International Consortium of Investigative Journalists

Editors

Harry Cassin
Publisher and Editor

Andy Spalding
Senior Editor

Jessica Tillipman
Senior Editor

Bill Steinman
Senior Editor

Richard L. Cassin
Editor at Large

Elizabeth K. Spahn
Editor Emeritus

Cody Worthington
Contributing Editor

Julie DiMauro
Contributing Editor

Thomas Fox
Contributing Editor

Marc Alain Bohn
Contributing Editor

Bill Waite
Contributing Editor

Shruti J. Shah
Contributing Editor

Russell A. Stamets
Contributing Editor

Richard Bistrong
Contributing Editor

Eric Carlson
Contributing Editor

Martin Kenney: Yes, Mossack Fonseca was a mess. But don’t blame the BVI

Martin Kenney August 8, 2018

I have had several dealings with the Panama Papers law firm, Mossack Fonseca, over the years, while trying to identify its clients who had wronged my own.

Despite acquiring the appropriate court disclosure order forcing Mossack Fonseca to reveal the identity of a client patron (accused of some form of wrongdoing by my clients), the firm was difficult to deal with: the level of cooperation appeared to randomly fluctuate between non-existent and half-baked.… Continue Reading

New leak details Mossack Fonseca meltdown

Richard L. Cassin June 22, 2018

The law firm whose leaked files became known as the Panama Papers spent months after the leak trying to identify the real owners of thousands of shell companies the firm set up in offshore jurisdictions.… Continue Reading

Mossack Fonseca to close doors at end of month

Richard L. Cassin March 16, 2018

The law firm whose leaked files became known as the Panama Papers said it will shut down at the end of this month.

Mossack Fonseca said in a statement it will close because of “irreparable damage” to its reputation.… Continue Reading

Swiss regulator sanctions Gazprombank Switzerland for ‘serious AML breaches’

Richard L. Cassin February 2, 2018

Switzerland’s top financial regulator sanctioned the local unit of Russia’s Gazprombank after an anti-money laundering investigation triggered by the Panama Papers.

The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority or FINMA said Thursday that Gazprombank (Switzerland) Ltd.… Continue Reading

Martin Kenney: UK rejects open public register of beneficial owners

Martin Kenney January 26, 2018

I have decided to don my tin hat and stick my head above the parapets again. Why? Because for once common sense has prevailed and the anti-1% brigade have lost their argument for an open Public Register of Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and her sister islands in the Caribbean.… Continue Reading

Shruti Shah: Paradise Papers show need to close beneficial owner loopholes

Shruti Shah November 6, 2017

Image courtesy of the ICIJThe massive leak of 13.4 million files, dubbed the “Paradise Papers,” highlights loopholes that exist in the global financial system. The documents also show how easy it is for tax evaders, money launderers, and senior public officials to utilize anonymous companies to hide their identities, their potential conflicts of interest, and their business deals.… Continue Reading

ICIJ and Dorothee Myriam Kellou awarded 2017 TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting

Alexandra Wrage June 21, 2017

Investigative journalists undertake complex and often dangerous work to hold organizations and individuals accountable for bribery. These journalists deserve to be encouraged and recognized for their work.

In 2015, TRACE launched its Prize for Investigative Reporting to recognize reporters in this field, and to support a free press more broadly.… Continue Reading

Shruti Shah on the Panama Papers: A year of gains for transparency, but gaps remain

Shruti Shah April 12, 2017

This month is the one year anniversary of the Panama Papers, a leak of 11 million documents from the Mossack Fonseca law firm that showed how easy it is for corrupt public officials, money launderers, drug traffickers and other criminals to hide behind anonymous companies and access the global financial system.… Continue Reading

Pieth, Stiglitz quit Panama Papers panel

Richard L. Cassin August 9, 2016

Mark PiethTwo international experts appointed by the Panama government to investigate the use of anonymous offshore companies to evade taxes and hide assets quit Friday because of government interference.

Professor Mark Pieth, chair of the Basel (Switzerland) Institute on Governance, told the BBC he resigned from the Panama Papers commission after the government said it would pre-approve all findings.… Continue Reading

PM Cameron announces beneficial owner registry for foreign companies holding or buying UK property

Richard L. Cassin May 12, 2016

Prime Minister David Cameron hosted an international anti-corruption summit in London Thursday and used the event to announce steps to end the secret ownership of property in the UK by foreigners.… Continue Reading

Martin Kenney on the Panama Papers: BVI has more corporate transparency than the U.S., UK

Martin Kenney May 12, 2016

Martin Kenney appears on CBC NewsIn the wake of the Panama Papers revelations, the U.S. has (belatedly) announced that it will tighten checks on anonymous companies. The rules, which include requiring financial institutions to find out and keep records on the real owners behind the companies that use their services, aim to help U.S.… Continue Reading

Panama Papers: Who are the winners now?

Richard L. Cassin April 5, 2016

Image courtesy of the ICIJIt’s not illegal for most people to own anonymous companies. Walt Disney used them to buy land near Orlando for Disney World. He didn’t want prices to go crazy with news Mickey Mouse was coming to town.… Continue Reading