By Rudi Maxwell

Topic: Journalism

Thursday, 28 May 2026, at 9:28 am

Mahmood Fazal no longer works at the ABC.

In short:

Former Four Corners reporter Mahmood Fazal has been fired by the ABC.

Fazal was part of an internal ABC investigation after he appeared on a podcast without his manager's approval.

What's next?

Fazal and his lawyer have been asked for a comment.

Four Corners reporter Mahmood Fazal has been fired by the ABC, said managing director Hugh Marks.

Fazal was investigated for appearing on a podcast with a former underworld figure.

Marks said that after the investigation, Fazal was fired.

The investigation found that Fazal should no longer be paid by the ABC.

In October 2025, Media Watch reported that Fazal worked on a podcast called Word on the Street.

The podcast was hosted by independent journalist Ryan Naumenko, but they had a falling out.

Naumenko said that Fazal asked for payment in cryptocurrency without telling his ABC supervisor.

Fazal said he agreed to the podcast, thinking he had his manager's approval.

Fazal connected Naumenko with production contacts and paid contractors for their work.

Fazal denies the allegations made by Naumenko.

The ABC said Fazal's manager approved the podcast interview, but not the final work.

After the interview aired, Fazal's manager withdrew his approval.

Mahmood Fazal used to be part of the Mongols, an outlaw motorcycle club.

Fazal is a journalist who specializes in crime and has won awards.

Before working at Four Corners, Fazal was an investigative reporter for ABC RN's Background Briefing.

Fazal used to work for VICE as a senior staff writer and host.

His reporting has appeared in many newspapers and magazines.

Fazal's contacts helped him get stories about crime and gangs.

But they also got him into trouble, with reports that he passed on threatening messages.

A podcaster's house was firebombed, and someone associated with a crime family was jailed.

Fazal said the stories about him were fabricated.

Fazal's lawyers asked for a story to be taken down and for an apology and money.

Mahmood Fazal won awards for his journalism.

ABC managers were asked about Fazal at a Senate hearing.

They were asked if Fazal was a suitable person to work at Four Corners.

Fang said that Fazal had denied the allegations and the ABC had referred the matters to the police.

Fazal had been a journalist before joining the ABC and had won awards.

Fazal brought his journalistic background and stories to the ABC.

Fazal was part of an outlaw motorcycle club, but then became a journalist.

Marks said that Fazal was honest about his past with organized crime.

Fazal had left the motorcycle club, studied, and become a journalist.

Marks said that Fazal's past connections helped him tell important stories.

Fazal has been asked for a comment.

Thursday, 28 May 2026, at 9:28 am

Thursday, 28 May 2026, at 12:05 pm

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