Offshore scandal

[kevin3]

 
  Sky News are reporting the biggest financial information leak in history, coming from a large offshore Bank.

  The "Panama Papers" contain 11 million files and name 12 World Leaders, former UK MPs and British Peers.

   They are being scrutinised by more than 70 Journalists around the world and it looks as though the next
 
   few months could be interesting for some and embarrassing for others. No mention of shoe boxes yet.
 

[KKOB]

So, world leaders and the ultra-rich are channelling huge amounts of dodgy money through offshore accounts. Who'd have thought it ?

[kevin3]

  In the past it was just talk. Tonight a Mr Putin has been linked to $ 2 billion dollars in just one bank.

  A Mr Blair has been mentioned, possibly the same Mr Blair that promised politics "whiter than white".

  Fifa officials have received a mention, and the cloak of secrecy is being lifted. An awful lot of people

  have now got to explain how they amassed their fortunes and where the money came from.
 

[KKOB]

An awful lot of people have now got to explain how they amassed their fortunes and where the money came from.
 

Do you honestly believe that's going to happen ?

[kevin3]

   In a lot of cases yes.  A lot of people have shareholders and voters to answer to. There will also be Income Tax officials

   around the globe anxious to earn their stripes and perhaps settle old scores. One thing is for sure, it's squeaky bum time

   for many. The files are very detailed and track the movements of all sums.

[usedbustickets]

    There will also be Income Tax officials  around the globe anxious to earn their stripes and perhaps settle old scores.

Sadly Kevin I rather suspect that might apply in many other countries, but based on their record to date it will not apply to the UK and our valiant team of tax collectors at HMRC.  The interesting one to watch, from a UK perspective will be Lord Ashcroft, a master of tax dodging who has bankrolled the Tories election campaign in all the key marginals for the last three General Elections.

[kevin3]

  Did you forget to mention a Mr Blair.?  Apparently his complex web of fiscal dealings has emerged, Lionel Messi's dealings are exposed,

  the Icelandic Prime Minister Mr Gunnlaugson may be kicked out of office for concealing his wealth, Libya's Gaddafi and Syria's Assad

  have had their dealings exposed. The other side of these files is that bribes and favors paid to others could now become traceable.

[Colwyn]

Dave Cameron has vowed to crack down on these disgraceful tax cheats. Ironic then that the late Cameron Snr. was one of them.

[Colwyn]

Stereotype Challenge

Try looking at this image without falling into an offensive stereotyping trap.
He is the King of Saudi Arabia and a client of Mossack Fonseca.

[Stuart T]

I have fallen into that trap......

....however, hundreds of the Saudis (all branches of the same royal family, it seems) all look remarkably similar through my infidel eyes.

Can they really believe that a beard and moustache suits every one of them? If that's a religious thing, my apologies for my ignorance and any insensitivity.

Many didn't look like that when their photo's were taken at Oxford or Cambridge universities. H