Lee Zurik

As the city of New Orleans's most honored investigative reporter, Lee Zurik has been uncovering and reporting impactful stories on WVUE since 2009. Following up his tenacious inquiries with detailed analysis and powerful storytelling, Lee delivers unprecedented accountability of government officials, private citizens and corporations.

Recent Articles by Lee

Costly Care: Medicare charged hundreds more than drug’s cost at cash value

A man noticed his insurance paid all of one medication, but then he discovered the federal government was billed hundreds more than market value.

Lee Zurik and Cody Lillich

Published January 13, 2020 at 7:02 AM

Recognizing Hate: FBI begins counting its own hate crime cases in federal data, inaccurate numbers remain

After years of breaking the law, the FBI has finally and quietly released its own hate crime statistics. As InvestigateTV uncovered in Measure of Hate, while the FBI published annual hate crime statistics, the agency failed to release its own numbers.

Jamie Grey and Lee Zurik

Published January 1, 2020 at 5:41 PM

Preying on patriotism: Sham veterans and first-responder charities ousted for deception, their professional fundraisers largely left unscathed

Sham veterans and first-responder charities have been put out of business for misusing donations but their third-party, for-profit fundraisers remain in business.

Jill Riepenhoff, Tess Rowland and Lee Zurik

Published November 25, 2019 at 4:09 PM

Cashing in on Charity: Donations meant to help sick children, wounded veterans, abused animals instead benefit for-profit fundraisers

Professional fundraisers are for-profit companies that contract with charities to solicit donations by telephone or through the mail. The industry is loosely regulated and can keep as much as 100% of donated dollars.

Jill Riepenhoff and Lee Zurik

Published November 21, 2019 at 6:00 PM

Missed Opportunity: Federal initiative meant to help poor neighborhoods benefits the rich

Neighborhoods with an average income of about six-figures are labeled “distressed” by the federal government.

Megan Luther and Lee Zurik

Published November 4, 2019 at 7:13 AM

Fake Filters? Made-up addresses, strange receipts and copycat websites reveal knock-offs on the market

After several strange clues, a Michigan father questions whether his water filters are authentic. Experts say counterfeit filters are a growing problem in the United States.

Jamie Grey and Lee Zurik

Published October 14, 2019 at 4:09 AM

Measure of Hate documentary explores the undercounting of crimes in America

InvestigateTV shows issues with undercounting hate crimes, including the FBI failing to meet a federal mandate to report. After months of reporting on this issue, this documentary also highlights results of the investigation, including police departments amending their records.

Lee Zurik and Jamie Grey

Published August 9, 2019 at 8:19 AM

Fake Filters? Companies falsely claim to have prestigious water safety certification

With water quality and safety concerns across the country, many families are turning to water filters. But there are counterfeit filters and filters carrying fake certification marks.

Jamie Grey and Lee Zurik

Published July 22, 2019 at 8:29 AM

Untested Waters: Feds take small steps toward inspecting more seafood

The FDA has a new strategy for imported food safety, and Congress has increased seafood inspection funds. But the U.S. still lags behind some other countries when it comes to inspections and regulations.

Jamie Grey and Lee Zurik

Published July 15, 2019 at 6:33 AM

A federal agency has ignored a 2006 federal law requiring the creation of a national child abuse registry, leaving an untold number of children in harm’s way when their families move to new states.

Megan Luther, Jill Riepenhoff and Lee Zurik

Published April 29, 2019 at 5:28 AM

The deaths of hundreds of children because of abuse or neglect goes unnoticed every year by agencies that protect kids. Congress and a 45-year-old law are largely to blame.

Jill Riepenhoff, Megan Luther and Lee Zurik

Published April 29, 2019 at 5:27 AM

A trifecta of failures puts kids at risk

When children die because of abuse or neglect, child protection agencies are often blamed – they are underfunded and overworked. But there are many other culprits who failed children.

Jill Riepenhoff, Megan Luther and Lee Zurik

Published April 29, 2019 at 5:24 AM

Undercounting hate: FBI will not report its hate crime numbers again this year as required by law

The Uniform Crime Reporting Act of 1988 requires federal law enforcement agencies to submit information about their cases to a federal database maintained by the FBI; however, those agencies are currently not submitting data, including information about hate crimes.

Jamie Grey and Lee Zurik

Published April 2, 2019 at 4:39 AM

Untested water: 99.9 percent of foreign fish goes without testing for unsafe drugs

According to government reports, there is evidence that the main oversight agency for seafood, the Food and Drug Administration, has failed to meet new mandates to increase inspections at foreign food facilities.

Jamie Grey and Lee Zurik

Published February 13, 2019 at 6:46 PM

Calculating hate: Federally mandated count leaves out untold number of crimes in America

Serious hate crimes from murders to attempted bombings do not show up in federal hate crime data, according to analysis by InvestigateTV.

Jamie Grey and Lee Zurik

Published February 4, 2019 at 5:34 AM

Punishing hate: Paper tiger laws serve up little to no penalties for attackers

Prosecutors say some state hate crime laws are so weak they "aren't worth the paper they're printed on."

Jamie Grey and Lee Zurik

Published February 4, 2019 at 5:33 AM

Nuclear fallout: $15.5 billion in compensation and counting

Thousands of nuclear weapons workers are seeking compensation from a federal program that has ballooned far past initial projections - and some say they're being denied based on incorrect information.

Jamie Grey and Lee Zurik

Published November 12, 2018 at 5:54 AM

Hundreds of Americans live in deplorable rental properties and their landlord is the federal government. The properties need $50 billion in repairs. Uncle Sam now is hoping that private investors will save public housing.

Jill Riepenhoff and Lee Zurik

Published November 5, 2018 at 4:33 AM

You’re in a political ad. (But you don’t know who’s behind it)

Political organizations with shadowy origins are spending millions on Facebook ads, and some people featured in the ads don't know who the groups are either.