Whoever leaked the Mossack Fonseca papers appears motivated by a genuine desire to expose the system that enables the ultra wealthy to hide their massive stashes, often corruptly obtained and all involved in tax avoidance. These Panamanian lawyers hide the wealth of a significant proportion of the 1%, and the massive leak of their documents ought to be a wonderful thing.
Unfortunately the leaker has made the dreadful mistake of turning to the western corporate media to publicise the results. In consequence the first major story, published today by the Guardian, is all about Vladimir Putin and a cellist on the fiddle. As it happens I believe the story and have no doubt Putin is bent.
But why focus on Russia? Russian wealth is only a tiny minority of the money hidden away with the aid of Mossack Fonseca. In fact, it soon becomes obvious that the selective reporting is going to stink.
The Suddeutsche Zeitung, which received the leak, gives a detailed explanation of the methodology the corporate media used to search the files. The main search they have done is for names associated with breaking UN sanctions regimes. The Guardian reports this too and helpfully lists those countries as Zimbabwe, North Korea, Russia and Syria. The filtering of this Mossack Fonseca information by the corporate media follows a direct western governmental agenda. There is no mention at all of use of Mossack Fonseca by massive western corporations or western billionaires – the main customers. And the Guardian is quick to reassure that “much of the leaked material will remain private.”
What do you expect? The leak is being managed by the grandly but laughably named “International Consortium of Investigative Journalists”, which is funded and organised entirely by the USA’s Center for Public Integrity. Their funders include
Ford Foundation
Carnegie Endowment
Rockefeller Family Fund
W K Kellogg Foundation
Open Society Foundation (Soros)
among many others. Do not expect a genuine expose of western capitalism. The dirty secrets of western corporations will remain unpublished.
Expect hits at Russia, Iran and Syria and some tiny “balancing” western country like Iceland. A superannuated UK peer or two will be sacrificed – someone already with dementia.
The corporate media – the Guardian and BBC in the UK – have exclusive access to the database which you and I cannot see. They are protecting themselves from even seeing western corporations’ sensitive information by only looking at those documents which are brought up by specific searches such as UN sanctions busters. Never forget the Guardian smashed its copies of the Snowden files on the instruction of MI6.
What if they did Mossack Fonseca database searches on the owners of all the corporate media and their companies, and all the editors and senior corporate media journalists? What if they did Mossack Fonseca searches on all the most senior people at the BBC? What if they did Mossack Fonseca searches on every donor to the Center for Public Integrity and their companies?
What if they did Mossack Fonseca searches on every listed company in the western stock exchanges, and on every western millionaire they could trace?
That would be much more interesting. I know Russia and China are corrupt, you don’t have to tell me that. What if you look at things that we might, here in the west, be able to rise up and do something about?
And what if you corporate lapdogs let the people see the actual data?
UPDATE
Hundreds of thousands of people have read this post in the 11 hours since it was published – despite it being overnight here in the UK. There are 235,918 “impressions” on twitter (as twitter calls them) and over 3,700 people have “shared” so far on Facebook, bringing scores of new readers each.
I would remind you that this blog is produced free for the public good and you are welcome to republish or re-use this article or any other material freely anywhere without requesting further permission.
Still, I think nobody’s a fool, but I think this leak will create more and more anger, not only in eastern country. In Paris Currently, thousands of people stand every night at Place de la République. things are going to move….
Yes angry (and other bad feelings) will rise to new levels.
A lot of people will start to understand that the socalled western democracy is no one, just a new way of leadership. Mostly startet by the US that strangely is not fully covered in the PP. Once again they turn everything to the others (not to say that all others are innocent!)
Unfortunatelly nothing will (and can) happen.
That reminds me the roman empire ruler Nero: “Give the people to eat and games to distract them”
Thanks for writing; encountered via the non-corporate social media network diaspora (https://diasp.eu/posts/4145671)
Please join the movement! 🙂
What if ?
I think the western companies will
get their just dew.
Perhaps we all win when the tax havens
are shunned & .gov start to be serious about
collecting Corporate Taxes.
Great article. Explains everything. Thank you.
Very true indeed.Well thought of. Get the other bastards as well.
I’m with Anis…get the other bastards as well. I don’t think anyone should be shielded.
Is there a way to pressure the Guardian or other organisation with access to the database to do a thorough search?
That would be interesting, much more interesting and revealing. given the bib and guardian have essentially taken political positions by choosing what to and what not to search. perhaps the media too should be subject to freedom of info. they are in bed with the polititians after all.
Even if, as is likely, the full story doesn’t emerge from this leak, it is really interesting that we can see the wholesale management of news in action. The processes used by our own state/elite to stop information getting out that might provoke people into positive action are laid bare. Of course stopping “information getting out” is a simplistic explanation of the process. Full knowledge of what’s on this database might eventually get out but controlling the way it is leaked is the key for any interested parties. Publish stories about corruption in “enemy states” first and we’ll hardly notice what follows. More importantly, we’ll recognise the pointlessness of trying to fight the system. I mean, everyone’s at it, aren’t they. It’s the way of the world, etc. etc.
So by hiding these people and not searching them out on the MF database, does that make The Guardian and BBC complicit to whatever crime the MF clients may be committing? Too close to The Establishment who have been living off these types of schemes for years obviously. Or taking a cut for the silence? Perhaps the leaker might send the information elsewhere if they truly feel they want to expose the situation. Can’t beat transparency but too many work without it and too many help them to do it. Change is needed for a fairer world.
Yes, I think so too.
…another distraction to hide the full real story and justify their actions against certain rulers and a fast track into the NWO?
You mean the NWO isn’t here already?
“That would be much more interesting. I know Russia and China are corrupt, you don’t have to tell me that.”
So, you, mister Murray, you don’t want to listen about the corruption of the dictatorial Kremlin regime, .
But may be other people, especialy those in Russia, and in other eastern-european countries, that have been 45 years under dictatorial communst regimes, want to know the facts.
And, mister Murray, it will be interessting to know if you were similarly concerned when WikiLeaks published their files, and there were no single word about the regims in Russia, China, North Korea, Siria etc.
George Hantov
Sofia, Bulgaria
George, the Guardian is a UK publication, a UK paper. After months of investigation all the Guardian as come up with is ‘Some of Putin’s friends are laundering money’ and the Syrian regime is getting around sanctions using tax havens etc. Well. no shit Sherlock.
I want to know about what OUR politicians etc have been doing.
Well, then visit russian sites that are reporting the western scandals (e.g. rt news)
I think the point might be, Mr Hantov, that we are force fed stories of insane corruption in Russia, North Korea, and China all the time by our mainstream media. When it comes to our own governments, our media are reluctant to raise their voice.
Whatever I might feel about the actions of foreign governments, there is less I can do to take useful action to change the situation. I live in the UK, for example, and I can see around me and feel the effects very directly of the lies and corruption emanating from the government here. I am just in a better position to pass comment and protest about the injustice here, than I am protesting about state repression in, say, Bulgaria. I leave that to you, perhaps.
There is not a conspiracy theory behind everything. You guys are a little too paranoid and focus negatively on everything the current establishment has to offer. That is just as bad as corporate media trying to hide negative things about their top management.
Nobody but yourself is suggesting there is a conspiracy. Read some Chomsky.
I agree with you about conspiracy theories but this is a case where a substantial proportion of our elite, which includes owners and executives of mainstream media outlets, may be implicated in massive corruption. From their point of view, it is imperative that they effectively plug this leak with the tools they have at their disposal – the mainstream media, being one of them. Careful news management is very important to avoid political, and social unrest.
One of the things that struck me yesterday morning, a wet ,foggy southern Spanish morning, as I read my way for hours through the revelations, was that readers could not comment. I suppose ire, anger and language would have reached all-time heights had such been allowed. Reading this article of contrast now brings a balance to my mind and how I am to read, or not read, further Panamanian revelations. I still love the Guardian and will continue to read it. But alongside your articles, Mr. Murray. I am happy to have discovered you. Thankyou.
I used to be quite fond of the Guardian too, but no more.
Qute a few reasons really, but if you’re still thumbing through its pages, you could do well to start here to see what’s going on:
http://off-guardian.org/
http://off-guardian.org/2016/04/03/panama-papers-cause-guardian-to-collapse-into-self-parody/
Good articles. Thanks for posting.
ICIJ fooled me and many others before. they are trying to fool us again.
Astute comment as Usual CRAIG – they don’t release stuff like this without good reason – there’s something else afoot, isn’t there?
so why cant an average person avoid and not pay taxes as a resentment to the big wigs being ignored, law is equal to everybody isnt it ? so the next logical thing to do is to stop paying taxes altogether, spread this around.
If only it were that simple Haider! Tax is taken out at source for most working people in the UK. We have no choice!
Thanks for writing, would much rather give you my £5 a month than the Guardian ‘for free thinkers’
[mod: caught in spam filter at 03:27, timestamp updated]
“I know Russia and China are corrupt”. Really, Craig?
Of all the major nations, their profiles speak of honesty and competence, not corruption. Certainly there are dishonest people in them at every level but, at the policy level their accomplishments are as extraordinary as the 80-90 percent approval and support their people give them. Their people’s perceptions are matched by observable accomplishments.
Putin brought Russia back from the dead. He saved the nation’s treasure, rebuilt its infrastructure, rearmed the military with the world’s best weapons, raised pensions and paid them on time – a very big deal there. That’s not what corrupt people do, especially after they’ve been in power for so many years. His personal life, too, accurately reflects his professional accomplishments. He checks out, in other words.
China has never had a problem with policy-level corruption, either. Every Chinese has doubled his income every ten years for the past 50, and that trend continues this year with 6% wage rises. 90 percent of them own their homes – most mortgage free. They have world class infrastructure that pays for itself handsomely, safe streets and empty prisons. That’s not the profile of a corrupt government.
Great article, which I found by accident, but I am glad I did.
I would like to see a scan for all the past and present members of both houses of the UK parliament. If they have nothing to hide they should not object, so lets put pressure on the Guardian to float the idea and see how many objections we get, and from whom.
I knew as soon as Putin was emphasized that the “western” one per cent would gt home free.
Revised comment
I would like to see a scan for all the past and present members of both houses of the UK parliament. And all the EU MEPs and Commissioners, if possible before the UK referendum.
If they have nothing to hide they should not object, so lets put pressure on the Guardian to float the idea and see how many objections we get, and from whom.
It would just be blocked – by whom, we may never know – and that would be the end of it! So much for freedom, democracy, and all the other trite expressions brought out at times like this! We will only know what we are ‘allowed’ to know…….!
Thank you for the article. I would prefer that people like you, rather than lamenting over something that is NOT done, push for it being done.
I’ve wondered about this ICIJ as well since the material was leaked, who funds it and so on, and now we’re a step closer to the truth there.
All in due course, we all know that it needs to be inspected and it has been remarked upon REPEATEDLY how strange it is that US companies are mysteriously absent from this cataclysm. To me that only means that there is still MUCH to reveal.
…well, on second thought, perhaps you do. I got distracted by your aggressive tone 🙂
The reason being is that Panama and the US have a tax relationship over the canal, so are supposed to openly share such information between them. Whether this happens in practice…….? We may never know?
Rhe problem is that there are so many big names involved and the wheels so much power however the will run and run and there will be leaks all over and a lot will come out yet It is just too big to keep under wraps and any “Special Interest Groups” are bound to get access one way or another. Part of the problem is a legal one The very rich are bound to try and kick this around the courts hoping that time will reduce the interest in the matter I for one think they are wrong it is not going to go away and many heads will fall how many will may never know as a result of back door “deals” It is not so much the money it is the level of corruption involved trhat is important. Another part of the problem is that much of the deals which when on are not illegal just unacceptable.
unless of course the trove is put on Github.
“The Guardian” (of the crooked establishment)
Its like the net all over again they are stealing from the country to support their families and children for centuries to come
As it has taken a year to disclose and it’s very limited in it’s disclosure, what is corprocracy really hiding?
Australia’s national broadcaster , the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, detailed some of the claims on its 4 Corners show last night. Two major Australian corporates got a mention – BHP and Wilson Security.
Not sure the whitewash you predict is going to unfold as you suggest, time will tell!!
The mainstream media merely hides the proof of what we suspect, and all but know for sure already. That the billionaire class has no loyalty to any people or to any nation. That the billionaire class holds equality before the law and democracy in total contempt. That the billionaire class always betrays their homeland and violates its law with the expectation of impunity. That we do not need the billionaire class for any reason whatsoever and that they are a luxury we never could afford.
I can see exactly where you’re coming from. Let me second the motion that we don’t need the billionaire class.
What can we do about it?
Ha! Just this morning my husband & I were wondering why we have heard virtually NOTHING re: the Panama papers & any wealthy people in the U.S. This leak is definitely being “managed” by someone(s)…. We often wonder how people – especially the ridiculously wealthy – can sleep at night if they are involved with dirty deals or loophole deals to avoid paying taxes. They must see how hurtful this is for their countries & their fellow citizens. My husband feels people who would do this have an “entitled” mentality. I on the other hand – think they are psychopaths.
Keep pushing.
The Clinton campaign would feel the Bern if we were able to see it all…therefore…we will never see it.
Ah democracy.
Thank you for some of the best reading in a long time.
The speed of your denouncing, so incredibly fast.
The BBC is just totally corrupt now. I no longer watch their bias. I’m tired of screaming at the TV in utter contempt.
Well done Craig ?
http://forward.com/news/337663/hundreds-of-israelis-exposed-in-sprawling-panamapapers-financial-scandal/?utm_content=daily_Newsletter_MainList_Title_Position-1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New+Daily+2016-04-04&utm_term=The+Forward+Today+Monday-Friday