Chinese dominate Panama Papers

TOKYO - Information on some 210,000 companies mentioned in the "Panama Papers" was revealed by The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The information shows that the number of businesses and individuals in China involved in setting up entities in tax havens far exceeds that of other countries and regions.

In total, 25,000 entities in China were revealed by the massive data leak known as the Panama Papers.

The documents were leaked from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which helps clients establish dummy companies in tax havens. The data shows the existence of global networks that oftentimes help companies and wealthy individuals avoid paying taxes. According to the papers, many of these networks began in Hong Kong and Switzerland.

The ICIJ has posted a database of the names and addresses of the individuals and companies concerned on its website, https://www.icij.org/. Anyone from the public to financial authorities can access the information.

Individuals and businesses involved in the establishment of shell companies exist across the world. Addresses of executives and businesses named as executives or shareholders at bogus companies also include some 13,000 in Hong Kong and 5,000 in Britain.

Read the full article here.