Indonesia and the Panama Papers: Names and Numbers
Reportedly, around 3,000 Indonesian individuals and companies are mentioned in the Panama Papers, the massive leak involving around 11.5 million confidential documents from the database of the world's fourth-largest offshore law firm, Mossack Fonseca. These documents show how political figures as well as celebrities, sport stars and businessmen exploit secretive offshore tax regimes. Icelandic Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson became the first victim of the leakage (he resigned on Tuesday). What about Indonesia and the Panama Papers?
The Panama Papers already seem to have become the biggest leak in history. The documents were obtained from an anonymous source by German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. This newspaper then shared the documents with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which subsequently reported that Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca structurally helped to establish secret shell companies and offshore accounts for the world's big names and players.
Although it will require more time to scrutinize the complete set of 11.5 million leaked documents, local media in Indonesia have mentioned several well-known Indonesian names that were found in the documents. These Indonesian individuals include:
• Erick Thohir; businessman and president and majority shareholder of Italian football club Internazionale as well as the majority owner of American soccer club D.C. United),
• Rosan Roslani; businessman and Chairman of Indonesia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
• Erwin Aksa; businessman, General Director of the Bosowa Corporation, and nephew of Indonesia's Vice President Jusuf Kalla,
• Budiono Darsono; senior journalist and owner of news portal detik.com,
• Gita Wirjawan; businessman, investment banker, former Indonesian Trade Minister, former Head of the Investment Coordinating Board, and founder of the Ancora Group,
• Anthoni Salim; one of Indonesia's wealthiest businessmen and President of the Salim Group,
• James Riady; Deputy Chairman of the Lippo Group,
• Pieter Tanuri; owner of Multistrada Arah Sarana,
• Sandiago Uno; businessman, candidate for Jakarta's 2017 gubernatorial election and member of Gerindra party,
• Garibaldi Thohir; President Director Adaro Energy,
• Chairul Tanjung; owner of CT Corp and former Economics Minister,
• Hilmi Panigoro; President Director Medco Energi Internasional,
• Muhammad Riza Chalid; businessman in the oil & gas sector,
• Djoko Soegiarto; fugitive in the Bank Bali corruption scandal.
Although these people were mentioned in the Panama Papers in connection to the establishment of offshore companies (special purpose vehicles) in tax havens, it requires more research to determine whether they were indeed involved in tax evasion.
Indonesian Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro stated that Indonesian authorities will study the documents and check whether data are conform data stored at the country's tax office.
Read more: Panama Papers: World's Greatest Leak Shows Massive Tax Evasion
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