Tag Archives | tax evasion

G20 Meets to Act on Corporate Taxes – But More Needed on Corruption

18 September 2014 in Accountability, Anti-corruption movement, Asset recovery, Civil society, Cost of Corruption, G20, Impunity, People power, Politics and government, Private sector

The often highly complicated approaches used by giant corporations to lower their tax bills will be under attack at this weekend’s key meeting of finance ministers of the Group of 20 most powerful nations in Cairns, Australia. The G20 is expected to act to end systems where companies like Apple, Amazon, Starbucks and many others […]

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Messi and the International Impunity System

7 August 2014 in Access to information, Accountability, Americas, Europe and Central Asia, Politics and government, Private sector, Sport

The ongoing prosecution of football super star Lionel Messi for alleged tax evasion made global headlines last week. Messi and his father Jorge are accused of evading 4.2 million euros (US$5.6m) in tax on sponsorship earnings in court documents submitted by the prosecutor. The alleged tax evasion scheme was based on using a web of […]

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German-Greek arms deal corruption allegations stir renewed debate

6 June 2014 in Access to information, Accountability, Defence and Security, Europe and Central Asia, Politics and government, Private sector, Technology

The Self Propelled Howitzer “PzH 2000” of German Defense Company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) “sets a worldwide standard”, according to the company. Athens bought the howitzers a decade ago for €200 million, a deal which is now the centre of allegations about dubious flows of money in connection with two former German parliamentarians. The PzH 2000 […]

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Public consultation in Jersey: chance to come clean

30 April 2014 in Access to information, Accountability, Europe and Central Asia, Politics and government, Private sector

The use of shell companies to mask the true owners of assets is still on top of the political agenda and interest in the issue continues to grow. This week the UK government announced further details of its plan to implement a public registry of company ownership. This is important because shell companies can facilitate […]

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Shelving the shells

19 March 2014 in Access to information, Anti-corruption movement, Asset recovery, Financial Markets, Impunity, Politics and government, Poverty and development, Private sector

From one corruption fighting organisation to another, hats off to Global Witness. Founder Charmian Gooch and her colleagues have been recognised for their stellar efforts to highlight the damage done by corrupt practices in the extractives sector. In her award winning TED talk, Gooch highlighted the role of ‘the facilitators’ – global banks and global […]

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OECD moves forward on tax transparency

25 February 2014 in Access to information, Accountability, Anti-corruption Conventions, Asset recovery, Civil society, Education, European Union, G20, Measurement and Research, Politics and government

Last September G20 leaders moved towards greater transparency to crack down on tax evasion. They promised a “new global standard” to increase the exchange of financial information between countries. Whereas today tax authorities have to chase information from others authorities if and when they suspect foul play, this new standard will require any jurisdiction signing […]

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G8: It’s time for action on money laundering

11 June 2013 in Access to information, Accountability, Cost of Corruption

The UK Government has announced that transparency and anti-corruption will be key elements at the G8 summit this year. Much needed action on money laundering provides an opportunity to live up to that promise. Corrupt money flows through the UK – in particular through our financial services industry. Nobody knows how much, but it is […]

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Whistleblowing in Greece: an alternative to silence

8 May 2013 in Europe and Central Asia, Whistleblowing

In September 2012, the US Internal Revenue Service awarded Bradley Birkefeld with US$104 million, as he provided prosecutors with detailed information about the “consultating services” that UBS AG offered to rich clients, thus enabling tax evasion. Within two months, new legislation on whistleblowers’ protection for federal employees came up by the US President Barack Obama. […]

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Money laundering – are BVI leaks a game changer?

8 April 2013 in Private sector

Reposted from Transparency International UK The recent leaks of information about who actually owns the companies registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) offer a first glimpse for many people into this very murky world. For years, small amounts of information have trickled out – often through court cases – that indicate these so-called secrecy […]

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