# Bellingcat Companies Finance

> Research companies, business registries, financial records, and sanctions. Search corporate registers (UK, EU, US), offshore databases, trade data, and blockchain explorers. Use when the user mentions a company name, business registration, financial record, sanction, or offshore entity, even if they don't mention "OSINT" or "finance."

- Skill: `casualsecurityinc/bellingcat-companies-finance` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add casualsecurityinc/bellingcat-companies-finance`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/casualsecurityinc/bellingcat-companies-finance/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Research & Search
- Author: casualsecurityinc (https://skillmd.com/u/casualsecurityinc)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/casualsecurityinc/bellingcat-companies-finance

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# Bellingcat Companies & Finance Investigation Tools

Tools for researching companies, business registries, financial records, sanctions lists, and trade data.

## Choosing Tools

- Start with official registries and filings for a company or officer; use sanctions, ownership, trade, and blockchain sources to extend the picture.
- Match entities by jurisdiction, registration number, and dates rather than name alone.

## Tools

| Tool | Best for | Cost | Description | Guide |
|------|----------|------|-------------|-------|
| [527 Explorer](https://projects.propublica.org/527-explorer/) | ProPublica's 527 Explorer is a database that allows users to examine the finances of… | Free | ProPublica's 527 Explorer is a database that allows users to examine the finances of organizations known as 527s in t... | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/527-explorer) |
| [BlockExplorer](https://blockexplorer.com/) | Following a bitcoin trail or following a bitcoin account? | Free | Following a bitcoin trail or following a bitcoin account? |  |
| [China-related resources](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/china-related-resources) | Resources for research on companies in China. |  | Resources for research on companies in China. |  |
| [Companies House](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/) | Search companies and individuals in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. | Free | Search companies and individuals in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/companies-house) |
| [EDGAR](https://www.sec.gov/edgar/search/) | Database of corporate filings for the US | Free | Database of corporate filings for the US | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/edgar) |
| [EDGAR Command Line Interface (edgar-tool)](https://pypi.org/project/edgar-tool/) | Tool for the retrieval of corporate and financial data from SEC's EDGAR (Electronic Data… | Free | Tool for the retrieval of corporate and financial data from SEC's EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Ret... | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/edgar-suite) |
| [Etherscan](https://etherscan.io/) | An explorer that allows researchers to track wallets, transactions and more on the… | Free | An explorer that allows researchers to track wallets, transactions and more on the Ethereum blockchain. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/etherscan) |
| [EU consolidated corporate registers](https://e-justice.europa.eu/content_find_a_company-489-en.do) | Consolidated company registers covering most of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. | Free | Consolidated company registers covering most of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/eu-consolidated-corporate-registers) |
| [EU Sanctions Map](https://www.sanctionsmap.eu/) | Database of sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United Nations | Free | Database of sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United Nations | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/eu-sanctions-map) |
| [Global Suppliers Online](https://www.globalsuppliersonline.com/) | A site dedicated to connect suppliers and buyers of goods from all over the world. | Partially Free | A site dedicated to connect suppliers and buyers of goods from all over the world. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/global-suppliers-online) |
| [ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database](http://offshoreleaks.icij.org/) | Find out who’s behind more than 810k offshore companies, foundations and trusts from the… | Free | Find out who’s behind more than 810k offshore companies, foundations and trusts from the Panama Papers, the Offshore ... | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/icij-offshore-leaks-database) |
| [ImportGenius](https://www.importgenius.com/) | Commercial supplier of trade data for 23 countries. | Paid | Commercial supplier of trade data for 23 countries. Paid service but journalists can ask for free access. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/importgenius) |
| [ImportYeti](https://www.importyeti.com/) | Search 60 million US customs sea shipment records, find company suppliers. | Free | Search 60 million US customs sea shipment records, find company suppliers. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/importyeti) |
| [LittleSis](https://littlesis.org/database) | Connects the dots between influential / wealthy individuals in (mostly US) politics and… | Free | Connects the dots between influential / wealthy individuals in (mostly US) politics and business. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/littlesis) |
| [Lumen](https://lumendatabase.org/) | A research project collecting and publishing legal takedown notices for online content… | Free | A research project collecting and publishing legal takedown notices for online content transparency | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/lumen) |
| [North Data](https://northdata.com) | Search for people and companies in EU corporate and trade registers + visualize… | Partially Free | Search for people and companies in EU corporate and trade registers + visualize relationships | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/north-data) |
| [OCCRP Aleph](https://aleph.occrp.org/) | Aleph offers a way to research sanctions lists, corporate registries, leaks, and more | Free | Aleph offers a way to research sanctions lists, corporate registries, leaks, and more | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/occrp-aleph) |
| [Open Ownership](https://www.openownership.org/en/) | Links to beneficial ownership registers. | Free | Links to beneficial ownership registers. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/open-ownership) |
| [OpenCorporates](https://opencorporates.com/) | Comprehensive repository of company registries around the world | Partially Free | Comprehensive repository of company registries around the world | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/opencorporates) |
| [OpenSanctions](https://www.opensanctions.org/) | Open-source international database of sanctions data, persons of interest and politically… | Partially Free | Open-source international database of sanctions data, persons of interest and politically exposed persons. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/opensanctions) |
| [OpenSecrets](https://www.opensecrets.org/) | Data on campaign finance, lobbying, and spending in U.S. | Free | Data on campaign finance, lobbying, and spending in U.S. politics | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/opensecrets) |
| [Osint Tools Map](https://cybdetective.com/osintmap/) | An interactive map serving as a curated archive of country-specific OSINT resources,… | Free | An interactive map serving as a curated archive of country-specific OSINT resources, including business registries, c... | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/osint-tools-map) |
| [RuPEP](https://rupep.org/en/) | Online database of politically exposed persons in Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and… | Free | Online database of politically exposed persons in Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/rupep) |
| [SanctionsExplorer](https://sanctionsexplorer.org/) | A comprehensive database of current and historical OFAC/UN/EU sanctions | Free | A comprehensive database of current and historical OFAC/UN/EU sanctions | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/sanctionsexplorer) |
| [UN Comtrade Database](https://comtradeplus.un.org/) | United Nations free database of global trade. | Free | United Nations free database of global trade. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/un-comtrade-database) |
| [Wikipedia list of registers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_official_business_registers) | Wikipedia list of official business registers around the world. | Free | Wikipedia list of official business registers around the world. | [Details](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/wikipedia-list-of-registers) |

## Investigation Tips

- Start with OpenCorporates for the most comprehensive global company registry lookup
- Search offshore databases (ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database, OCCRP Aleph) for hidden ownership
- Use EDGAR for US company filings and financial disclosures
- Cross-reference sanctions lists (EU Sanctions Map, OpenSanctions, SanctionsExplorer)
- Check trade data (ImportYeti, UN Comtrade) to trace supply chains and business relationships
- For EU companies, use the EU consolidated corporate registers and North Data