a.m. CDT

Legalized Betting Could Change How We Watch Sports

by Derrick Clifton,

March 28, 2019, 4 a.m. CDT

The Ticket Trap: Front to Back

by David Eads,

March 4, 2019, 4 a.m. CST

How Has the “Crack Cocaine of Gambling” Affected Illinois? The State Hasn’t Bothered to Check.

by Jason Grotto and Sandhya Kambhampati, ProPublica Illinois, and Dan Mihalopoulos, WBEZ Chicago,

Feb. 20, 2019, 4 a.m. CST

Everybody in Chicago’s Mayor’s Race Says They Want Ticket Reform

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Jan. 25, 2019, 4 a.m. CST

How Illinois Bet on Video Gambling and Lost

by Jason Grotto and Sandhya Kambhampati, ProPublica, and Dan Mihalopoulos, WBEZ Chicago,

Jan. 16, 2019, 4 a.m. CST

Do You Know Someone Struggling With Video Gambling? Help Us Understand Video Slot and Poker Addiction in Illinois.

by Logan Jaffe,

Jan. 16, 2019, 3:59 a.m. CST

How We Analyzed Video Gambling in Illinois

by Sandhya Kambhampati and Jason Grotto,

Jan. 16, 2019, 3:58 a.m. CST

Feeling Trapped by Vehicle Tickets? Let’s Talk About It — Live

by Derrick Clifton,

Jan. 4, 2019, 4 a.m. CST

How to Use the Ticket Trap, Our New Database That Lets You Explore How Chicago Tickets Motorists and Collects Debt

by David Eads,

Dec. 21, 2018, 3:59 a.m. CST

The Ticket Trap

by David Eads and Melissa Sanchez,

Dec. 20, 2018, 4 a.m. CST

We Want to Hear About Your Experiences With Vehicle Tickets, So We Created a Facebook Group

by Helga Salinas,

Dec. 14, 2018, 4 a.m. CST

Chicago Task Force Will Take on Ticket and Debt Collection Reform

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Dec. 6, 2018, 3:01 p.m. CST

Chicago Throws Out 23,000 Duplicate Tickets Issued Since 1992 to Motorists Who Didn’t Have Vehicle Stickers

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Nov. 29, 2018, 5:29 p.m. CST

Chicago City Council Approves Modest First Reforms on Ticketing and Debt

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Nov. 14, 2018, 5:24 p.m. CST

Top Chicago Alderman Adds to Growing Momentum for Ticket and Debt Reform

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Nov. 13, 2018, 5:24 p.m. CST

Chicago Considers Wiping Away Old Ticket Debt for Motorists Who File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

by Melissa Sanchez,

Nov. 5, 2018, 6:42 p.m. CST

Chicago Alderman Proposes Reining in Ticket Penalties That Drove Thousands of Black Motorists Into Debt

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Oct. 31, 2018, 5:36 p.m. CDT

Chicago City Clerk Calls for Reforms of Vehicle Sticker Program

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Oct. 23, 2018, 4:32 p.m. CDT

Download Chicago’s Parking Ticket Data Yourself

by Katlyn Alo and Melissa Sanchez,

Aug. 23, 2018, 4 a.m. CDT

What’s the City of Chicago Doing About Its Problem With Duplicate Sticker Tickets?

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Aug. 9, 2018, 6 a.m. CDT

The “Terrible” Consequences of Chicago’s Ticketing Policies

by Helga Salinas,

July 27, 2018, 4 a.m. CDT

Chicago Hiked the Cost of Vehicle City Sticker Violations to Boost Revenue. But It’s Driven More Low-Income, Black Motorists Into Debt.

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

July 26, 2018, 6 a.m. CDT

How ProPublica Illinois and WBEZ Worked Together to Find Thousands of Duplicate Tickets in Chicago

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

July 6, 2018, 4 a.m. CDT

Chicago Begins To Rethink How Bankruptcy Lawyers Get Paid

by Melissa Sanchez,

May 9, 2018, 4 a.m. CDT

Some States No Longer Suspend Driver’s Licenses for Unpaid Fines. Will Illinois Join Them?

by Melissa Sanchez,

March 15, 2018, 4 a.m. CDT

She Owed $102,158.40 in Unpaid Tickets, but She’s Not in the Story

by Melissa Sanchez,

March 2, 2018, 4 a.m. CST

How Chicago Ticket Debt Sends Black Motorists Into Bankruptcy

by Melissa Sanchez and Sandhya Kambhampati,

Feb. 27, 2018, 5 a.m. CST

The Many Roads to Bankruptcy

by Melissa Sanchez,

Feb. 27, 2018, 4:59 a.m. CST

Without Fanfare, Equifax Makes Bankruptcy Change That Affects Hundreds of Thousands

by Paul Kiel,

Sept. 29, 2017, 8 a.m. EDT

Chicago’s Bankruptcy Boom

by Paul Kiel and Hannah Fresques,

Sept. 28, 2017, 8 a.m. EDT

In the South, Bankruptcy Is Different, Especially for Black Debtors

by Hannah Fresques and Paul Kiel,

Sept. 27, 2017, 8 a.m. EDT

Data Analysis: Bankruptcy and Race in America

by Paul Kiel and Hannah Fresques,

Sept. 27, 2017, 8 a.m. EDT

Have You Seriously Considered Filing for Bankruptcy?

by ProPublica,

Sept. 27, 2017, 8 a.m. EDT

Bankruptcy: What’s the Difference Between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13?

by Paul Kiel,

Sept. 27, 2017, 8 a.m. EDT

How the Bankruptcy System Is Failing Black Americans

by Paul Kiel with Hannah Fresques,

Sept. 27, 2017, 7:59 a.m. EDT

What Can Be Done Right Now to Fix the Legal System for Debt Collection

by Paul Kiel,

Oct. 8, 2015, 11 a.m. EDT

How We Analyzed Racial Disparity in Debt Collection Lawsuits

Paul Kiel and Annie Waldman,

Oct. 8, 2015, 8 a.m. EDT

The Color of Debt: How Collection Suits Squeeze Black Neighborhoods

Paul Kiel and Annie Waldman,

Oct. 8, 2015, 8 a.m. EDT