澳大利亚广播公司（ABC）的旗舰调查节目《Four Corners》因记者Mahmood Fazal的报道问题陷入丑闻。[1]2024年7月24日，ABC撤回了Fazal制作的两期节目《Cocaine Nation》和《Meth Highway》。[1]内部员工发现，Fazal在这两期节目中多次使用同一消息人士——艺术家Benjamin Aitken——分别以其真名、化名"Brendan"等不同身份出现。[1]
此前，Fazal因与播客主持人Ryan Naumenko合作制作播客节目而受到处分。[1]该播客接受了非法加密赌场Vegastars的赞助，导致他被停职。[1]最终，Fazal于2026年5月被ABC解雇，目前正向公平工作委员会提出申诉。[1]根据内部风险评估系统，这两期问题节目曾被标记为"amber"级别，需要高层管理人员Jo Puccini签字批准。[1]
在申诉过程中，Fazal声称自己遭受种族刻板印象对待，并称被贬低为"多元化招聘"。[1]
Australia's public broadcaster ABC withdrew two episodes of its flagship investigative program Four Corners in July 2024 following revelations that journalist Mahmood Fazal had repeatedly used the same anonymous source across multiple reports under different identities.[1] The source, artist Benjamin Aitken, appeared in the episodes under his real name as well as the alias "Brendan," according to internal staff findings that triggered the retraction.[1]
The scandal extends beyond the sourcing issues. Fazal had previously been suspended after collaborating on a podcast with Ryan Naumenko that received sponsorship from an illegal cryptocurrency casino called Vegastars.[1] He was ultimately dismissed by ABC in May 2026 and has since filed an appeal with the Fair Work Commission.[1] The two retracted episodes—"Cocaine Nation" and "Meth Highway"—had been flagged as "amber" level in the broadcaster's risk assessment system, requiring sign-off from senior editor Jo Puccini before airing.[1]
Fazal has contested his treatment, claiming he faced racial stereotyping and was diminished as a "diversity hire."[1]