the Seychelles: “The Seychelles: Bill Amending the International Business Companies Act 1994,” LCG International, http://www.lcg-international.net/IBC-Companies-are-no-longer-pe.949.0.html.
In May, the BVI Financial Services Commission contacted Mossfon: https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/10062310.
the Mubaraks (including another son, Gamal) were arrested: Associated Press, “Egypt Court Orders Release of Hosni Mubarak’s Sons,” Guardian, October 12, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/12/egypt-court-hosni-mubarak-sons-gamal-alaa-release-corruption-conviction; and Greg Botelho, “Egypt Court Rejects Mubarak’s Bid to Throw Out Corrupt Sentence,” CNN, January 9, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/09/middleeast/egypt-mubarak-corruption-appeal/.
“You don’t think when Mubarak walks through the door”: Author interview with Jürgen Mossack, May 2017.
Mossfon was able to provide the true owner’s name for just five of those requests: David Pegg and Helena Bengtsson, “British Virgin Islands Failed to Crack Down on Mossack Fonseca,” Guardian, April 4, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/04/british-virgin-islands-failed-to-crack-down-on-mossack-fonseca-panama-papers.
about thirty of the firm’s shell companies: Email from Sandra de Cornejo to Josette Roquebert, et al., August 8, 2013.
a group of mostly elderly tourists boarded the Ethan Allen: “More Lawsuits Filed in Capsizing of Ethan Allen,” North Country Gazette, February 19, 2016, http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/021906BoatLawsuits.html.
The Coast Guard later determined: National Transportation Safety Board, “Marine Accident Report: Capsizing of New York State-Certificated Vessel Ethan Allen, Lake George, New York, October 2, 2005,” July 25, 2006, https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MAR0603.pdf.
There were forty-seven aboard: Richard Pérez-Peña, “21 Die in Sinking of Tourist Boat in Adirondacks,” New York Times, October 3, 2005, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/03/nyregion/21-die-in-sinking-of-tourist-boat-in-adirondacks.html.
His body was found the next day: “Police: LG Drowning Was Suicide,” Post Star, September 14, 2009, http://poststar.com/news/local/police-lg-drowning-was-suicide/article_d2a184bb-3cec-56c3-b020-876bf1cc4181.html.
it would appear that the removals had happened prior to his conviction: Email from Sandra de Cornejo to Josette Roquebert, et al., August 8, 2013
the French television journalist Edouard Perrin struck gold: Author interview with Edouard Perrin, August 2016.
Richard Murphy, an accountant and cofounder of the organization: http://www.internationaltaxreview.com/Article/3288256/Richard-Murphy.html.
Richard Brooks, a former investigator: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/richard-brooks.
Kohl had run Sociétés 6: Matthew Karnitschnig and Robin van Daalen, “Business-Friendly Bureaucrat Helped Build Tax Haven in Luxembourg,” Wall Street Journal, October 21, 2014, https://www.wsj.com/articles/luxembourg-tax-deals-under-pressure-1413930593.
There were hundreds of companies: Leslie Wayne, Kelly Carr, Marina Walker Guevara, Mar Cabra, and Michael Hudson, “Leaked Documents Expose Global Companies’ Secret Tax Deals in Luxembourg,” International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, November 5, 2014, https://www.icij.org/project/luxembourg-leaks/leaked-documents-expose-global-companies-secret-tax-deals-luxembourg.
The agreements themselves were often quite complex: “12 LuxLeaks Diagrams That Will Make Your Head Spin,” Guardian, November 7, 2014, https://www.theguardian.com/business/gallery/2014/nov/07/12-luxleaks-diagrams-that-will-make-your-head-spin.
the Illinois-based pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories: Wayne et al., “Leaked Documents Expose Global Companies’ Secret Tax Deals in Luxembourg.”
the Australian division of the Swedish furniture giant IKEA: Neil Chenoweth, “Why IKEA’s Australian Profits Are Mostly Tax Free,” International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, November 6, 2014, https://www.icij.org/project/luxembourg-leaks/why-ikeas-australian-profits-are-mostly-tax-free.
reduce its tax burden in the places where it actually earned the profits: Wayne et al., “Leaked Documents Expose Global Companies’ Secret Tax Deals in Luxembourg.”
On April 21, 2010, he had been exceptionally efficient: Omri Marian, “The State Administration of International Tax Avoidance,” Harvard Business Law Review 7, no. 1 (2017): 1–65, http://www.hblr.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/The-State-Administration-of-International-Tax-Avoidance.pdf.
Many of these firms also took advantage of laws: Jan Kleinnijenhuis, “Is Your Head Spinning? 5 Tips to Understand the ‘Lux Leaks’ Files,” International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, November 10, 2014, https://www.icij.org/project/luxembourg-leaks/your-head-spinning-5-tips-understand-lux-leaks-files.
His hourlong report for the program Cash Investigations: “Paradis Fiscaux, les petits secrets des grandes entreprises,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=123_Ll6AVtM.
14: TROUBLE AHEAD, TROUBLE BEHIND
all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court: Ken Parks, Nicole Hong, and Brent Kendall, “Supreme Court Sides with Holdout Creditors Appeal in Argentina Debt Case,” Wall Street Journal, June 16, 2014, https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-supreme-court-rejects-argentina-appeal-in-sovereign-debt-case-1402926119.
“freedom, sovereignty, or dignity”: “Argentina’s Vulture, Paul Singer, Is Wall Street Freedom Fighter,” Bloomberg, August 8, 2014,
video testimony of alleged associates of Báez: Santiago Pérez and Taos Turner, “In Argentina, Mix of Money and Politics Stirs Intrigue Around Kirchner,” Wall Street Journal, July 28, 2014, https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-argentina-mix-of-money-and-politics-stirs-intrigue-around-kirchner-1406601002.
The illicit loot was destined for foreign bank accounts: “Jorge Lanata mostró la ruta del dinero de Lázaro Báez,” La Nación, April 15, 2013, http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1572765-lanata-mostro-la-ruta-del-dinero-de-lazaro-baez.
Báez allegedly sent it back to the Kirchners: Hugo Alconada Mon, “Báez ‘alquiló’ los tres hoteles de los Kirchner por $14,5 millones,” La Nación, December 17, 2013, http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1648473-baez-alquilo-los-tres-hoteles-de-los-kirchner-por-145-millones.
one of Mossfon’s most prolific nominees: Tomás Ocaña, “La oficinista de las 11,000 empresas,” Univision, April 2, 2016, http://www.univision.com/noticias/papeles-de-panama/la-oficinista-de-las-11-000-empresas.
Paul Singer’s team then sought to depose Patricia Amunategui: NML Capital, Ltd. v. The Republic of Argentina, United States District Court, Nevada, Case no. 2:14-cv-492-RFB-VCF, Videographed Deposition of Patricia Amunategui, September 11, 2014.
“I’m worried about Miss Patricia”: Luis Martínez, email to Ernesto González et al., September 17, 2004, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2792783-160403-background-02.html.
Gerard Ryle and Marina Walker replicated it for the HSBC investigation: https://www.icij.org/project/779/partners.
from Ian Fleming: https://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/45912/swiss-bank-account-references-in-the-bond-films-and-novels/.
to Robert Ludlum: http://allthetropes.wikia.com/wiki/Swiss_Bank_Account.
approximately $1.36 billion in unpaid taxes: Martha M. Hamilton, Jakob Sorgenfri, and John Hansen, “New Countries Seek HSBC Data and Undeclared Cash,” International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, February 23, 2015, https://www.icij.org/project/swiss-leaks/new-countries-seek-hsbc-data-and-undeclared-cash.
Linkurious downloaded it to create a product demonstration: Jean Villedieu, “Analysing the Offshore Leaks with Graphs,” Linkurious, May 27, 2014, https://linkurio.us/blog/analysing-the-offshore-leaks-with-graphs/.
Botín’s company, North Star Overseas Enterprises Inc.: https://projects.icij.org/swiss-leaks/people/emilio-botin.
Clicking on each: Jean Villedieu, “How the ICIJ Used Linkurious to Reveal the Secrets Hidden in the Swiss Leaks Data,” Linkurious, June 18, 2015, https://linkurio.us/blog/how-the-icij-used-linkurious-to-reveal-the-secrets-hidden-in-th
e-swiss-leaks-data/.
A French government investigation: M. Christian Eckert, Information Report to the National Assembly, p. 19.
the Belgian diamond dealer Emmanuel Shallop: Mario Stäuble, “Das sagt die HSBC über ihre Geschäftspraxis,” Basler Zeitung, February 8, 2015, http://bazonline.ch/schweiz/swissleaks/Das-sagt-die-HSBC-ueber-ihre-Geschaeftspraxis/story/23435911.
Shallop was found guilty in the Belgian Court of Appeals: United Nations Security Council Committee Established Pursuant to Resolution 1572, Final Report of the Group of Experts on Côte d’Ivoire, April 27, 2011.
A UN-sponsored court: “S Leone War Crimes Trio Convicted,” Al Jazeera, February 25, 2009, http://www.webcitation.org/68rsEYVOi.
He received a $12 million loan from the state bank: Gustavo Olivo Peña, “Del caso Arturo del Tiempo, en RD todo ‘se esfumó,’ sólo quedó la torre Atiemar,” Acento, February 14, 2014, http://acento.com.do/2014/actualidad/1164513-del-caso-arturo-del-tiempo-en-rd-todo-se-esfumo-solo-quedo-la-torre-atiemar/.
It would take the publication of the HSBC files: Daniele Grasso, Ryan Chittum, Jake Bernstein, and Michael Hudson, “Los negocios sucios de Mossack Fonseca con delincuentes y convictos españoles,” El Confidencial, May 10, 2016, http://www.elconfidencial.com/economia/papeles-panama/2016-05-10/papeles-panama-papers-criminales-convictos-delincuentes-mossack-fonseca_1197210/.
“I never had any problems with Juncker”: Karnitschnig and van Daalen, “Business-Friendly Bureaucrat Helped Build Tax Haven in Luxembourg.”
to investigate Luxembourg’s tax agreements: Julie Levy-Abegnoli, “Juncker Faces Further ‘LuxLeaks’ Probing,” Parliament Magazine, January 16, 2015, https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/news/juncker-faces-further-luxleaks-probing.
One of its vice chairs was Eva Joly: “EP Tax Evasion Investigation Kicks Off; Proper Inquiry Must Be Swiftly Ramped-Up,” Sven Giegold, February 26, 2015, http://www.sven-giegold.de/2015/ep-tax-evasion-investigation-kicks-off-proper-inquiry-must-be-swiftly-ramped-up/.
The committee was scathing: Levy-Abegnoli, “Juncker Faces Further ‘LuxLeaks’ Probing.”
He easily beat back a no-confidence vote: Philip Blenkinsop, “EU’S Juncker Survives No-Confidence Vote over Tax Deals,” Reuters, November 27, 2014, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-juncker-idUSKCN0JB13Q20141127.
the military security contractor Blackwater: Richard Lardner, “Blackwater Hires PR Giant in Image Siege,” USA Today, October 5, 2007, https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-10-05-2348857332_x.htm.
Blackwater lost its State Department contract: Charley Keyes, “Source: Firm to Take Over Blackwater/Xe’s Iraq Contract,” CNN, April 1, 2009, http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/01/us.iraq.security/.
which had Mossfon companies in the BVI: Adam Weinstein, Catherine Dunn, Miriti Murungi, and Fusion Investigative Unit, “Panama Papers Include One of U.S.’s Biggest Wartime Military Contractors,” Fusion, April 13, 2016, http://fusion.net/story/289615/panama-papers-leak-military-contractor-triple-canopy/.
Geneva’s lead prosecutor, Olivier Jornot: Hamish Boland-Rudder, “HSBC’s Geneva Office Raided as Swiss Open Investigation,” International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, February 18, 2015, https://www.icij.org/blog/2015/02/hsbcs-geneva-office-raided-swiss-open-investigation.
The bank would pay $43 million: Joshua Franklin and Stephanie Nebehay, “HSBC to Pay $43 Million Geneva Money Laundering Settlement,” Reuters, June 4, 2015, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-hsbc-tax-swiss-idUSKBN0OK1G220150604.
15: FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD
Commerzbank, Germany’s second-largest bank: Labutes IR, “Commerzbank Is a Value Trap,” Seeking Alpha, November 9, 2016, https://seekingalpha.com/article/4021438-commerzbank-value-trap.
Commerzbank insisted that the inquiry dealt with ancient history: Bastian Brinkmann, Hans Leyendecker, Bastian Obermayer, and Klaus Ott, “Wie Fahnder gegen das System Luxemburg losschlagen,” Süddeutsche Zeitung, February 25, 2015, http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/ermittlungen-wegen-steuerhinterziehung-wie-fahnder-gegen-das-system-luxemburg-losschlagen-1.2366065.
“We are talking about a big fish here”: Bastian Brinkmann, Katrin Langhans, and Bastian Obermayer, “Datenleck erschüttert Offshore-Dienstleister in Panama,” Süddeutsche Zeitung, February 25, 2015, http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/kanzlei-mossack-fonseca-datenleck-erschuettert-offshore-dienstleister-in-panama-1.2365907.
to sell compact discs to the government of North Rhine–Westphalia: Edward Taylor, Matthias Inverardi, and Mark Hosenball, “Special Report: How Germany’s Taxman Used Stolen Data to Squeeze Switzerland,” Reuters, November 21, 2013, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-swiss-datatheft-specialreport-idUSBRE9AK0GT20131121.
paying $1.14 million for the information: Sean Sinico, “Germany Probed Mossack Fonseca Before Panama Papers Leak,” DW, April 6, 2016, http://www.dw.com/en/germany-probed-mossack-fonseca-before-panama-papers-leak/a-19166145.
Germany was not the only customer for the data: Hans Leyendecker, Bastian Obermayer, and Klaus Ott, “Steueraffäre erschüttert Commerzbank,” Süddeutsche Zeitung, February 25, 2015, https://web.archive.org/web/20150226064048/http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/luxemburg-steueraffaere-erschuettert-commerzbank-1.2366678.
Commerzbank paid a €17 million fine: “Commerzbank zahlt 17 Millionen Euro Bußgeld,” Frankfurter Rundschau, October 14, 2015, http://www.fr.de/wirtschaft/dossier/commerzbank/steuerhinterziehung-commerzbank-zahlt-17-millionen-euro-bussgeld-a-429348.
in a book he coauthored with fellow Süddeutsche reporter Frederik Obermaier: Bastian Obermayer and Frederik Obermaier, The Panama Papers: Breaking the Story of How the Rich and Powerful Hide Their Money (London: Oneworld Publications, 2016).
bank transfer information for almost $500 million in gold: Frederik Obermaier, Bastian Obermayer, and Jan Strozyk, “Searching for Gold,” Süddeutsche Zeitung, n.d., http://panamapapers.sueddeutsche.de/articles/570e7bb4a1bb8d3c3495bb08/.
interviewed Switzerland’s own Christoph Zollinger: Mario Stäuble, “Der Offshorepilot,” Tages Anzeiger, April 27, 2015, http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/wirtschaft/standard/Der-Offshorepilot/story/17029354.
a slick, albeit unintentionally comical, promotional video: “‘Spirit of Panama’—ein Bobteam auf Mission,” SRF video, 9:38, January 16, 2012, http://www.srf.ch/play/tv/sportlounge/video/spirit-of-panama-ein-bobteam-auf-mission?id=f839d563-832e-4be4-aa21-d84ff07f2a3c.
Fonseca went on television and called the president an autocrat: “Ramón Fonseca Mora Fired After Defending Panameñista Position on Television News Program,” Panama Guide, May 30, 2011, www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20110530164555784; and interview with Ramón Fonseca.
where he faces criminal charges over misuse of public money: Curt Anderson, “Judge: Panama Ex-President Should Be Extradited from US,” Associated Press, August 31, 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/judge-panama-ex-president-should-be-extradited-from-us/2017/08/31/d872dad8-8e89-11e7-9c53-6a169beb0953_story.html?utm_term=.4b3d4cb6141f.
Jóhannesson would essentially be suing himself: Paul Fontaine, “How a Tycoon Almost Sued Himself,” Reykjavík Grapevine, January 14, 2013, https://grapevine.is/news/2013/01/14/how-tycoon-almost-sued-himself/.
one of the most powerful combat vessels in Starfleet: http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Prometheus_class.
16: COLLABORATION TRIUMPHS
Rita Vásquez could not stifle a sense of foreboding: Author interview with Rita Vásquez, Panama, August 2016.
La Prensa’s staff formed a human chain: Rubén Polanco, “Concerns Raised over TCT Decision,” La Prensa, July 16, 2015, http://www.prensa.com/in_english/TCT-corprensa_21_4256034357.html.
Video shows angry Panamanians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzK-1Az8s4s.
a midsize Panamanian law firm that provided offshore services: http://sucre.net/.
much of Panama’s political and economic elite worked in the offshore industry: Michael Hudson, Will Fitzgibbon, Emilia Díaz-Struck,
and Sol Lauría, “Panama’s Revolving Door Shows Global Challenge of Offshore Reform,” International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, December 19, 2016, https://panamapapers.icij.org/20161219-panama-offshore-reform-challenge.html.
It was like planning a wedding: Author interview with Mar Cabra, August 2016.
Caruana Galizia found the answer in parallel processing: Author interview with Matthew Caruana Galizia, July 2016.
an over-the-top in-house video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkz-hjpch38.
an animation he had created: Jóhannes Kr. Kristjánsson, “Alleged Market Manipulation of Kaupthing Bank,” December 2011, https://vimeo.com/41317731.
“To create a genuine growth strategy for ICIJ”: “Making a Difference: How ICIJ will Continue Changing the World of Investigative Journalism,” Growth Plan, Final Draft, ICIJ, January 2016.
vice president and general manager of digital operations at CNN International: “Change of Leadership at the Center for Public Integrity,” Center for Public Integrity, November 15, 2016, https://www.publicintegrity.org/2016/11/15/20470/change-leadership-center-public-integrity.
Now, in Laurin’s opinion, Bale was talking like a politician: Author interview with Fredrik Laurin, November 2016.
Not only did the prime minister have a secret offshore company: Frederik Obermaier and Bastian Obermayer, “A Storm Is Coming,” Süddeutsche Zeitung, n.d., http://panamapapers.sueddeutsche.de/articles/56fec0cda1bb8d3c3495adfc/.
He labored alone in his apartment: Author interview with Jóhannes Kristjánsson, Iceland, September 2016.
For his part, Ryle wanted to ensure the Icelandic reporter: Author interview with Gerard Ryle, Washington, DC, October 2016.
the Minister’s Residence at Tjarnargata: https://eng.forsaetisraduneyti.is/ministry/ministers-residence/.
The Mossfon files stayed with Prometheus: “Panama Papers Source Offers Documents to Governments, Hints at More to Come,” International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, May 6, 2016, https://panamapapers.icij.org/20160506-john-doe-statement.html.
Secrecy World Page 36
