The Panama Paper Scandal

The Panama Papers is a series of documents leaked in 2016 that exposed the fraudulent activities of many individuals throughout the globe. Its name results from the origin the firm Mossack Fonseca, which originates from Panama, who kept secretive documents, which often concealed fraud , money laundering, bribery, and in essence many white-collar crimes around the world. The law firm was founded in 1977 in Panama by Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca. The firm’s success has allowed it to spread to 42 other countries. It 's unquestionable growth reveals the vast usage of offshore accounts by millionaires and billionaires everywhere,while also revealing how many billions of dollars are hidden from countries every year. It is estimated that over …show more content…
The leaks shared approximately 11.5 million documents to the public in one of the largest leaks in history including soccer star Lionel Messi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Argentinian Prime Minister Mauricio Macri. Putin’s case was particularly interesting because of his questionable involvement in the scandal. According to the leaks, Putin’s close friend musician, Sergei Rodulgin was utilizing “ three offshore companies with cash flows of 2 billion dollars.” (Oliphant 2016) Moreover, according to the papers, Putin’s associates along with Rodulgin moved this money through shadow companies. Putin’s case is particularly interesting because of his close relationship with Rodulgin and the fact that most famous musicians do not hold 2 billion dollars. The unlikeliness that Rodulgin posses 2 billion dollars opens up the idea that he might have been assisted by others to obtain this money. The involvement of Putin’s associates raises questions regarding corruption and bribery in Russia, while also questioning Putin’s overall legitimacy as the leader of …show more content…
By not paying taxes respective to the nation in which they operate, they save millions. However, this might seem positive for the business, but then the the money generated in the United States , for example, by many companies does not stay in the country. This is the money that could potentially be utilized for construction, education, and welfare. Additionally from an economic standpoint, this means less money for banks to loan and create for capital, which causes less money to circulate through the economy and hinders the distribution of that money to all sectors of the population. Moreover, the practice of legitimizing “ black money,” only encourages organized crime to keep bringing in profits by incentivizing them with invisible