Panama Papers - Huge tax leak exposes Putin aides, world leaders, stars

[OmCheeto]

It looks as though I haven't made an update in about a week.

Some snippets inspired by Bastian's tweets:
[/PLAIN]
1.

[/PLAIN] Panama Papers include one of U.S.’s biggest wartime military contractors
4/13/2016
​

As far as I can tell, this multi-billion dollar company, which I had never heard of, acquired an offshore shell company to; "...avoid paying U.S. taxes, avoid U.S. criminal investigations and jurisdiction, and avoid having to appear before Congress."

From wiki, regarding the company:

Triple Canopy

Founded: 2003
Revenue: unknown
Net income: unknown​

I call them a multi-billion dollar company based on the comment from the article; "Four months after that hearing, the State Department awarded Triple Canopy a contract worth nearly a billion dollars to protect U.S. diplomats traveling in Iraq."​

2. [translated from Spanish]

[José Manuel] Soria resigns by 'papers Panama'
4/15/2016(?)

Until today the acting minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism [of Spain] has announced his resignation. In a statement it acknowledged "mistakes" in the explanations but does not support any irregularity​

3.

Panama Papers reveal shell companies linked to Africa’s richest man
4/15/2016

The Panama Papers have blown open evidence that Nigerian tycoon Aliko Dangote is tied to mysterious firms in tax havens around the globe.​

4.

Panama Papers: “Armenian Master Of Offshores” Resigns
4/18/2016

Armenia’s Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer submitted his resignation today after revelations that he owns shares in three companies registered in Panama, OCCRP partner Hetq.am said.​

5. [translated from German]

Panama bows to international pressure
4/19/2016

After considerable international pressure Panama will continue to exchange tax information with other countries.
Also, there will in future no longer be allowed to own anonymous companies. The announced Panamanian President Varela.​

6.

A question-answer session hosted by reddit.
Hint: Read only the questions, and answers by SZ_investigativ. The follow up comments will eat your brain. Except for the one regarding Bastian's cookie recipe. That was kind of funny.

We are the investigative journalists who worked on the Panama Papers AMA! [AMA=Ask Me Anything]
4/19/2016

Answering your questions today:
Frederik Obermaier, Investigative Reporter, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Twitter: @f_obermaier
Bastian Obermayer, Investigative Reporter, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Twitter: @b_obermayer
Vanessa Wormer, Data Journalist, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Twitter: @Remrow​

7.

Ming Pao newspaper union ‘extremely angered’ by sudden firing of executive chief editor
4/20/2016​

Apparently he was fired, not for being a "Panama Paper" financial crook, but for publishing an article about it in their newspaper, the Hong Kong Free Press. Perhaps the HKFP should drop the "Free Press" from their name?​

And I shouldn't ignore Frederik.

Panama Papers: US launches criminal inquiry into tax avoidance claims
4/19/2016

The US Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the widespread international tax avoidance schemes exposed by the Panama Papers leak, published by the Guardian and other journalistic partners.​

Ok. That's enough for today.

 

[OmCheeto]

...
And didn't Obama once complain about this type of activity being centered in the Cayman Islands way back when? What ever happened to that story?
...

Ah ha! Someone must have tugged on his sleeve, and whispered; "Delaware..."

Trump and Clinton share Delaware tax 'loophole' address with 285,000 firms
Monday 25 April 2016

This squat, yellow brick office building just north of Wilmington’s rundown downtown is the registered address of more than 285,000 companies. That’s more than any other known address in the world, and 15 times more than the 18,000 registered in Ugland House, a five-storey building in the Cayman Islands that Barack Obama called “either the biggest building in the world, or the biggest tax scam on record..
...
The process of setting up a company in the state can be completed in just a few hours and requires less paperwork than registering for a library card in the state.

There are more than 1m companies registered in the state – more than Delaware’s population of 935,000.

That last statistic kills me.

 

[OmCheeto]

...crackpot conspiracy theory...

Was wondering the other day why I hadn't heard any news about the "Panama Papers" lately.
It struck me as a very significant news story, when it broke.
I thought to myself; "hmmm... what could have distracted an entire nation for a whole year?"
And then it hit me.

Anyways... back to the topic:

Somewhat semi-old news now:

Men at the center of Panama Papers scandal arrested [a month ago] (ref: CNN)

The two founders of the law firm at the center of 2016's explosive Panama Papers scandal are claiming innocence after they were arrested.

Ramón Fonseca and Jürgen Mossack both face charges of money laundering after authorities raided the firm's Panama City headquarters last Thursday. ​

 

[Andy SV]

Trump boasted he could stand on 5th avenue and shoot someone and he wouldn't lose any voters. That's what Greg is referencing.

well he was probably right