Dozens of Americans in the Panama Papers are reportedly tied to financial frauds


At least 36 Americans accused of fraud or other serious financial misconduct are linked to offshore companies in the Panama Papers, The Washington Post reports based on International Consortium of Investigative Journalists findings. The April leak of law firm Mossack Fonseca's internal documents tied many global leaders and other prominent figures to offshore companies often used to evade taxes.
Among Mossack Fonseca's clients is Len Gotshalk, a former Atlanta Falcons player who had been accused of fraud and racketeering in a trail of lawsuits and criminal filings. The firm reportedly set up a British Virgin Islands shell company for him even after acknowledging its researchers found "negative information" on him.
Mossack Fonseca has claimed they make sure the companies they incorporate "are not being used for tax evasion, money-laundering, terrorist finance or other illicit purposes."
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Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.
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