• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Finance

Pandora Papers show tax crackdowns are no match for the superrich

By
Vivienne Walt
Vivienne Walt
Correspondent, Paris
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Vivienne Walt
Vivienne Walt
Correspondent, Paris
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 4, 2021, 11:12 AM ET

Judging by the analysis of the mammoth Pandora Papers leak published across the world on Sunday, it helps to be rich—immensely rich—if you want to hide your wealth from tax authorities.

The 11.9 million documents show an almost endless amount of rampant tax avoidance by some of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people. The blizzard of accounting records, photos, and emails reveals how billionaires, presidents, prime ministers, royals, and hundreds of politicians have funneled fortunes into property and other assets that are sheltered from the prying eyes of tax collectors through use of shell companies and trusts in offshore havens—all with the help of high-priced financial consultants and law firms.

“Professional services firms seem to see every piece of legislation as just another obstacle to get around,” said Alex Cobham, chief executive of the Tax Justice Network, a London NGO pushing for global tax-equity regulations.

“The response does not seem to be, ‘Oh, I need to be clean,’” Cobham told Fortune on Monday after the documents were published. “No, it’s been, ‘I need to find different ways to keep cheating.’”

The 2.9 terabytes of data were leaked from 14 financial institutions to the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists, or ICIJ, and then shared with 600 media outlets in 117 countries—including the Washington Post, the Guardian, and France’s Le Monde newspaper—in what the organization says is the biggest-ever journalistic collaboration.

Indeed, the Pandora Papers are at least the fourth major leak to the ICIJ since LuxLeaks in 2014, when whistleblowers at PricewaterhouseCoopers showed how the Big Four accounting firms enabled major corporations to avoid taxes by setting up their global operations in the tiny Duchy of Luxembourg in the European Union. Since then, the organization has published millions of leaked documents from financial institutions, in the Panama Papers in 2016 and the FinCen Files last year, which examined how five major banks—JPMorgan, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of New York Mellon—had helped skirt U.S. money-laundering laws.

Among the Pandora Papers’ revelations so far are the real estate holdings of Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who the documents show purchased about $100 million worth of mansion properties in Malibu, Calif., Washington, D.C., and London, between 2003 and 2017. Ilham Aliyev, longtime President of oil-rich Azerbaijan, traded London property worth a stunning $694 million, using a network of 84 offshore companies. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair avoided $422,000 in taxes on a London property by purchasing it through a secretive offshore firm, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan—who campaigned for office on an anti-corruption platform—hid millions of dollars in offshore trusts and companies.

The leaks revealed on Sunday expose extensive secrecy that in most cases stops short of being illegal. “Many of them have not broken the law,” ICIJ managing editor Fergus Shiel told Fortune on Monday.

“This is about the corrupting influence of secrecy,” he said. “Politicians can have offshore companies, but at the very least their citizens should know they have these offshore companies, and know what their wealth is.” He says international law firms and wealth managers are “completely entwined with the offshore industry.”

As governments have steadily cracked down on tax cheats, such legal, investment, and accounting services have become increasingly valuable to people attempting to work around the regulations.

In fact, the Pandora Papers show the impact of previous leaks like the Panama Papers; financial representatives for several high-profile people, including the King of Jordan, insisted on communicating only on paper, rather than digitally—an attempt to avoid details from leaking to the press.

In the past decade, countries like Switzerland, which guarded bank secrets for decades, have been compelled to reveal thousands of accounts held by foreigners. The biggest change came in 2010, when former President Barack Obama introduced the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act or FATCA, forcing governments to inform the Internal Revenue Service if U.S. citizens held bank accounts abroad.

But that has opened a gap—between those who can afford to pay consultants to continue evading taxes and those who have largely stopped hiding their money from tax collectors, because of stiffer monitoring.

Information exchange rules have worked in stopping “the dentist walking across the border from France to Switzerland” to deposit money in a Swiss bank, one person involved in global negotiations on tax rules told Fortune on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity. “But politically exposed individuals, high-wealth people, criminals, can continue using a variety of tools. If you are rich and have money and time, it is still happening.”

Those tools include offshore shell companies that hide the true asset holders. In years of negotiations, the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, which represents wealthy countries, has tried to implement new rules against tax havens, but has so far agreed only on a global corporate tax rate of 15%. Some are still advocating for a worldwide beneficiary registry of shell companies, which would reveal the true owners.

That would have far-reaching impact—and would inject huge new funds into public coffers around the world, say those pushing for those changes.

Cobham of the Tax Justice Network says his organization estimates that tax evasion by companies and individuals totals about $427 billion a year, and that between $11 trillion and $32 trillion in assets are held outside the country where the money has been made.

“About half the world’s GDP is potentially hidden from us,” he says. “This is not a marginal practice. It is a dominant part of the world’s financial system.”

Subscribe to Fortune Daily to get essential business stories straight to your inbox each morning.

About the Author
By Vivienne WaltCorrespondent, Paris

Vivienne Walt is a Paris-based correspondent at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Beyond the diploma: Skills that actually get graduates hired
Future of WorkWorkplace Innovation Summit
Beyond the diploma: Skills that actually get graduates hired
By Ashley LutzMay 22, 2026
9 hours ago
Sam Altman standing in a lift.
AIOpenAI
The big questions looming over OpenAI’s trillion-dollar IPO
By Beatrice NolanMay 22, 2026
9 hours ago
Walmart shoppers are filling their gas tanks with less than 10 gallons for the first time since 2022, and its CFO calls it ‘an indication of stress’
EconomyRetail
Walmart shoppers are filling their gas tanks with less than 10 gallons for the first time since 2022, and its CFO calls it ‘an indication of stress’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 22, 2026
9 hours ago
Musk may already be a trillionaire while these SpaceX employees and investors will hit multibillion-dollar jackpots after blockbuster IPO
Startups & VentureSpaceX
Musk may already be a trillionaire while these SpaceX employees and investors will hit multibillion-dollar jackpots after blockbuster IPO
By Jason MaMay 22, 2026
10 hours ago
ta
EconomySocial Media
They created AI nudes that got millions of views online. Now they’re being charged with crimes
By Jake Offenhartz and The Associated PressMay 22, 2026
11 hours ago
Best private student loans in May 2026
Personal FinanceLoans
Best private student loans in May 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 22, 2026
11 hours ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
1 day ago
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
Success
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
2 days ago
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
3 days ago
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
Workplace Culture
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
By Sydney LakeMay 20, 2026
2 days ago
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
Success
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
By Emma BurleighMay 22, 2026
10 hours ago
McKinsey partner says up to 50% of work hours could be transformed within the next 5 years
AI
McKinsey partner says up to 50% of work hours could be transformed within the next 5 years
By Emma BurleighMay 21, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.