The “Panama Papers” database went live and searchable today, stripping the veil of secrecy from thousands of offshore shell companies and the people who have used them to launder money, hide evidence of crimes, and keep income from the taxman.
The whistleblower behind the Panama Papers broke their silence on Friday to explain in detail how the injustices of offshore tax havens drove them to the biggest data leak in history.
The offices of the firm at the centre of the Panama Papers revelations were raided by police officers on Tuesday as investigators prepared to meet in Paris to launch an unprecedented inquiry into global tax evasion.
PARIS — The law firm at the center of the Panama offshore accounts scandal routinely usurped the name of the Red Cross and other charities to help obscure the origin of millions of dollars in questionable funds, two newspapers involved in the investigation reported Sunday.
The Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler, who made his fortune in diamonds and mining, is mentioned more than 200 times in the Panama Papers.
The law firm at the center of the Panama Papers leak acted for an Iranian oil company that had been blacklisted by the U.S., the Guardian reported, citing the leaked documents.
Icelandic prime minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson resigned Tuesday, after condemning revelations in the Panama Papers that landed him and his wife in hot water.
Israel has launched a probe into companies and individuals exposed by the “Panama Papers” data leak to have holdings in offshore accounts.
In accordance with national laws and international agreements, firms such as Mossack Fonseca, which help establish companies and open bank accounts, are supposed to be wary of customers who may be involved in money laundering, tax evasion or other crimes.
Mossack Fonseca, the Panama-based law firm at the heart of the so-called “Panama Papers” scandal, is a discreet outfit with a roster of big-name clients and a quiet reputation for hiding money from the tax man.