A billionaire’s hidden empire built on coal and post cards

You probably have never heard of him, but he’s one of Europe’s most influential billionaires: Daniel Křetínský, a Czech businessman who built his fortune on coal – all the while receiving hundreds of millions of euros for green subsidies from the EU. In this episode, investigative journalists Hazel Sheffield and Sofia Cherici unpick Křetínský’s vast empire: from fossil fuels and biomass plants to media outlets, supermarkets, postal services, and even football clubs. They’re diving into how, away from scrutiny, one Czech man holds Europe’s vital services in his grip. Related stories ➪ https://www.ftm.eu/articles/largest-coal-miner-europe-green-subsidies Follow the podcast https://www.ftm.eu/podcast/follow-the-money-the-podcast Follow FTM on social media: Instagram ➪ https://www.instagram.com/followthemoney_eu/ BlueSky ➪ https://bsky.app/profile/ftm.eu LinkedIn ➪ https://www.linkedin.com/company/follow-the-money-eu/ Become a member and support independent investigative journalism! https://www.ftm.eu/subscribe

Om Podcasten

Reckon you know who’s running Europe? Think again. Every week, we dive into a Follow the Money investigation exposing the continent’s hidden powerbrokers: from deceiving companies and influential lobbyists to corrupt politicians and financial fraudsters. Tune into our podcast and join our journalists as they reveal how they uncovered the truth and held power to account.Presented by Emma du Chatinier and Alexander Fanta.