3 ways to handle ‘Panama Papers’ crisis responses
Several politicians and public figures have scrambled after documents surfaced showing illegal activities. Now, a public database might put scrutiny on you.
The database includes information culled from this year’s Panama Papers investigation—which leaked names and information of prominent people and world leaders who used offshore companies to avoid paying income taxes—as well as a previous database that looked at offshore accounts held by U.K. residents.
A version of the database has been available since September to more than 100 news organizations that assisted in the initial Panama Papers investigation, but Monday will mark the first time it is being made public.
This means the general public will only be able to see official owners of companies, and how those individuals and entities are connected to other individuals and entities.
Though inclusion in the database does not, by the ICIJ’s own statement, suggest or imply illegal or improper activity, it’s safe to say anyone named is under the increased risk of negative scrutiny (The ICIJ has said it will not release actual documents pertaining to individuals to avoid disclosing private information).
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