July 24, 2026 — 11:21amInvestigative reporter Mahmood Fazal has attacked the ABC over its decision to retract two Four Corners episodes fronted by him, saying it sets a worrying precedent for the broadcaster’s commitment to public-interest journalism.He made the comments on his personal Instagram account on Friday evening hours after the ABC cited accuracy concerns over the veracity of his sourcing when it pulled the episodes.ABC investigative reporter Mahmood Fazal.Sydney Morning HeraldFazal, who was sacked two months ago for his involvement in an externally produced podcast, said he was shocked by the ABC’s decision and was not given a chance to respond to the alleged issues before the episodes were retracted.The public broadcaster issued a statement on Friday morning saying that the 2024 programs Meth Highway and Cocaine Nation, broadcast in 2023, were removed from all ABC platforms following concerns identified following an investigation into Fazal’s reporting during his three-year stint as a staffer on the show.“The matter has been referred to the ABC Ombudsman for an independent review of whether the programs complied with the relevant editorial standards as set out in the Editorial Policies,” an ABC statement said.“The ABC will consider whether any further action will be required once that review is complete.”The investigation was separate to the one that led to the ABC sacking Fazal in May after an appearance on an external podcast led by a former underworld figure.Fazal did not respond to requests for comment earlier in the day, but later on Instagram said he was not made aware of the second investigation into his work .“The decision to remove these episodes was apparently made before the investigation was completed. I have not been contacted by the Ombudsman, not have I been told by them what the apparent issues are,” Fazal said.“It is a deeply worrying precedent for the ABC to remove investigative journalism from its flagship program, apparently in response to what appear to be external criticisms,” Fazal said.Fazal said Four Corners episodes were a collaborative effort involving many levels from the reporters to the news leadership. He said the ABC deploys fact-checking staff and that the episodes passed through the ABC’s editorial and legal processes.Fazal joined the ABC’s Background Briefing program in 2021 before being hired by Four Corners in 2023. As a former sergeant-at-arms for bikie gang The Mongols, much of his work has focused on Australia’s criminal underworld, using his personal connections to gain access often not granted to mainstream media organisations.Cocaine Nation investigated the trade, consumption and damage cause by the illicit drug and Meth Highway showed Fazal travelling to South-East Asia to trace the production origins and transport routes the drug takes to be smuggled into Australia.Since Fazal’s exit from the show, the ABC has installed a new executive producer for Four Corners, Joel Tozer.Last month, this masthead reported that one of Tozer’s first acts as Four Corners boss was to overhaul the show’s commissioning and standards processes.Part of the overhaul included the newly created commissioning and standards editor position, appointing former 7.30 producer Patricia Drum, as reported on Friday morning.The specific reasons behind the two episodes being removed are unknown, but the Ombudsman’s investigation is expected to be published in the coming weeks.Fazal produced several episodes of the long-form investigative program during his tenure at the show, but was suspended in late-2025 after agreeing to launch a new podcast with Ryan Naumenko, a former underworld figure who bills himself as a “media cowboy”.Fazal initially sought approval for the podcast by filing an external work request form. However, it did not receive final sign-off by ABC executives. The podcast went ahead and was later published online with advertisements for a crypto casino attached.The reporter also allegedly received payment for his participation in the podcast, but he has denied this. A disagreement between Fazal and Naumenko resulted in the podcast ending after just two episodes, with the pair launching public accusations at each other.This was not the first time Fazal’s connections with current or former underworld figures created headlines for the ABC.In 2024, this masthead reported Fazal had allegedly passed on threatening messages from the Alameddine crime family to another journalist Kristo Langker, who works as a producer for YouTuber Jordan Shanks, better known as FriendlyJordies.Fazal allegedly told Langker “something bad is going to happen” if a FriendlyJordies video, which featured associates of the notorious Alameddine crime family, wasn’t deleted from YouTube, Langker told police. Shanks’ house had been firebombed two years earlier, with an associate of the Alemeddines later jailed over the incident.Shortly after the story was published, the ABC’s Four Corners team issued a statement of support for Fazal.“The Four Corners staff — reporters, producers, researchers, camera operators, editors, graphic artists, digital producers, the program’s supervising producer, and its executive producer — stand behind Mahmood Fazal and his investigative journalism. Mahmood is an award-winning, ethical, and fact-based reporter of the highest standard. The entire team rejects any suggestion to the contrary,” the statement read.It was reshared on social media from some of its staffers, including one of the then-six reporters on the program, Louise Milligan, who has since deleted the post.The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.Calum Jaspan is a media writer for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in Melbourne. Reach him securely on Signal @calumjaspan.10Connect via X or email.From our partners