Translate

Monday, 11 April 2016

The Panama Papers
(and BVI Offshoots)

The Master Lists


Global Terrorism in the Cyber-Technological Age
Since 9/11 the U.S. Treasury and IRS in cooperation with the governments of what are known as offshore 'tax havens' has been formulating a policy to ensure that the likelihood of a transfer of finance for terrorist or illegal purposes has been considerably reduced.
Most individuals who have liquid assets exceeding $10m U.S. also have access to good accountants.
In addition to this the Banks themselves and other providers of financial services which service their high-value clients were also keen to ensure that future business with such entities is not adversely affected through changing legislation.

Significant reporting changes have taken place in the offshore banking industry as a result of 9/11.
The changes were formulated in 2002 and hit the shores of Great Britain by 2005. Until around 2005 banking secrecy in the Channel Islands, Guernsey and the Isle of Man made it impossible for the IRS or the British Inland Revenue to even find out who owned what. Banking secrecy was still, in effect, almost absolute.
Most of the changes became law from 2015-2016 worldwide making  any offshore tax haven a 'terrorist' blacklisted country unless it implemented radical reporting changes to give the IRS full access to every account which any U.S. citizen had.
For this reason many offshore tax havens stopped taking U.S. clients in the forlorn hope of avoiding U.S. reporting requirements. The international laws however kept piling up making it difficult to maintain client confidentiality.
The same was happening Stateside as the IRS was reigning in those firms and entities who used offshore facilities worldwide to evade paying any taxation (tax evasion is illegal.)
As their offshore tax havens disappeared one by one global conglomerates (worth $ billions) sought innovative structures to retain their tax exemption or tax liability free status. In other words, they did not want to pay any tax at all – by finding a domicile (country) where it was possible to pay the minimum amount of tax – a small fraction of what they would be liable to pay if registered in the United States.

Exodus
Before the law changed, major Banks and accounting firms which serviced their high-value clients (clients with disposable investment income of $5-$10 million dollars to hundreds of millions of dollars) were scrupulous to make them aware of the changing legal reporting environments.
It was around this time and before the new laws became effective, that the last of the entities which utilized services in Panama for, lets say, purposes which might result in a Senate Select Committee Investigation, exited Panama, never to return.
So Panama (Panamanian financial and advisory firms) began to source a new type of offshore client from about 2006-2008.
High value clients were advised either to make declarations to the IRS about their Panama holdings or (and this was favored by most non-U.S. citizens) to seek a new offshore jurisdiction. It was possible (and quite legal) to do this because most offshore tax havens agreed time deadlines whereby the new reporting requirements would come into effect and the reporting rquirements and penalties of their respective home countries were not as draconian as those imposed under the new powers the IRS was given by the U.S. Federal government.
Some tax havens, like Lichtenstein, Monaco, Switzerland, Cayman Islands, for example, were treated more favorably than others. The benchmarks were set by the IRS.
All such agreements were highly publicized within the financial and legal communities worldwide.

Is Offshore Banking Illegal?
Do not believe what your mainstream media tells you about offshore banking.
More than 95% of all offshore bank accounts are totally legitimate and, at least since 2012 most were opened to avoid high taxation elsewhere (perfectly legal) to benefit from foreign currency exchange rates, as security in an uncertain world (it is estimated that more than 50% of all Saudi nationals have offshore bank accounts) to register companies engaged in global trade and investment.
There are an endless myriad of legitimate (i.e. perfectly legal) reasons wealthy individuals might choose to open an offshore bank account.

I Too Want My Piggy Bank Account In The British Virgin Islands! (BVI)
There is no law to stop anyone doing exactly this – and we would be doing nothing illegal having our humble piggy bank accounts in, say, the Cayman Islands or India, or China or South Africa or Brazil, provided we went about it the right way, fulfilling all local legal conditions and set up the right structures to satisfy the IRS, your local revenue (Taxation) Bureau or Department and the offshore country's legal accounting and reporting requirements - which they must have to satisfy international laws.
(The huge fees involved and annual servicing costs would, however, make such a new bank account impractical and too costly for most of us. Besides why open an account in Panama when you can open one on your local Main Street? For the average person, it simply makes no sense.)

Who Else Knows I Have A Panama Bank Account?
The governments of all offshore tax havens have mutual (reciprocal) international agreements in force to share data with a clients home country on request.
(Its the equivalent of an International Arrest Warrant: once a request for a clients financial data is received, it must be actioned with immediate effect by the offshore tax haven. The same applies if the tax haven country requests information about a client or entity from its home country.)

So even before the release of the Panama Papers, the IRS and Revenue Departments worldwide, by international agreements, have more than enough powers to request information about their citizens holding offshore bank accounts, securities or other assets.

After reading the above you might be slightly puzzled and be saying to yourself: 'if this is indeed the case as he says, then what's all the fuss about?'

KYC
Since 9/11 the banking industry worldwide implemented new training procedures – KYC – (know your client) so that managers could assist in identifying who owned which account – even dormant accounts. All such information was carefully compiled worldwide, starting with your local bank, and fed through to processing centers – not direct to the U.S. Treasury nor the IRS.
Ironically, new 'offshore' (outsourced) 'entities' (bank processing centers) were 'created' by the banking sector itself to circumvent local legislation which might prevent the transmission of confidential information about clients outside legal jurisdictions (such as, for example, outside the territorial jurisdiction of the European Union.) Loopholes were left in national and international legislation to ensure the smooth processing of a clients confidential data – sometimes via half way around the world. A processing center might be located in India, South Africa, Singapore, or Malaysia.)
Again there was nothing illegal about this. If you weigh up 9/11, anthrax attacks and the likelihood that terrorists would attempt to 'buy' weapons grade fissile materials or nuclear components, utilizing anonymous offshore accounts, then you can appreciate the fact that the U.S. was not going to be subjected to another 9/11 and all efforts were being taken to secure itself (and its allies) from such potential (and very real) threats worldwide.

9/11 and It's Aftermath

I want to return briefly to 9/11 because of the profound effect it has had worldwide.
The day this event took place I was laying a carpet in my Moms bedroom (the room she stayed in when visiting.)
I received a call from a friend to say that a terrorist attack was taking place in New York. It was such an incredible thing to hear on a quiet early afternoon (where I was) that I think I initially cracked a joke. My caller himself was a scientist and he had a 'gut instinct' about what was happening even before it was fully comprehended worldwide.
9/11 was a wake up call not just for America but hopefully for Russia, for China and for more vulnerable countries worldwide.

Do Terrorists Use Of International Banking Structures Pose A Credible Threat To Global Security?
In my personal opinion so many wealthy Saudi citizens support Wahhabism and Salafism - which gave birth to Al Qaeda and ISIL/Daesh – that I would want to know the background of clients whose accounts I was managing in an offshore country today.
I too have learnt a few things from 9/11– one of which is never underestimate the creative potential and abilities of terrorists.
I have absolutely no doubt that they (potential Jihadi terrorists) have infiltrated banking sectors, governments and NGOs in the U.S. , Europe, across India, Asia and Africa.
In my opinion, a prime target for a terrorist sleeper cell would be the outsourced banking center of a major European or U.S. bank located in the Third World. With fairly basic equipment, terabytes of data - names, addresses, bank details and other confidential and security information - could be transferred to Daesh or some future terrorist group at the stroke of a keyboard.
The Future of Terror
(The Shape Of Things To Come)
To you and me a dormant offshore bank account is exactly that – lacking or awaiting funds and in suspended animation.  To a terrorist that same dormant account might be a potential vehicle to use to pay for, say gene splicers. or the purchase of pieces of genomes - short pieces, to be linked together (synthesized) into larger and more complex structures, all very easy to purchase.
Consider the following: With the assistance of an insider (a sleeper) to ensure that the dormant account is 'quietly' activated, equipment and genes are bought to be shipped to a 'ghost' address.
When this one action has been completed the account is returned to its dormant state – and all this has happened without the legitimate account holders knowledge. (indeed the dormant account holder might be dead and even though the offshore bank quarterly or bi-annual statements reflect what has taken place, they are of little relevance.)

Generals and Politicians Both Prefer If Others Die For Their Mistakes
There is a saying that generals and politicians are 'always fighting the last war.' I have, in the course of my lifetime, met many of these naive individuals and not only would I agree with that statement but go much much further and assert that the 'corrupt' politics of today lends itself even more to a lack of focus on preventative planning and more on immediate wealth accumulation together with fiscal constraints on emergency planning and proactive countermeasures for systems and infrastructures about which they have, in the main, very limited (if any) knowledge.
For example, while there are systems in place to detect a bioterror attack at the macro level, the microsystems levels are fair game to the terrorist since most, because of their vastness, are impossible to protect in their totality and thus are open for exploitation.

Counterterrorism Is As Much About Intelligence As It Is About Identification Friend or Foe.
So it is with such issues in mind that the vast majority of illegal and criminal accounts which might have been affected by new international reporting requirements vacated Panama, leaving, on the whole, those like Premier Cameron's late father, like friends of President Vladimir Putin, who (may have or had) legitimate reasons for acting as powers of attorneys, trustors for 'anonymous' beneficiaries, representing entities which were compliant with local laws.
The fact that we might not like the tax laws in the Russian Federation or that they (offshore , settlors or entities) have failed in the matter of full disclosure to their respective tax authorities at home, is not the fault of Premier Cameron or Putin so long as they are not the known legal beneficiaries. British Premier Cameron has already said that he was a beneficiary from an entity set up by his deceased father and, whether you like it or not, was in compliance with the law of the country he currently stewards as Premier – the United Kingdom.


All The Presidents Men (and Women!)
None of the released Panama Papers show any direct link with President Putin. The fact that the media have chosen to allure allege imply or whatever else you want to call it does not represent the actual facts.
But anyone who reads or listens to – and believes - mainstream media's Daily Mirage worldwide is in serious need of medical assistance(!)
This cannot be said of other beneficiaries.
All Money Trails Lead To Putin (!)
(And That's a Fact!)
President Putin does not even feature as a beneficiary – perhaps to the annoyance of some - anywhere in the 'Panama Papers'.
There may be more to be released but nowhere has the ICIJ provided any categorical proof that Vladimir Putin's name can be found either at the HQ of Mossack Fonseca - or anywhere else in Panama or anywhere else in the Caribbean for that matter.
Even if he (or his family) is a beneficiary somewhere down the line, unless someone can provide the evidence, the case is just as flimsy as that evocated against British Premier Cameron.
A particular investigative analysis by Luke Harding of The British Guardian Newspaper (see reference section) provides excellent links – but when you look at the evidence provided that is what they all turn out to be – associates, friends, friends of friends, but, sadly, not President Putin.
Nowhere is there any evidence of President Putin being a direct beneficiary
nor has his name (or that of his Dad's!) been found on any bearer bonds, securities or any other asset documentation held by Mossack Fonseca in Panama.

The general public, however, will, more likely than not, miss this small (insignificant) detail in the 'rush to judgement' which the data invariably lends itself to – with regard to individual interpretation and decisions on which links are, or are not, relevant.

Ethics and Morality:


The issues of ethics and morality are different topics which I will not bore you with here. Having said that, it is on these latter issues that a section of the public have expressed 'moral' outrage in the United Kingdom.
Unlike the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom is an open society where higher standards of transparency are expected - especially from individuals in public life - and the Prime Minister's Office is seen as exemplifying the pinnacle of such ethos and principles in public life.
If Premier Cameron is to be criticized for anything it is the fact that he did not sit down with his accountant or financial and legal advisors before issuing any public statement on so private and personal a matter as 'family business' - now made public.
Again (and similar to my treatment of Putin above) other than moral opprobrium, there is no 'evidence' produced by Russia Today or any other media network by which the general public should believe Premier Cameron has acted improperly.
He survived Piggate, no doubt he will survive this morally reprehensible (?)
charge of benefiting from an offshore account – even though all the (Inland Revenue/IRS) paperwork is in order (!)

Legal Eagles

It is important to remember that no laws have been broken where a citizen or company transfers its assets to another legal jurisdiction to reduce their tax liability provided the legal reporting requirements in the offshore facility and local (indigenous) reporting (IRS) requirements have been met
according to national and international laws by those acting for the beneficiary - or himself or herself.
The Master Baiters:
Behind What ICIJ Has Publicly Released (The Master Lists)
With so much information (and disinformation) being manufactured on an hourly basis I thought I would give you something you will find difficult to obtain – 2 of the Master Lists worked on by the ICIJ.
From these two lists alone you can see that data has been redacted by the original sender.
This in itself is not proof of anything nefarious.
It does however suggest that whoever supplied the ICIJ had enough knowledge about the detail and detailed content (in the instances I present here) to selectively redact out of 750000 individual entities. This suggests a very high security level of database access within Mossack Fonseca. It also suggests capability to individually discriminate from millions or tens or even hundreds of millions of individual records according to highly selective parameters.
Capabilities such as this, I can assure you, are not available in Third World countries.
There are about 60 countries in the world which have such capabilities but only about thirty (maybe less) which would have the parameters to exactly identify which (entities) from tens of millions to include and which to omit to generate such a refined list as output for 'export' to the ICIJ.
This suggests to me (possible) consultation and pre-screening before the Master Lists were released to the ICIJ.
This all suggests to me more than one individual involved in the processing of the data after it was leaked from Mossack Fonseca.

Attached (see the attached .pdf files) you will find copies of two Master Lists.
Make up your own mind what you think is actually going on.
Ask yourself who benefits from discrediting Mossack Fonseca and its clients deserting it for elsewhere?
Why was Mossack Fonseca specifically targeted?
Were there legitimate reasons to bring down this company?
(Has it been knowingly involved in activities where its probity has been called into question?)
Are there more serious issues (FBI/DEA/ATF) yet pending?


Is My Name On Any 'Panama' List?
If your name appears on the attached Lists you might want to check again, just to be sure.
The lists contain just over half a million data records for companies, entities, officers and others acting for clients with offshore companies and bank accounts.
It is important to note that the ICIJ lists (in their totality) contain some 11 million files.



Background
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists(ICIJ) was given information pertaining to accounts held offshore. Researchers from ICIJ were assigned lists by regional breakdown and it is their research on which all the information below is based. 
 

Why The BVI?

Since the publication of 'The Panama Papers' the British Virgin Islands has come under particular criticism as the most reclusive of the tax havens in the world.
Most companies registered in the BVI retained their offshore domicile at this location after new international laws on financial transparency became effective as of this year.

Transparency
There are many legitimate reasons why governments, individuals and entities hold offshore companies and bank accounts - and such are not the main focus of interest here. There are many illegitimate reasons why individuals and entities would want to hold accounts offshore. The latter is what are of prime interest to the ICIJ.

Data: - For Information Only
The information given here does not speculate as to the legitimacy of each account held (or account holder) and all data can be obtained using public access annual/other mandatory reporting requirements for the respective jurisdictions.
It was when the painstaking work of regional ICIJ researchers cross-checked the data that any anomolies, inconsistencies and the facts themselves revealed, in some cases examined, the blatant use of offshore accounts for money laundering, tax evasion, and other activities which the home countries of such beneficiaries would themselves consider as illegal, all became apparent.

All that has happened is that such data has been refined and parceled onto regional single sheets for brevity and research.

There is still speculation as to how the master lists were obtained.

A Conspiracy To Discredit President Putin?
The Russian Federation has been particularly irritated by the inclusion of close associates of President Putin and alleges that the lists were 'hacked' by the NSA then passed on to the ICIJ (which they allege works for the CIA/NSA/ U.S. government) to discredit and subvert BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China,South Africa) members.
By giving you the opportunity to review 2 public domain master lists with nearly three quarters of a million data entries, you have an opportunity to judge for yourself the merits of such a claim.
(I agree with you that the Master Lists mean absolutely nothing unless you either have a key or legend or are a forensic auditor or researcher.)

There is no doubt that the leaked information has been selectively used with the initial focus on high-profile 'targets'.
Because a number of high profile individuals who happen to be friends of President Putin or his family have been selected for media attention, does not necessarily imply a conspiracy against the President.
With 11 million records for the mainstream media to be provocative and controversial (sell more newspapers and achieve higher than average viewing ratings) fine selectivity appears to have been the order of the day.

How Was This Leak Achieved?
More likely than not, the list was passed on by a disgruntled employee or mole within Mossack Fonseca. Mossack Fonseca strenuously deny this and claim to have proof that their computer system was hacked by a person or persons unknown external to the company and to the country of Panama.
Russia Today television network, without providing any evidence, have said that it was an NSA hack which took place with the assistance and knowledge of the Panamanian authorities to discredit BRICS countries.

If You Look Across Western Europe and The United States it certainly appears that local media has highlighted issues pertaining to the Russian Federation and China.
In the reference section below below you will find evidence of this fact.

Because of the sheer enormity of the data, the focus of the ICIJ and mainstream media has been on individuals and companies of particular interest in countries which play a pivotal role in world finance and in geopolitics.

Notably there is an absence of U.S.- based companies from the lists.
This is not however surprising.
If you look at one of my blogs from at least 2 years ago I said that many U.S. companies had long vacated Panama for other destinations.
(You will find it under 'Panama'. It was near to Christmas two years ago.)

In addition to this, it is not often understood that secrecy laws in certain U.S. States, provided there are no security or unlawful operations, offer even greater security and confidentiality than that which exists today outside the jurisdictional boundaries of the United States Commonwealth and Territories. For these reasons alone, there is now little incentive, other than the (traditional) reduction of taxation liability for U.S. companies to go offshore.
Basing your global HQ in, say, Ireland to reduce your tax liability from $1bn U.S. annually to around $50m at a time when Americans are hurting for want of Federal resources, dying for want of proper medical care at home, and homeless people starving on the streets, unemployed in vast numbers in the Rust Belt because of outsourcing to China and other countries in Asia, and lack of a living minimum wage, are all making it highly controversial and more and 'unfashionable' for the global conglomerates than it might have been 20 or so years ago.

Local Compliance
It is always up to the companies, their accountants, attorneys, representatives and other entities to justify (and prove) to their respective offshore authorities that the accounts are legitimate and compliant with all international requirements.
Where such is the case, there are no issues – other than the fact that the companies are now more 'public' domain than they were previously.

There is no such thing as a private company which can shield it's identity 100% from local and international law and reporting requirements – and all of which are available on a public record of interests in the domiciled or offshore jurisdiction.

Are Offshore Accounts Of Public Interest?
At a time when the U.S., U.K. and European general public are hurting because of economic austerity, outsourcing of jobs, unemployment, higher hours of work for lower pay, and a general squeeze on the finances afforded to local law enforcement, hospitals, schools, fire departments – all of the services we take for granted in our civilized societies – people have a right to be concerned that individuals who, on average, have wealth in excess of $10m U.S., are, at the very least, compliant with IRS and other international reporting requirements.
This same ethos is no different for Asia or for Africa, Latin America, China and The Russian Federation.

BVI List
The attached lists contains the names and identity details for just under half a million individual companies, trusts, intermediaries, individuals (and professionals) acting as intermediaries or exercising power of attorney.

How Much Money Is Involved With 750000 Entities On This List?
The amount of money involved, in total, is staggering.
Mossack Fonseca dealt with 'high-end' clients from the lower end - each having a net worth of at least $5m-$10m U.S. to the high end -$100m+ U.S.
I have not made even a fractional calculation with regard to being able to project as each company or entity needs to be looked at on its own merits.
If you assume an average net worth for each (of just over half a million entities) of approximately $5m-10m, you will have some appreciation of the amounts involved with this one company alone – and why it is now of considerable interest worldwide as ordinary people consider issues beyond such entities (companies, agents, settlors or attorneys) just fulfilling their legal requirements. In other words educated people worldwide are asking should such beneficiaries (people who ultimately benefit from the tax haven) also have civic duties to their respective home communities which mirror their meeting the legal and international benchmarks for their offshore enterprises.

What I have no doubt about is that the amount of money in the offshore entities listed at this site alone (and they are just the tip of the offshore iceberg) is more than my government pension check will ever see to pay all of my monthly household bills in my lifetime(!)


What Do I Do If My Name Is On 'The Master Lists'?
If your name (or ID tag) is on the attached master lists and all is in order, you should do nothing.

If there might be issues, it is advisable that you contact your accounting firm locally, wherever in the world you are permanently domiciled.
Even if information is in the public domain, better you (or your representative) contact the IRS or other local (to your country) Federal Revenue Service first, rather than they having to take the initiative to contact you.
(With cutbacks in resources to U.S. and U.K. Revenue Departments,
even if there was a U.S.- U.K. connection, chances are it will take some time (months) for them to get around to your offshore company. Under such circumstances, be wary of any advice which simply suggests moving the domicile of your entity to another offshore - or inshore – location.)

From The Frying Pan Into...........?
If there is an issue, another good reason for contacting the IRS/your local (regional) Government Revenue Service first is because master lists such as this will inevitably fall into the hands of disreputable individuals and criminals who may attempt to extort money or offer a myriad of 'services' - citing your company as on some offshore list which they can 'assist' with its 'problems' even if you or your entity has not been 'outed' to date.

Because this blog focuses on the BVI, I have included below for reference purposes, research which examines in details some of the findings from the Panama Papers which have made international news.

I have, in this case, added some additional non-relevant topical issues from the same reference sites so you can do your own research.

From 'Russia Today' media network there is considerable irritation and outright anger at what it regards as Panama's 'betrayal' and 'sell-out' of secrecy and confidentiality to Russia's 'enemies'.
I am fairly confident that this 'leak' had nothing to do with the government of Panama. The last thing it would desire is a crisis of confidence caused by such revelations as the effects on the country's revenues and status as a legitimate offshore tax haven will be considerable and could cause political upheaval in the country, in the longer term.
The government of Panama operates a transparent accounting system for all entities operating within its jurisdiction.
It is not deemed by the U.S. Treasury* as a 'rogue offshore State' and has always complied with all international agreements for financial transparency across all international borders.*
Because Panama is well-regulated (a derogatory comment on RT said 'you can't blow your nose - or go to the toilet - I cannot remember the exact statement) in Panama without the U.S. knowing') there has been a tendency in the past for criminals to choose softer offshore facilities to conduct illicit activities.  Even Russia Today appears to be in agreement that Panama is a highly regulated offshore tax haven for foreign entities.
Companies registered in Panama are subject to Panamanian law and must observe all reporting formalities or risk either being struck off or heavily fined (or both) for non-compliance.*


©Patrick Emek, April 2016



Access To The Open Source Master Lists

If you have the hard drive capacity (at last 2 terabytes of storage required) , you can access the entire 11 million original database records from here: 

https://www.icij.org/blog/2013/10/users-can-now-search-country-icij-offshore-leaks-database

from here

https://archive.org/download/OffshoreLeaksDatabase

 and from here:

 http://blog.livedoor.jp/eleking0620-urausagijima/archives/57867432.html


References

Access To The Open Source Master Lists
To access two of the Master Lists and their 750000 data entries (a total of 68 mb) please refer to the section on this page which says ''Panama Master Lists''





''What is the ICIJ Database?''

''The database contains ownership information about companies created in 10 offshore jurisdictions including the British Virgin Islands, the Cook Islands and Singapore. It covers nearly 30 years until 2010. There are legitimate uses for offshore companies and trusts. We do not intend to suggest or imply that any persons, companies or other entities included in the ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database have broken the law or otherwise acted improperly. If you find an error in the database please get in touch with us.''
''Please cite The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists when you use information from the database in publications and other works. ''


and who exactly is Mossack Fonseca?

''Mossack Fonseca’s fingers are in Africa’s diamond trade, the international art market and other businesses that thrive on secrecy. The firm has serviced enough Middle East royalty to fill a palace. It’s helped two kings, Mohammed VI of Morocco and King Salman of Saudi Arabia, take to the sea on luxury yachts.In Iceland, the leaked files show how Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson and his wife secretly owned an offshore firm that held millions of dollars in Icelandic bank bonds during that country’s financial crisis.''


''The data includes emails, financial spreadsheets, passports and corporate records revealing the secret owners of bank accounts and companies in 21 offshore jurisdictions, from Nevada to Singapore to the British Virgin Islands. ''





Confidential – CIA, Mossad Agree That Iran is Not Pursuing Nuclear Weapons



The ICIJ has come under scathing criticism, especially on the world's foremost news and information channel, 'Russia Today'.
(Russia Today, in my opinion, is the greatest propaganda channel since the BBC lost this status – coincidentally just before RT started broadcasting!)
Russia Today is particularly irritated about the fact that while President Putin is not named anywhere in the Panama Papers, his 'paws' are implied across accounts amounting to possibly as much as $2bn U.S.
To be fair, just because you know someone and they are close friends, this does not make you complicit in any illegal activities which they decide to engage in, using your friendship and 'connection' to assist their doubious enterprises.

So who exactly is the ICIJ and who are their partners and funding sources?
You can find out by visiting their website at the reference below

The Panama Papers ''are among the findings of a yearlong investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and more than 100 other news organizations.''

 

What is the ICIJ Database?:

''The database contains ownership information about companies created in 10 offshore jurisdictions including the British Virgin Islands, the Cook Islands and Singapore. It covers nearly 30 years until 2010. There are legitimate uses for offshore companies and trusts. We do not intend to suggest or imply that any persons, companies or other entities included in the ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database have broken the law or otherwise acted improperly. If you find an error in the database please get in touch with us.''
''Please cite The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists when you use information from the database in publications and other works. ''


and who exactly is Mossack Fonseca?

''Mossack Fonseca’s fingers are in Africa’s diamond trade, the international art market and other businesses that thrive on secrecy. The firm has serviced enough Middle East royalty to fill a palace. It’s helped two kings, Mohammed VI of Morocco and King Salman of Saudi Arabia, take to the sea on luxury yachts.In Iceland, the leaked files show how Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson and his wife secretly owned an offshore firm that held millions of dollars in Icelandic bank bonds during that country’s financial crisis.''


''The data includes emails, financial spreadsheets, passports and corporate records revealing the secret owners of bank accounts and companies in 21 offshore jurisdictions, from Nevada to Singapore to the British Virgin Islands. ''

BERNDPULCH.ORG – BERND-PULCH.ORG



Other references of interest:





A comment I have read is that these revelations are likely to reveal high profile individuals who own top properties in London and hide their money in Panama.*


across.co.nz/NewZealandMinistries.html... Kumar Tel. 09 832-0022 - PO Box 15-212 New Lynn, Auckland 7 NZ .... Hunua Falls Presbyterian Camp - Papakura ... Military Christian Fellowship of New Zealand - RNZAF Base Auckland, Private Bag, Whenuapai; ph 09-417-8405; email.


Revealed: the $2bn offshore trail that
leads to Vladimir Putin:Luke Harding | The Guardian | Sunday 3 April 2016

Veernayastr 30-2-15, Moscow, Russia:



cash to invest?
Mr. Samuel Rondot 9 Netherleigh Park, South Nutfield, Surrey RH1 5NH












You Tube:
















  Other references:

1 12 journalists in
58 countries

Buying & selling secrecy
ò  How the secret world works
ò  Top government officials
ò  Mega-rich
ò  The enablers: big banks, lawyers, accounting firms
ò  Fraudsters, Ponzi schemers, arms traders

 Who's Buying Britain? Probe
Reveals Real Estate Speculators
Hidden By Offshore Alchemy

Da: id Harold Fraj.-marl James Ball

London properties purchased via British Virgin Island entities.





Philippine Government to Probe
Marcos Daughter's Offshore Trust

Imee Marcos: did not report her offshore trust on asset disclosure
statements she's required to file as a govemor.

   

 
       

Offshore reporting collaboration prompts interest

fronl two Philippine aovernnient agencies and
305 reginle political

 

KEY FINDINGS

Disclosure of secret offshore
documents may force top
Mongolian lawmaker to resign

MAZE

Francois Ho11ande's Campaign
Treasurer's InVest1nents in the
Cayman Islands

Offshore Firms Funneled Away
Millions As Serbian Companies
Shed Workers and Lurched
Toward Ruin

Offshore companies provide link
between corporate mogul and

Azerbaij an's president

his wife Mehriban.

Swiss Bank Pushed Offshore
Middleman to Skip Anti-Money
Laundering Checks for Wealthy
Clients

Walker are Frarzgcis {filer

Billionaires Among Thousands of
Indonesians Found in Secret
Offshore Documents

Names in the offshore records include billionaires linked to fonner

Indonesian dictator Suharto (iefl) and the son of fomier president B. J.
Habibie (right). Photo: AP

Faux Corporate Directors Stand in
for Fraudsters, Despots and Spies



. Xx'  
. - - fl 3' Serve' 
 'l 1_r_m 
1
. . .
  Ifiui 

51 5 

"Iv: -  0 I 

     

     

  

What links the Rwandan genocide, a CIA secret prison, and Saddam
Hussein? All used anonymous fronts offshore.

\\'o1'ld\\'ide network of 'nominee direCto1's' helps hide  

Mega--Rich Use Tax Havens to Buy
and Sell Masterpieces

   

I  -. 
 the ziarrnen 


  

Watermill at Gennep by Vincent Van Gogh, held at the Camren
Collection at the Museum 

Famed Suanish art natron uses island haven in South   

'Offshore Leaks' Revelations Force
Resignation of Top European
Banker

View

Fomrer Raifieisen Bank chief executiv Herbert Stepic. Photo: AP

Crocodile Dundee Actor Paul
Hogan Chases His Missing
Offshore Millions

Kate Francois Pilet

Actor Paul Hogan: accuses his tax adviser of absconding with $34
million he hel - hide in offshore tax havens.

Son of Former Korean President
Obtained Secret Offshore
Company Amid Fami1y's Tax
Evasion Scandal

Lee

Korea customs office uncovers former
president's illegal offshore foreign
transactions

son, Chun Jae-kook
Islands in 2004.

  

Searchab1e,down1oadab1e 
English Chinese interfaces  



3 





11' ?7"JEUR:lfli1fli1t


 -  - ifiilfififi - 

Impact

ò  Official investigations in India, Philippines, Bangladesh, South Korea,
Israel, Greece, Australia

ò  High-profile Resignations
ò  Changed the conversation in Europe on tax Havens
ò  Crown dependencies agree to information exchange
ò  Tax havens on G8, G20 agendas

 1/

 



.
I





A Eackacie arrives in the mail

 


PORTCULLIS TRUSTN ET

 

Sources of data

Asia's biggest
independent group of trust companies
for comprehensive wealth administration

 

OUR GLOBAL NETWORK

Postal Address:

PO. Box 3321

Road Tovm. Tortola



Become the
“Lord* of the Files”
ò  Know what is on the Drive
ò  File Extensions can be deceptive
ò  i.e. indontknow.bak = what BACKUP?
ò  Unknown stuff … what is it?
ò  Unix Tool called “file” …
helps, but not always

* Or Lady J

 Become the
“Lord* of the Files”
ò  Archives are a pain to index
ò  i.e. Outlook Archive file with +100.000 Mails
ò  Challenge: forensically correct conversion

* Or Lady J

 It’s broken – can we fix it?
ò  A 100 part zip File … unkown contents (know file
names)
ò  2 Parts are missing
ò  Last file exists ;-)
ò  Tried 8 Tools, none worked (but a lot wasted time)
ò  If it was a corrupted single file zip …
ò  BUT IT IS NOT.

  C?P'l'rf . 7
Select file to repair: C:\Users\CoBi\Deskfop\Mein 0rdner\Dateien\Musik.zip


L) 

1 i . 
3: 
:17. 2 Repair _l

Files/folders recovered: 8
0 ptions Time elapsed: 00:00:02

Filename Date Action
Musik - Kopiei 21 /04/201  0K

Save repaired file as: fij Brogse

Musik-Kopie/Aloneinthe 3793592 3717233 . 31<
3793592 3717193 OK
378944 358141 .. 0K
Musik-Kopie/HipHop 17593333 17434222 .. 0K
Musrk-Kopie/HipHop 757852 715779 .. UK
Musik-Kopie/HipHop 3793592 3717193 3K

0 
Activate Product

El Buy Now F1leName:Musik - Kopie/H art2FIock.mp3.sfk Ver: 20 Bit:0 

lFi|e Header found at Offset 17792788

1 FileName:Musik - Kopie/HipHop Song .mp3 Ver: 20 Bit:0 CFIC: 75798322 C911 7434222 U511 7596800

I File Header found at Offset 35227070

1 Fi|eName:Musik - Kopie/HipHop Song .mp3.sfk Ver:20 Bit:0 CM e:8 -
File Header found at 0ffset 35943913 
1 Fi|eName:Musik - Kopie/HipHop Song 1.mp3 Ver: 20 Bit:0 CM e:8 
I File Header found at 0ffset 44861170

Working while sleeping
ò  5 Gigabyte unknown structure
ò  8.3 File names … Not IDd by forensic Software
ò  2 months later … woke up and knew:
ò  Microsoft Mail for PC Networks
ò  Has only be sold for 9 Months
ò  Took 2 months to allocate a copy (license!), create a
virtual machine capable of NT 3.51 (too much memory)
and then start the conversion
* Or Lady J

 Working while sleeping

090 090



file Edit 'jiew Mail Liindow flelp

   


fig' eigepifirfid 

 

Inbox 
flute l-'olden Fm. subiect Received
Cl Deleted mail 8 Danny Need your help 
lnbox 8 Harry Status Report 

3 Sent mail

Need your help

From: Danny
Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 
To: Tom

Cc:
Subieclz Need your help

Tom,

Can you give me a hand with the database? I'm having a problem with the relay
circuit.

3

2 messages 

Database & Code
ò  We discovered Custom Software on the Drive
ò  Problem: Did not run
ò  Solution: Try it again
ò  And again
ò  And again (change something)
ò  And …

ò  It worked … with an SQL Server, some Date changes,
and some connector switches

 Database Code

Portcullis TrustNet Group

Iunudxons Requests I)ueD1lxgc-ncc 

-

 

Entity Selection
.6
fnmy 
Name

InvomvReplication Desaster
ò  Keep Backups and don‘t use them for work
ò  Saved all during a copy session in Bucarest
ò  40° Celsius (104° Fahrenheit)
ò  Drives were dying within an hour
ò  „Unknown State“ = WTF?
Final Solution: Work at night

 Forum
ò  Just one thing: PGP does not scale to 10+ people
ò  eMail does not, too (threading, repetition)
ò  Solution: Forum software
ò  Setup easy, config not so
ò  One click deletion – 3 days before first release

 13 ICIJ Connect

Secure sharing of Information and assistance

 

Private Messaging 2 Members Calendar  Search Q. Help 3 Control Panel

Show: Today's Messages Unread Messages Unanswered Messages Show Polls Message Navigator
Admin: I Group Manager

so--d-oww 

Search Search in Forum: Attachments: Search Logic: Sort Results by Date in: filter by user:

- I Search All Forums with or without AND I Descending Order 
@Entlre Message Only 

losealdlkeodbfotlld

1 Forum: People, places stories or>> Posted on: Fri, 11 January 2013 23:48 er>> By: Mar Cabra
Warburg Pincus
Hi guys, Is anybody looking into Warburg Pincus? I believe this is them: (private equity investing) Th
(meaning several entries as different 

2 Forum: FINAL STORIES er>> Posted on: Thu, 13 December 2012 10:48 By: Stefan Candea
14. Germany
How the German-Swiss industrialist and art collector Gunter Sachs (married briefly to Brigitte Bardot) and the French part of the famous banker-a
Islands (in the case of with the help of 

3 Forum: People. places . stories on>> Posted on: Thu, 06 December 2012 18:40 or>> By: Martin Munz
Christian Jagodzinski
German New-Economy-Millionaire Christian Jagodzinski invested 6 Mio. dollars in a Trust which should buy an Island on i-'iji to build a luxury resort
tries to sell the island on Internet. Prize: 20 Mio. 

Home

 

Which tools?
ò Nuix: Indexing text files, pst Outlook files, even
spreadsheets, but at that time, not databases
ò  Easy to use output
ò  Easy to teach team reporters who were unskilled in data
analysis
ò  Agreement with Nuix allowed us only to run on
reporters’ local computers

   

File Edit Items 60 Window Reports Scripts Help



Docunentuavigatnr 


[fl 
- 133-   

-m :1
-Ill :2
 

-  
para
-Ill{Int
ET


no 

   
 


A

Immaten'a| items: 'Show v: Dedqaication: 'None

From

4
PH 1-#41 15807-v 

72746_9 57_92_0 



operhg forms.doc






DOSSDNAMDBF



Sotrtzoffinds-06-03-07.DOC

79287-ANZ Account Opening Forms-Directors Reso|ution.pdf
ac opa'i'Ig.doc


oert.htm





PH 1-34112752-v 1-Denise Ridw - and Invoices to Summers.PDF

to Su1lners.P[X=

76287-5544-07 08-O9-O3 Email Ira reso-share 

    
    
     
         
         
    

 -
 

morocco) mum Dnoanam smuaun>> 150+>> 


  

Mfg"  

1951- 22, 213
 "50  
3" 0' nucleon

      
 

5 Mrykouuom

Coummudhaoup

38

27-4

Manama
764


2" H3


3' l.rIlaflCIyI..a3
239

Tools
ò dtSearch: Added the indexing and search function to
the key Microsoft Access and SLQ Sever databases
ò  Need some expertise to search that some reporters did
not have

 Tools
ò Interdata: Putting the relational databases’ schema
together without data dictionaries or record layouts
ò  Created a front end for non-technical team members to
search
ò  Networked for use around the world

  Search System

 

Edit View Favorites Tools Help

3, gi] Limbaugh v. Petri Know Suggested Sites 13] -ref:|ogo Web Slice Gallery 



 

A

I Hallofthewords VI

CTL E-mail

CTL files

CTL OMET Database

ICIJ website Offshore publications
PTN and CTL scanned image files
PTN and CTL scanned PDF files
PTN Cook Islands DBMS database

PTN E-mail

PTN files

PTN OMET Database
PTN OSS database

PTN Windows mail email

 

ElFuzzysean:hing-Fuzziiess
ljPhonicsean:hing

l:lWondNetreIatedwords

 

 

ICIJ Offshore Interdata Search instructions

Interdata manual

Click on the link above to read the current Interdata Search Manual . Its important. You can get the-
rest of this page. which explain how to use all sophisticated search features of dtsearch.

New search index for ICIJ publications
From 24 January, ICIJ Interdata includes a searcheable index of Offshore and other articl

This is a test index. At present, some of the pages are not being viewed correctly or at all
link in the left hand search panel.

CTL and PTN OMET

and PTN OMET (meaning "Offshore Main Entity Tables" are new databases derived from CTL a
but is fragmentary.)

After ICIJ's offshore project is launched, the OMET tables and visual and geographical aids based 
(cloudsource) useful leads from readers who spot stories we haven't (yet) identified.

Searching OMET when it comes online will be more helpful and more relevant than the existing CTL
team members have been using. This is because the all data about individuals, companies and clien
(OMIS, standing for "Offshore Management Information System' is the name of two databases. (on
data set. OMET information is mainly extracted from the two OMIS systems.)

Search the OMET indexes using the name of your country or countries of interest. and/or cities and

previously used search methods. To make this more effiective you can compose a suitable search -
OR Lyons OR Bordeaux' will get a good search going for links to France.

The OMET databases are being developed further, and will include more contact details, explanatio

  

CTL and PTN scanned image files

Tools
ò Talend: ETL program for rebuilding SQL databases to
create tables for the interactive network site
ò  Used for integrity checks for the interactive

  
   

 


'7 :5 Documentation processes and outputs.xlsx - Excel -- 
FILE HOME INSERT PAGE LAYOUT FORMULAS DATA REVIEW VIEW DEVELOPER David Donald 
Cut . is. D3 tux AutoSum 
Calibri [11 A A -- Text General I '3 2  ii]
Ea copy - ..I B3 .
Paste tp . 3 I 3) A Mergeslcenter ?3 Conditional Format as Cell Insert Delete Format Cl Sort& Find 81
9' Formatting Table' Styles ea' Filter' Select 
Clipboard Ii Font Alignment I: Number I: Styles Cells Editing A
A1 2 A Step 
A 
j: 
7%
all tables containings addresses
.i 
4 . . . names
5 "and "gold: extractingName.. all table. containing. name. 4
name. some
- transf_aIlnames_4l<arIita transformations like removing titles or common table of distinct names and some transformations 
6
7 Statement I Bet Unique iralues table of distinct addresses
Statement 2 
Statement 3 filter similar pairs based on an accurate
I . I Clusterset [must be copied to a table called and then truncate it] records with an ID and Description for each Cluster
ca 3 Ponion' create norma iced tab es wit usters 
PP.i-ii - .i -

lternset [must be copied to a table called iternSetAddress and then truncate it) values of .. to their cluster

'2 Clustering Statement 4 itemSetAddresses Set the Clusterlds to the original addresses table

'3 Statement 5 

Statement 6 filter similar pairs based on an accurate

Clusterset [must be copied to a table called ClusterSetNames and then truncate it] records with an ID and Description for each Cluster

'5 - C8 app: iciiclusterer [names portion] create normalieed tables with Clusters of names

|temSet [must be copied to a table called itemSetNames and then truncate it] values of associated to their respective cluster

'7 Statement 7 itemSetNames Set the Clusterlds to the original names table names. 

"uud"gEnmi" Union of all the offshore companies 0 looking up

20- for values

Union of all the officers 0 looking up for
extractingofficers descriptives values like occupation. nationality and officers
23  extract obiects comm'
Mrurclicnl Union of all the master clients records looking
for descriptives values: introducers. country. intermediaries

2- category. administrator. Status

26 all tables containings addresses the address" and rcmiomhips empty . . .

4 Datacheck G) 1 in

 




 

Do.com 

Do Marketing Launch

-l-section +Taak

Poet slides to chatter (lncludlng . wmm"

Launch -2 weeks
See attached Googe Doc for some social media handle

a social medla llve 

Develop template for weekly barometer. dashboard (external), 
Do Marketing Launch

Setup Tumblr blog
suascmasns (3)

50109 VOUTUDO D890 A'r1'AcuMar1's

Endor soclal modra handles

<3

Sean whlteley

still needs some austin love. but I want you and I
to be comfortable with the messaging



Develop moblle alto

Develop demo a use cases

Get .do domaln for URL ahortener

comment on strategy (GoogIe Doc)
Sen Whiteley

you think of the deck?
umch .1 
.
Marketplace - Google Apps Marketplace. Apple. 
Arnit 

Salesforoe Internal education - marketing 

 ICU OFFSHORE LEAKS DATABASE ICU
ytweet -{2,o4o



 

The database contains ownership information about companies created in 10 offshore jurisdictions including the British \firgin
Islands, the Cook Islands and Singapore. It covers nearly 30 years until 2010.

Learn more about the data. Why is the ICIJ making this information public?

All countries Search

Officers Master Clients Offshore Entities Listed Addresses

Leave the search box blank if you want to see a comprehensive list of names for a specific country.

What We Found So Far (see map) - Search Hints - Glossary - Watch the Video Tutorial

 

       
       

Jaime Rotondo-Ruuo

Etwin Mulor

. Nautilus Limiod

Monte Eoquinza. 3o Bajo. lad. 2eo1o Madrid SPAIN

I
0 Carmen Thyuen-BomomiszAa
Patrick K. Oeoch ..

Client

 

Master Client

Lawyer
0 Local management
company
a Bank

a Person with many

companies

 

Offshore
service

provider
 

 .54IHLJS1 

Offshore
entity

 

CO0 000

fl Fuzzy Lookup Add-In for Excel

Language: English Download

 

  contact@icij org

-- 

   
 

2 case 



Dear Mr Rotondo,
RE: NAUTILUS TRUSTEES LIMITED ("the Company")

Further to our previous correspondence we confirm we enclose the following:--

1. Original share certificate nos. 2 the name of Carmen 
Bornemisza for 1,100 ordinary shares.

2. Original share certificate no. 3 in the name of Borja 
Bornemisza for 900 ordinary shares.

3. Updated copy of the Register of Members.

Please arrange for Buque Anstalt to date, affix the common seal, execute
where indicated on the front of the share certificates and complete the back
of the certificates.

 

LENZ STAEHELIN
Bleicherweg 58
CH-8027

Zurich
SWITZERLAND

ATTN: Madeleine Cina

Dear Ms. Cina,

RE: NAUTILUS TRUSTEE LIMITED

Please find enclosed Various correspondence received from Sotheby's. In particular we have received
correspondence as to the purchase of "Watermill Gennep" by Vincent Gogh.

Regards.

Yours faithfully,
TRUSTNET (COOK ISLANDS) LIMITED

PUAI T. WICHMAN

"Wcztermill at by Vincent Van Gogh

   
 

the "regular" reportr

Search public documents

000 000

Bienvenidos Benvinguts Benvidos Ongi etorri Welcome Bienvenue

-  Agencia Estatal Boletfn Oficial del Estado

BORME Legislaci?n Anuncios Publicaciones Tienda LaAgencia Buscarel a la Carta .3.

 

Esta' Vd. en Inicio 02[04[2013 Documento BOE-A-2013-3529 anterior siguiente 

Orden de 11 de marzo, por la que se otorga Ia garantia del Estado a cuatrocientas
ochenta cuatro obras prestadas a La Fundaci?n Colecci?n Bornemisza.

Publicado en: nL'Jm. 79, de 2 de abril de 2013, pa'ginas 24966 a 24990 (25 p?gs.)
Secci?n: Otras disposiciones
Departamento: Ministerio de Educaci?n, Cultura Deporte

Referencia: BOE-A-2013-3529
 PDF de la disposici?n

XML de la disposici?n

TEXTO
 

Court case Bermuda

000 000

DA Offshore

7. It is also noteworthy that the Protector is currently the Principal Beneficiary under the
Trust while the Plaintiff, as the result of an Irrevocable Deed of Appointment,

potentially has an absolute interest in 35% of the Trust the assets of which are
believed to be Worth in the region of billion.

 

 

EURI1

coo

Yunsong

coo

Mam:



Pom! 

Resources
•  Investigative Dashboard
http://www.investigativedashboard.org/
•  Open Corporates http://opencorporates.com/
•  Offshore Alert http://www.offshorealert.com
•  ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database
http://offshoreleaks.icij.org/
•  BVI Financial Services Commission
http://www.bvifsc.vg/en-gb/divisions/
registryofcorporateaffairs.aspx
•  Hong Kong Company Registry
http://www.cr.gov.hk/en/home/

  

Or

 

Thank you!

SLR, 
 

 
 

 


Posted by at

Blog Archive