Pandora papers: biggest ever leak of offshore data exposes financial secrets of rich and powerful

[Deep State Witch]

In the Guardian and also the WaPo (paywalled).

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021/oct/03/pandora-papers-biggest-ever-leak-of-offshore-data-exposes-financial-secrets-of-rich-and-powerful?fbclid=IwAR3xJXRYcwvA3lrpTw0w_Uzs5IB630RNnWgQRhhF0Q6g-B8OQqJ0etqaggk

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2021/pandora-papers-offshore-finance/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F34dda6f%2F6159e11d9d2fda9d41f8b3bf%2F596ce346ade4e24119d8bdaf%2F9%2F74%2F6159e11d9d2fda9d41f8b3bf

Millions of documents reveal offshore deals and assets of more than 100 billionaires, 30 world leaders and 300 public officials

Guardian investigations team
Sun 3 Oct 2021 12.30 EDT

The secret deals and hidden assets of some of the world’s richest and most powerful people have been revealed in the biggest trove of leaked offshore data in history.

Branded the Pandora papers, the cache includes 11.9m files from companies hired by wealthy clients to create offshore structures and trusts in tax havens such as Panama, Dubai, Monaco, Switzerland and the Cayman Islands.

They expose the secret offshore affairs of 35 world leaders, including current and former presidents, prime ministers and heads of state. They also shine a light on the secret finances of more than 300 other public officials such as government ministers, judges, mayors and military generals in more than 90 countries.

Most interesting: The Pandora papers also place a revealing spotlight on the offshore system itself. In a development likely to prove embarrassing for the US president, Joe Biden, who has pledged to lead efforts internationally to bring transparency to the global financial system, the US emerges from the leak as a leading tax haven. The files suggest the state of South Dakota, in particular, is sheltering billions of dollars in wealth linked to individuals previously accused of serious financial crimes.

[Me.]

1. We Need Some Names Here

Presidents?

[Nevilledog]

4. Thread here with names

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1444703213349969929.html

[Deep State Witch]

5. WaPo Going To Be Publishing US Names Tomorrow

Stories tomorrow will more closely explore U.S. aspects of this system, including the harm caused by U.S. tax havens and how Americans accused of wrongdoing can escape financial consequences by using offshore entities. In subsequent days, stories will examine the looting of Asian artifacts, survey the hidden wealth of billionaires who appear in the files, and trace the impact of U.S. sanctions on Russian oligarchs.

[Me.]

9. THankee Kindly

[2naSalit]

2. ...

[RANDYWILDMAN]

3. What does Kristi Noem know and when did she know it ?

I'm shocked, the wealthy are hiding money, what will be done about it, not much.

[gldstwmn]

6. Someone is really trying to derail Kristi Noem's bid for higher office.

At this point I have little faith that anyone will even look into this.

[malaise]

7. I see South Dakota again

Oops!

[PSPS]

8. These were actually revealed five years ago. This is news because many more have been leaked.

At least $11.3tn in wealth is held offshore, according to a 2020 study by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). “This is money that is being lost to treasuries around the world and money that could be used to recover from Covid,” Ryle said. “We’re losing out because some people are gaining. It’s as simple as that. It’s a very simple transaction that’s going on here.”

[Myrddin]

10. Useful Live Updates: UK Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/news/live/2021/oct/04/pandora-papers-live-sunak-says-hmrc-will-review-leaked-documents

[kentuck]

11. The most disturbing info in the article...

... is about how some states, such as Nevada and South Dakota (would we include Wyoming and Delaware also) are acting as offshore agents for the wealthy. The corruption is almost uncontrollable.

[lindysalsagal]

13. And we have polygamist compounds in utah where women and children have no civil rights, and

all of us suffer from uncontrolled gun violence. Yet we allow this kind of money hoarding. At least we're starting to approach some kind of universal health care, albeit in drips and drabs.

[bullwinkle428]

12. The Progressive Caucus needs to stand in front of cameras today, and state

that this is exactly what Kyrsten Sinema is attempting to defend, when she claims that there's no way that anyone's taxes should be raised.