Excellence in Investigative Reporting
ABOUT THE WORK: The New York State Labor Department opened an investigation into Shen Yun’s treatment of its underage performers, forcing the group to register with the state and submit to greater scrutiny for the first time. Federal authorities have opened a separate inquiry into possible human trafficking of Shen Yun performers and supporters. A former dancer filed a class-action lawsuit alleging forced labor and other offenses. And sources inside the movement say working conditions for Shen Yun's young performers have improved, with the group now encouraging the use of health insurance and taking steps to make the touring schedule less punishing for underage performers.
Nicole Hong is an investigative reporter for The New York Times, where she focuses on coverage of the New York region for the Metro desk. She has previously reported on a wide range of beats, including federal law enforcement, New York City's economy and financial markets. Before joining The Times in 2019, she worked for seven years at The Wall Street Journal, where she was part of a team that won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in national reporting. She graduated from Northwestern University.
Michael Rothfeld is an investigative reporter on the Metro desk of The New York Times, where he has reported on the administration and corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, exploitation of children by the Chinese dance group Shen Yun, the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath, and the first impeachment of President Donald Trump. At The Wall Street Journal, Michael was part of the team that won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in national reporting for coverage of hush money deals made on behalf of Trump before his first election. That reporting led to the first indictment of Trump by the Manhattan district attorney and the federal guilty plea of his former lawyer. He co-wrote a book, “The Fixers,” about the scandal. At the Los Angeles Times, his stories on the abuse of government perks led to firings and resignations of cabinet members and state board members in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration. He also reported for Newsday and The Philadelphia Inquirer and was awarded the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism in 1998. He lives in Brooklyn and has two children.
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