The Atlantic is carrying a truly fascinating article entitled Inside the Secretive World of Tax-Avoidance Experts. And this researcher, Brooke Harrington, went to town on it: "Given the little that is known about the profession and its role in global inequality, it seemed imperative to learn more … [Read more...]
Enablers and intermediaries
Finance Uncovered: how Africa’s biggest cell phone firm shifts billions offshore
From Finance Uncovered, a TJN-founded project, a press release about a story that is (among other things) front page of South Africa's influential Mail & Guardian newspaper. Finance Uncovered reveals how Africa’s biggest cell phone firm shifts billions offshore The Finance Uncovered global … [Read more...]
How 1/8th of Moldova’s GDP vanished, via a Scottish council flat
From the BBC: "The UK is one of the easiest countries in the world to set up a company in, and some agents offer to do it in an hour, for as little as £25." In standard parlance, this makes the UK an 'efficient' place to set up a company, reassuringly free of that pesky 'red tape.' All good stuff. … [Read more...]
Belize and the curious tale of the British lord
Britons have been titillating themselves recently with some sordid but quite likely untrue allegations made against UK Prime Minister David Cameron by Lord Michael Ashcroft (whom in making the allegations may have been motivated by pique or revenge.) We won't dignify these allegations by … [Read more...]
Christian Aid: new Swissleaks analysis shows harm to developing countries
An important new analysis from Christian Aid. Note the pull-out quote highlighting the problems with the OECD's Common Reporting Standard, or CRS. September 30 2015 NEW SWISSLEAKS ANALYSIS REVEALS HOW TAX HAVEN SECRECY HARMS DEVELOPING COUNTRIES New, detailed examination of the SwissLeaks files … [Read more...]
As the murk grows, the UK rows back on money laundering checks
Updated with Cayman-related news. From Global Witness, a new report entitled Banks and Dirty Money: How the financial system enables state looting at a devastating human cost. It's got plenty of detail, but one eye-catcher is their look at the largest penalties given for money-laundering or … [Read more...]
Is it game over for money laundering in London’s property market?
Cross-posted from Finance: Uncovered Today, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom announced that the UK will publish information on property owned by foreign companies. In a speech in Singapore David Cameron said: “The UK must not become a safe haven for corrupt money from … [Read more...]
Quote of the day: City of London and the drugs trade
Fresh from our brief discussion of the explosive documentary From Russia with Cash, we have a quote of the day from Roberto Saviano, an expert on the Italian crime organisation Camorra, via The Indendent: "The British treat it as not their problem because there aren’t corpses on the street." … [Read more...]
From Russia with cash: the London laundry exposed
From Britain's Channel 4, a superb exposé of Britain's high-end property circus market and the willingness of sellers to accept money from all sources, no matter how dubious. It is hilarious and ghastly, at the same time. This is money stolen from some of the world's poorest people, going into … [Read more...]
Guest blog: how Switzerland corrupted its courts to nail Rudolf Elmer
Update, Oct 10, 2018 - Swiss top court knocks down bid to extend banking secrecy. Good news for Elmer, following his partial victory in 2016. Update, Jan 4, 2016: Elmer has won a partial victory, underlining the main point of this blog. In a civil suit brought by Elmer, the Swiss Federal Court … [Read more...]
The Tax Justice Network Podcast, June 2015
June 2015 Tax Justice Network Podcast: … [Read more...]
The Fair Tax Pledge is launched – please add your support and sign
Welcoming the launch of the Fair Tax Pledge - As described by Richard Murphy: The Fair Tax Pledge is a new idea from the Fair Tax Mark, of which I’m a director. The Fair Tax Mark is aimed at those businesses that are run as limited companies but we’ve always known that there are small, … [Read more...]
Luxembourg: the campaign on corporate tax has only just begun
From Eurodad: a wonderful sign that people are starting to gear up to challenge the many corporate tax abuses run out of secrecy jurisdictions like the European Dodgy Duchy of Luxembourg. … [Read more...]
Did KPMG spot anything amiss at FIFA?
From Francine McKenna: "Of all the individuals and firms tied up in the scandal over bribery and corruption at FIFA, scrutiny has so far largely escaped KPMG, the soccer association’s external auditor." That's the summary, and our quote of the day. The article continues: … [Read more...]
Farewell, Margaret Hodge
Margaret Hodge, the fiery head of the UK's Public Accounts Committee, has been hauling the bosses of large multinational corporations over the coals for their egregious abuses of the UK tax system. Now, post-election, she is stepping down. Many tax professionals in the UK dislike, hate, or even … [Read more...]
