This List of investigations, resignations, suspensions, and dismissals in conjunction with the news media phone hacking scandal is a chronological listing of investigations, actual and considered, into illegal acquisition of confidential information or cover-up by employees or other agents of news media companies in conjunction with the phone hacking scandal. Investigations listed here concern interception of voicemail, hacking of computers, obtaining confidential information under false pretenses, and payments to officials. Dates in parentheses indicate approximately when each investigation was initiated or considered.
Prior to 2010 investigations focused on just a few individuals, even though there was evidence of many people being engaged in illegal activity. "The lead investigator in Operation Motorman, a 2006 inquiry...said that his team were told not to interview journalists involved. The investigator...accused authorities of being too 'frightened' to tackle journalists." In August 2006, the Metropolitan Police Service (Scotland Yard) seized from a private investigator (Glenn Mulcaire) “11,000 pages of handwritten notes listing nearly 4,000 celebrities, politicians, sports stars, police officials and crime victims whose phone may have been hacked by News of the World.” These documents remained largely unevaluated until the autumn of 2010, even though “senior Scotland Yard officials assured Parliament, judges, lawyers, potential hacking victims, the news media and the public that there was no evidence of widespread hacking by the tabloid.” Testimony indicated that “the police agency and News International … became so intertwined that they wound up sharing the goal of containing the investigation. Through March 2011, no News of the World executives or reporters other than Goodman were questioned.
By September 2012, The Metropolitan Police had a total of 185 officers investigating illegal acquisition of confidential information at a cost estimated at £9 million for 2012 and £40 million forecast over four years. This included 96 officers investigating under Operation Weeting, 70 under Operation Elveden and 19 under Operation Tuleta.
By law enforcement organizations
Organization Name Date(s) Notes Ref(s) Metropolitan Police Operation Nigeria May 1999-September 1999 Surveillance of Southern Investigations run by the anti-corruption squad CIB3. Operation Glade 2003 Followed up on evidence obtained in Operation Motorman. FBI 2004 Computer hacking Metropolitan Police 2006 Investigation headed by Andy Hayman and limited to Clive Goodman and Glenn Mulcaire. 2009 Decision made by John Yates not to reopen/broaden the 2006 investigation. FBI 2010 Probe into a group of hackers who reportedly stole compromising pictures and video from the computers and mobile devices of up to 50 celebrities. Metropolitan Police Operation Weeting 26 January 2011 Interception of voicemail. Run by Sue Akers, a Deputy Assistant Commissioner with the Metropolitan Police. Akers's investigation team consists of 45 officers. Operation Tuleta 10 June 2011 Computer hacking and breaches of privacy not covered by the two parallel Met investigations into phone hacking (Weeting), and into corruption of public officials (Elveden). Tuleta handled acquisition of confidential information from stolen mobile phones. Operation Elveden 6 July 2011 Investigation into bribery, corruption supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Initial focus was on News of the World personnel but expanded in 2012 to cover potentially inappropriate payments by journalists at Trinity Mirror, the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People, and Northern & Shell, publisher of the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday. July 2011 Inquiry initiated by former commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson "to examine the ethical considerations that should underpin relations between the Metropolitan police and the media." Led by Elizabeth Filkin, the former Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, and "aims to draw up a framework for how officers operate in their contact with journalists." Strathclyde Police Operation Rubicon 22 July 2011 Perjury, phone hacking, and breaches of data protection in Scotland. Fifty Strathclyde Police officers assigned. Led by Detective Superintendent John McSporran. FBI 14 July 2011 Investigation into interception of voicemail. Department of Justice July 2011 "Considering need" regarding bribery of foreign officials. Australian Federal Police July 2011 "Evaluating referrals". FBI August 2011 Investigation into computer hacking. Durham Police Summer 2011 "Outside police force to conduct a review of Operation Weeting...Jon Stoddart, chief constable of Durham constabulary, has agreed to undertake the review. The review team will be taken from a number of forces outside the MPS" (Metropolitan Police Service). Metropolitan Police Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) 16 September 2011 DPS, responsible for investigating complaints against the professional conduct of Met officers, initiated an investigation of possible leaks by Met officers to The Guardian that led to the public disclosure that Milly Dowler's voicemail had been illegally intercepted. In its application for production orders, DPS cited the Official Secrets Act, an unusual use of this Act that has severe penalties, as well as the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) in its order to require reporter Nick Davies and others to disclose sources. It was the Milly Dowler disclosure that inflamed public opinion against phone hacking and led to the resignations of top Met officials, commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and assistant commissioner John Yates. Four days later, in the face of strong negative reaction from politicians, lawyers, and the press, the Met decided not to pursue the application for production orders. Metropolitan Police Operation Kalmyk By February 2012 Illegal access to computers; acknowledged by Sue Akers, a Deputy Assistant Commissioner with the Metropolitan Police. May include investigation of Philip Campbell Smith who may have hacked a former British army intelligence officer's computer in 2006 on behalf of News of the World. Independent Police Complaints Commission 28 June 2011 Inquiry as to whether two senior Surrey police officers became aware as early as 2002 that Milly Dowler's mobile phone had been hacked and did not act on this information. Deputy Chief Constable Craig Denholm was second most senior officer at Surrey police and in overall charge of the Dowler disappearance/murder investigation named "Operation Ruby". He later worked for Metropolitan police assistant commissioner John Yates up until shortly before Yates made his cursory 2009 review and determined there was no basis for further investigation into phone hacking. Detective Superintendent Maria Woodall was the detective chief inspector in operational charge of the Dowler investigation from 2006 onwards. Metropolitan Police Operation Sacha By April 2012 Related to the arrest of Rebekah Brooks, her husband Charlie and others for alleged conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Operation Kilo By April 2012 Related to leaks from phone-hacking investigation Operation Weeting.
By national government bodies Organization Date(s) Notes Ref(s) Information Commissioner's Office November 2002 Operation Motorman Culture, Media and Sport Committee 2009 Inquiry; phone hacking. Independent Police Complaints Commission 2009 Inquiry regarding John Yates's handling of the phone-hacking review in 2009. Culture, Media and Sport Committee September 2010 Inquiry; phone hacking. Home Affairs Select Committee 1 September 2010 Inquiry; phone hacking. Culture, Media and Sport Committee 2011 Inquiry; "currently restricted to looking at whether it was "previously misled in the evidence we were given in relation to the News of the World." Independent Police Complaints Commission July 2011 Inquiry into "whether John Yates used his position to help get Neil Wallis's daughter a job at Scotland Yard. Information Commissioner's Office July 2011 Investigation looking into use of private investigators by Ministers of Parliament. UK Public inquiry July 2011 Chaired by Lord Justice Leveson. Looking into "the extent of unlawful or improper conduct within News International and other newspaper organisations, the way the police first investigated the phone-hacking scandal and whether police officers received corrupt payments." US Congress July 2011 Inquiry called for; Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) sent a letter "to the heads of four congressional committees appealing for the legislature to investigate whether Murdoch's papers in the UK or the US were involved in illegal actions against American citizens." Australian Parliament July 2011 Inquiry called for; "The Greens...have called for a parliamentary inquiry into News Limited, Mr Murdoch's Australian firm." Electoral Commission August 2011 Inquiry called for; by "Labour MP Tom Watson regarding Andy Coulson's receiving "several hundred thousand pounds from his former employer News International after he was hired by the Conservative party." The Electoral Commission declined to investigate because there was "no evidence that Conservative party breached electoral law by failing to declare payments." Public Administration Select Committee 26 August 2011 Inquiry; to "consider the vetting procedures for new special advisers and how to avoid conflicts of interests after... revelations that [Andy] Coulson, a former editor of News of the World, was paid by News International while employed by the Conservative party. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary 1 September 2011 Inquiry to address "alleged corruption and abuse of power" in police relationships with the media"...ordered by Home Secretary Theresa May and "led by a former chief constable of Essex, Roger Baker. His remit will range from payments made to custody sergeants for tip-offs about arrests, to buying drinks and providing lavish hospitality for officers." Australian Parliamentary 14 September 2011 Announced inquiry into media regulation to be "headed by former judge Ray Finkelstein.... The inquiry will shed light on the real pressures facing media organisations today and enable us to consider what regulatory or legislative changes might be needed in order to ensure that Australia continues to benefit from strong independent and diverse media... Due to report back by 28 February 2012. Mr Finkelstein will be assisted by journalism academic Matthew Ricketson." Office of Communications (Ofcom) 23 April 2012 Inquiry; announced it is investigating Sky News to see if it broke broadcasting rules by hacking emails to get a story and whether there is a "public interest" justification.
By private organizations