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 The dirty secrets of western corporations will remain unpublished.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.
May I offer a French translation I posted on my Facebook page today?. Bravo for your remarquable blog.
Les gardiens des grands medias protègent le 1 % Occidental des fuites de Panama
________________________________________
Qui que ce soit qui a produit les fuites de documents du cabinet Mossack Fonseca, il semble motivé par un désir authentique de révéler le système qui permet aux ultra riches de dissimuler leurs solides réserves, souvent obtenues par corruption et toujours marquées par l’évasion fiscale. Ces avocats panaméens cachent la richesse d’une proportion importante des 1% (de super riches – NDLR), et la fuite massive de ces documents devrait être une chose merveilleuse.
Malheureusement le lanceur d’alerte a fait l’erreur épouvantable de se tourner vers les grands médias occidentaux d’entreprise pour rendre publics les résultats. En conséquence la première grande histoire, publiée aujourd’hui par le quotidien The Guardian, est totalement focalisée sur Vladimir Putin et un violoncelliste sur le toit. J’indique que je crois à cette histoire et je n’ai aucun doute que Poutine est corrompu
.
Mais pourquoi mettre l’accent sur la Russie ? La richesse russe est seulement une infime partie de l’argent caché grâce à l’aide de Mossack Fonseca. En fait, il devient vite évident que le rapport, très sélectif, va bientôt sentir très mauvais.
Le Suddeutsche Zeitung, qui a reçu la fuite, donne un explication détaillée de la méthodologie utilisée par les grands médias pour explorer les fichiers. La principale recherche a porté sur de noms associés aux régimes qui brisent les sanctions de Nations Unies. The Guardian rapporte également ce fait et répertorie les pays comme le Zimbabwe, la Corée du Nord, la Russie et la Syrie. Le filtrage des données de Mossack Fonseca par les grands médias suit un plan précis d’action gouvernementale occidental. Il n’y pas la moindre mention de relation avec Mossack Fonseca venant de très grandes sociétés occidentales ou de milliardaires occidentaux – pourtant leurs principaux clients. Et le Guardian s’empresse de rassurer en précisant que «une grande partie des données fournies restera privée. »
Que peut on en attendre ? La fuite est gérée par un consortium pompeusement affublé du nom ridicule de ” Consortium International de journalistes d’investigation”, qui est financé et organisé entièrement par Centre Américain pour l’Intégrité Publique (Center for Public Integrity, CPI) . Leurs bailleurs de fonds incluent (entre autres):
La Fondation Ford
Carnegie Endowment
La Fondation Rockefeller Family Fund
W K Kellogg Foundation
Open Society Foundation (Soros)
Ne vous attendez pas un véritable exposé du capitalisme occidental. Les sales secrets des sociétés occidentales resteront inédits.
Attendez vous à des tirs vers la Russie, l’Iran et la Syrie et certains petits pays occidentaux « instables » comme l’Islande. Un ou deux vieux compères Britanniques seront sacrifiés – on choisira une personne déjà atteinte de démence sénile.
Les grands médias – le Guardian et la BBC au Royaume-Uni – ont un accès exclusif à la base de données que vous et moi ne pouvons pas voir. Ils évitent même soigneusement (pour se protéger) de mettre au jour des informations sensibles des sociétés occidentales, et regardent uniquement les documents qui sont sélectionnés par des recherches spécifiques telles que le pratiquent les dénicheurs de sanctions des Nations Unies. N’oubliez jamais que le Guardian a détruit ses copies des fichiers Snowden sur instruction du MI6.
Que se passerait-t-il s’ils faisaient des recherches dans la base de données Mossack Fonseca, sur les propriétaires de tous les grands médias et leurs entreprises, et tous les rédacteurs et grands journalistes? Que se passerait-t-il s’ils faisaient des recherches sur les plus hauts dirigeants de la BBC ? Que se passerait-t-il s’ils faisaient des recherches sur chacun des donateurs du Centre Américain pour l’Intégrité Publique et leurs groupes?
Que se passerait-t-il s’ils faisaient des recherches sur chaque société cotée dans les bourses occidentales et sur chaque millionnaire occidental qu’ils pouvaient tracer ?
Ce serait beaucoup plus intéressant. Je sais que la Russie et la Chine sont corrompus, pas besoin de me le dire. Que dire des choses que nous pourrions, ici en Occident, être capables de se révéler et suer lesquelles nous pourrions agir ?
Et que se passerait-t-il si vous, petits caniches des entreprises, permettiez aux gens de voir les données réelles ?
MISE À JOUR
Des centaines de milliers de personnes ont lu ce post dans les 11 heures depuis sa parution – bien qu’il fasse nuit ici au Royaume-Uni. Il y a 235 918 « impressions » sur twitter (ainsi que le nomme twitter) et plus de 3 700 personnes ont « partagé » jusqu’à présent sur Facebook, ce qui porte des dizaines de nouveaux lecteurs en cascade.
Je vous rappelle que ce blog est gratuit, pour le bien public, et vous êtes les bienvenus à republier ou réutiliser cet article ou tout autre matériel librement, n’importe où sans demande d’autorisation.
Thank for your efforts to expose the obscene corruption we all know exists.
Will the media share these files ?
We Are Change offers a possible explanation for this. But, brace yourself. It’s pretty serious. https://youtu.be/hHY3ncyrNUA
Appunto!
Thank you your insight into this enlightening opinion. How can corrupt people in the west be revealed? Perhaps by some interested hacker. I can only hope so. Thanks again.
Thank you for your efforts to point out the issues with this leak and the information being withheld, keep fighting the good fight.
Maybe anonymous should leak the leaks and get the papers out of the hands of the gate keepers and into the hands of the people.
We have known for some time our politicians and corporations in the US are absolutely guilty of this. However it is not illegal here to do this and there are loopholes in the Tax code that allow for this practice here. Any corporate lawyer in this country can help you. I agree it is absolute BS and they should not be allowed to get away with it. The sad reality is that corporations control almost everything here now. We Americans have allowed this to happen by lowering our standards for politicians, media outlets, and campaign finance. Our complete lack of participation will continue to allow us plebs to be flim flamed by the new class of pratricians and new Rome will continue to march on.
This lacks logic…
TNX for this article!!! Shared.
“Never forget the Guardian smashed its copies of the Snowden files on the instruction of MI6.”
Not true: They still had copies held oversees.
It is written “all that is hid shall be revealed”, we might have to wait a bit longer, but I have no doubt we will get the info. Our desire to have the full picture is manifestly encouraged by writers such as yourself. My personal thanks to you for this article.
Anyone fancying a good read will be happy to know that Craig Murray’s book The Catholic Orangemen of Togo (and Other Conflicts I Have Known), is now available for download in PDF form at https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/books/the-catholic-orangemen-of-togo/
Enjoy!
Also the BBC radio production of “Murder in Samarkand” is available to listen to at https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/books/murder-in-samarkand/radio-play/
I think your reporting is great, but the Guardian only smashed its copies of the Snowden files after it knew that there were secure copies overseas out of the reach of M16. The whole thing was an exercise in futility and a waste of good computers.
poor francis m downer.
did you not get the memo
the guardian and the bbc are mi5 and mossad.
in fact for years mi5 had an office in tv centre
just near the blue peter offices they did love being arond the kids
busy busy busy unkle jimmy sa vile
from Pepe Escobar –
”… a case can be made this alleged ‘most massive leak ever’ was obtained by – what else – US intel. This is the kind of stuff the NSA excels at. The NSA is able to break into virtually any database and/or archives everywhere; they steal “secrets”; and then selectively destroy/blackmail/protect assets and “enemies”, according to USG interests…
The Panama Papers, stripped to the bone, may reveal themselves essentially as an infowar operation by the NSA – targeted mostly against “enemies” (as in the BRICS nations) and selected disposable pawns; a weaponized psyops posing as an ‘activist leak’, straight from the Hybrid War playbook.”
* * * * *
Rothschilds have set up a bank in Reno, Nevada to attract One Percenters’ weatlth and offering total secrecy. A Rothschild family member has promoted it across the world for 2 years. As the sanctimonious Yanks shut down Swiss and Liechtenstyerin tax havens, they’ve become themselves the world’s foremost shelter for dirty money. This scam is them, Soros, Rockefeller & Co shitting on their tiddler opposition in Panama, where the local junta has resisted banking transparency.
Found this link that provides names by country https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/
all names need to be made public then the people involved will have to stop
Guardiões da mídia corporativa protegem o 1% ocidental no vazamento do Panamá
Craig Murray
Quem vazou os documentos da Mossak Fonseca parece ter sido motivado por um desejo genuíno de revelar o sistema que permite aos ultra-ricos esconder suas fortunas maciças, frequentemente obtidas de forma corrupta e fugindo da tributação. Esses advogados panamenhos escondem a riqueza de uma porção significante do 1% e o vazamento maciço dos documentos devia ser uma maravilha.
Infelizmente, o vazador cometeu o erro fatal de correr para a mídia corporativa ocidental para publicá-los. Como conseqüência, a primeira grande reportagem, publicada hoje pelo The Guardian, é sobre Vladmir Putin e um violoncelista malandro. Eu acredito na reportagem e não tenho dúvidas que Putin esteja envolvido.
Mas por que focar na Rússia? A fortuna russa é só uma mínima fração do dinheiro escondido com ajuda da Mossak Fonseca. Na verdade, já ficou claro que esse vazamento seletivo não vai prestar.
O Suddeutsche Zeitung, que recebeu o vazamento, dá uma explicação detalhada da metodologia que a mídia corporativa usou para analisar os papéis. A principal pesquisa que eles fizeram foi por nomes associados à quebra de sanções impostas pela ONU a países. O The Guardian também afirma isso e facilita ao listar esses países como Zimbabwe, Coréia do Norte, Russia e Síria. A filtragem dessas informações da Mossak Fonseca pela mídia corporativa segue estritamente a agenda dos governos do ocidente. Não há, absolutamente, nenhuma menção ao uso da Mossak Fonseca pelos gigantes empresariais ocidentais ou pelos milionários do ocidente – os principais clientes. E o The Guardian foi rápido ao assegurar que “muito do material vazado vai continuar em segredo”.
O que você esperava? O vazamento está sendo controlado pelo, nome pomposo e risível, “Consórcio Internacional de Jornalistas Investigativos” que é financiado e organizado inteiramente pela ONG americana Center for Public Integrity (Centro de Integridade Pública), cuja lista de patrocinadores inclui
Fundação Ford
Fundo Carnegie para a Paz Internacional
Rockefeller Family Fund
Fundação W. K. Kellogg
Fundação Open Society (Soros)
além de muitos outros. Não espere nenhuma grande revelação sobre o capitalismo ocidental. Os segredos comprometedores das corporações ocidentais vão continuar desconhecidos do público.
Espere pauladas na Rússia, no Irã e na Síria e em algum pequeno país do ocidente, como a Islândia, pra “equilibrar”. Um ou outro velho parceiro britânico será sacrificado – alguém já esclerosado.
A mídia corporativa – o The Guardian e a BBC na Grã-Bretanha – tem acesso exclusivo à base de dados que eu e você não podemos ver. Eles estão até se protegendo pra não acabar vendo informações “delicadas” das empresas ocidentais, olhando somente os documentos que aparecem nas buscas específicas como, por exemplo, a dos que furaram as sanções da ONU. Nunca se esqueçam que o The Guardian triturou as cópias que tinha dos papéis do Snowden, a pedido do MI6.
E se eles fizessem pesquisa na base de dados da Mossak Fonseca sobre os donos de toda a mídia corporativa e suas empresas, e todos os editores e jornalistas mais graduados da mídia corporativa? E se eles procurassem na Mossak Fonseca o alto escalão da BBC? E se eles procurassem cada doador do Center for Public Integrity e suas empresas?
E se procurassem cada empresa listada nas bolsas ocidentais, cada milionário ocidental que se possa lembrar?
Isso seria bem mais interessante. Que a Rússia e a China são corruptas, eu sei, você não precisa me dizer. E se vocês olharem para as coisas contra as quais nós, aqui no ocidente, pudéssemos nos mobilizar e tentar mudar?
E se vocês, marionetes corporativas, deixarem o público ver os dados reais?
Tradução: http://choldraboldra.blogspot.com.br/2016/04/guardioes-da-midia-corporativa-protegem.html
Please excuse me for posting here an explanation of your post: this is a translation into Portuguese of Craig’s piece at the top of this thread that has been posted on a Brazilian Web site.
Am I in some kind of trouble by reading this information. on the internet?
Some civil servants in the U.S. federal government got into trouble for looking at Wikileaks on line.
Soros and Rockefeller are cracking the whip…to let people know who’s boss…NWO blackmail operation. Have a Gruber Day Sheeple.
WE NEED TO KNOW IT ALL! NO HIDINg!
What about VICE? Are they the “corporate media? “
I’ve read somewhere that they were bought out by Fox News
It is curious that no Americans and Canadians have been named…. the Cdn Broadcasting Corp says there are no famous people among the 450 Canadians… I think we, the deceived, deluded and ripped off people, should be the judge of that.
Craig,
your observations on the mistake of turning the files over to western journalists is well warranted. Their crimes, mostly of omission, are well known. But your bias against Russia and China is showing. Did the documents reveal any incriminating evidence against Putin? or just a musician friend of his? Were there any revelations about any Chinese? You didn’t say, yet you claim to “know” that “Russia and China are corrupt”. Maybe they are, as all governments are, but at least cite some evidence.
I think at some stage we need to get away from obsessing about these exposures and treating them as if they are a revelation. Since Wikileaks-Assange, Manning, Snowden et al, one would have had to have been asleep not to realise that the whole edifice of the establishment is rancid. There is not even any need to wait for such illicit hacking of databases. Reports appear in the mainstream media all the time about corruption, poverty, war, mal-distribution of wealth and so on. The notion that transparency is the route to salvation for our democracy is trite and disingenuous and potentially pacifying. If all that we do is act as voyeurs on such venal behaviour then the status quo is assured. I feel that the time and energy devoted to bemoaning the obvious would be better directed to finding innovative mechanisms to establish democracy before the little that is left of plurality is extinguished; at which time any systematic civilised change will become impossible.
Typical american media. Sad they keep spitting this propaganda slandering russia and even our own citizens dont buy it but they still try to sell it all over the world!
My three main criticisms of the new blog format are:
Comments per page have been reduced (there used to be 200, reduced to 100) and now we seem to get less than 50.
Related to that you can post a comment, like this, and nobody reads it because the page has moved on.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2016/04/the-wacko-right-nexus/comment-page-1/#comment-588411
Pages used to be displayed at the top and could easily be found. But since the comment form was moved from bottom to top it is not as easy to scroll through them.
Otherwise, well done!
But it may encourage conversations and threads within threads.
You can see that someone has posted from the main page though if you had posted on an earlier page on this thread I am not sure if the link would take me straight there…will have to test that.
Want the data? Apparently this site has it for download.
https://algo-data.quora.com/Panama-Papers-data-set-for-download
I believe it was Conrad Black who once said that the only way you can have freedom of the press is to own one, ain’t that the truth.
Bring back the guillotine.
When the working class is tired of eating cake it will be Paris 1789 all over again.