Investigating the Vape Industry
I conduct independent investigations into illegal vape companies operating in the United States. Every investigation produces a full, sourced report — published here for free, for anyone to read.
The Illegal Vape Market is
Hiding in Plain Sight
The U.S. vape market is flooded with products that were never approved by the FDA. The companies selling them use shell corporations, fake business names, and import tricks to avoid getting caught. Meanwhile, legitimate businesses that actually follow the rules get undercut on price by operators who ignore every regulation on the books.
The FDA has denied marketing authorization for millions of vape products, but most of them are still being sold across the country through underground distribution networks.
Companies that spent millions going through the FDA approval process are competing against fly-by-night operators who skip the entire process and sell products at a fraction of the cost.
Federal agencies are overwhelmed. Industry groups lack enforcement power. Mainstream media covers youth vaping panic but ignores the criminal supply chains behind it.
How the Investigations Work
Every investigation produces a detailed report built from public records and open-source research. Once published, the findings become part of the permanent public record — free for anyone to read, cite, or act on.
Identify
I use public records, corporate filings, import databases, and digital footprint analysis to find companies that are operating outside the law and map out their networks.
Investigate
I dig into corporate structures, supply chains, financial infrastructure, and regulatory records to build a complete picture of how these operations actually work, who's behind them, and where they're breaking the law.
Publish
The finished report goes up on this website where anyone can read it — journalists, regulators, competitors, or the general public. There's no paywall and no registration required.
Giving the Public a Complete Picture
Each investigation documents what I find across several areas of public interest — regulatory compliance, financial transparency, corporate structure, and digital presence. The goal is to make this information accessible to anyone who wants it.
Regulatory Compliance
I review a company's standing against federal and state regulatory requirements and document what I find — including FDA authorization status, state licensing, and import records.
Open Access
Every report is published for free with no paywall or registration — available to journalists, researchers, policymakers, and the general public.
Financial Transparency
Reports include publicly available information about corporate structure, registered agents, business filings, and other financial records that help readers understand how an operation is organized.
Digital Presence
I document a company's public-facing digital footprint — websites, online storefronts, and social media accounts — as part of the overall record of how they present themselves to consumers.
Investigations ongoing
This Is Protected
Journalism
Everything published on this site is constitutionally protected investigative journalism under established federal and state law.
Freedom of the press protects public interest reporting on matters of regulatory compliance and public safety.
Journalist privilege protections keep sources and newsgathering activities confidential under applicable state and federal law.
Statutory protections allow for early dismissal of retaliatory lawsuits that target protected speech, with mandatory fee-shifting to the filer.
Recent Publications
These are published investigative reports. More investigations are in progress, and new reports go up as they clear legal review.
Know Something I Should Look Into?
If you have information about unauthorized vape products, shell companies, import fraud, or tax evasion in this industry, I want to hear about it. All submissions are confidential, and anonymous tips are welcome.