Posted on 04/04/2016 9:45:35 AM PDT by Lorianne
A group of news media outlets published articles on Sunday based on what they said were 11.5 million leaked documents from a Panama law firm that helped some of the world’s wealthiest people — including politicians, athletes and business moguls — establish offshore bank accounts.
The German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung said its reporters had obtained the documents from a confidential source. The newspaper then shared the files with other media organizations, like The Guardian and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
In an article, the investigative journalism organization said the documents revealed the offshore accounts of 140 politicians and public officials, including a dozen current and former world leaders and several individuals with close ties to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
It is not illegal in many cases to have offshore bank accounts. But they are used in some instances by wealthy individuals and criminals to hide money and business transactions, and to avoid paying taxes.
The revelations also touched Ukraine’s president, Petro O. Poroshenko, who was elected in the aftermath of the political upheaval in the country in 2014 that led to the annexation of Crimea and open conflict with Russia in eastern Ukraine.
Mr. Poroshenko, a tycoon with assets in television and a chocolatier before his entrance into politics, pledged to divest himself of his holdings but instead moved the assets into an offshore company in the British Virgin Islands, according to the consortium’s reporting. It said that Mr. Poroshenko, who has received political support from the United States, had not disclosed the arrangement.
The documents also contained information about how some foreign leaders used foundations and companies in Panama to anonymously own mining companies and real estate, according to the consortium.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Other than Mr. Poroshenko (who is either a sacrificial lamb or being thrown under the bus), most of the leaders seem to have opposed either the US or the international bankers. (e.g. Iceland politician, payback for imprisoning bankers)
Dollars to donuts, it was probably the CIA or another alphabet intelligence agency.
Obama ?
How can it be ?
“A group of news media outlets published articles on Sunday based on what they said were 11.5 million leaked documents from a Panama law firm...”
I love the smell of billable hours in the morning...
If they work the deal so it isn't transacted anywhere that would tax it, then more power to them!
I am more interested in why this was leaked as well-who is the target? And why now...
Maybe this will be the top story all week long and into the Sunday talking head shows, while another top story is dumped on Friday, hoping no one notices it...
I also read in a related story at the Daily Mail that one of the Panama dudes has had ties to Cuba,the CIA...what a tangled web....
Iceland’s Prime Minister is caught up in this scandal along with his wife.
A no-confidence vote is planned but here is a picture tweeted from inside the Parliament building looking out in the last hour.
A crowd demanding the PM resign over the “Panama Papers” story.
https://twitter.com/asta_fish/status/717033180621094912
Putin is mixed in this, an obvious target of wrath along with the Ukrainian President Poroshenko, no friend of Vlad’s.
Thanks for that.
I am also a kind of person who wonders as to the timing of stuff.
Example, John Kerry visiting Azerbaijan March 31 and then a day or two later Azerbaijan military attacks Armenian troops. It looks like Kerry gave them the green light to attack.
Not sure why the US wants to start a war...
Russia/Armenia/Syria/Kurds vs Turkey/Azerbaijan
“Not sure why the US wants to start a war...”
Everything the Obamslut administration does is intended to harm the United States. Once you accept that, they become predictable.
This story could have major global impact
Any American Politicians on the list?
Putin is not mentioned in the Panama docs. Russians are but not Putin.
The media makes much of the Russians named being associates of Putin, a ‘guilt by association’ drips from their reporting.
I noticed this hyped up big-time by US and Brit press....special graphics with Putin inserted. So far....not a single dime of Putin’s money in this episode.
One business guy interviewed via German news noted that there’s nothing illegal in doing any of this business, unless you avoided reporting income from these offshore accounts.
What amazes me is that there are 11 million documents in this batch....in varying languages. Even if I had a hundred CIA analysts working full-time for two years...I doubt if we’d be able to cover more than a quarter of the documentation. These journalists involved? Maybe two or three hundred man-hours that they’ve probably put into this effort?
It sounds like a failed CIA data dump.
The curious part is that the journalists seem not to care who provided them the data or under what reason. It looks like a herd of cows given grazing and they will move toward that spot.
If you were these offshore-customers now....wouldn’t you react quickly...shutting down your account and move the money somewhere else? Maybe this was designed in some way to motivate people to do this?
Maybe this was designed in some way to motivate people to do this?
Perhaps NSA or FBI watching for wire transfers- follow the money
I doubt it will have any impact whatsoever. These are very powerful people we are dealing with. Do you believe ANY of them are going to rat each other out? Not a chance. The bankers, lawyers, politicians, et al, will protect each other at all costs. If you are a member of their club you have nothing to worry about.
This story will be spiked and buried by weeks end. Count on it.
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