The 2.6 terabytes of data leaked in the Panama Papers reveals corruption at the highest levels

[midian182]

An attack on a Panama law firm’s email servers has led to one of the biggest data leaks in history. The 2.6 terabytes of information exposes the questionable financial dealings of some of the most powerful individuals in the world, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The 11.5 million files, which are mostly made up of emails, originate from Mossack Fonseca, the world’s fourth-biggest offshore law firm. An anonymous source sent the documents to German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, which shared them with more than 370 reports from 100 worldwide news outlets, as well as the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism.

It’s claimed that the documents link a number of high-profile names, including 72 current or former heads of state, with schemes that helped them launder money, dodge sanctions and evade tax.

In addition to Vladimir Putin, some of the people who have allegedly exploited secretive offshore tax regimes include Syria President Bashar Assad, Iceland Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson and his wife, Ukranian president Petro Poroshenko, and British Prime Minister David Cameron’s late father, Ian Cameron.

The size of the data dump makes it larger than both the WikiLeaks State Department cables and Edward Snowden’s NSA revelations. Snowden has been tweeting about Mossack Fonseca; the NSA whistleblower said: “Biggest leak in the history of data journalism just went live, and it’s about corruption.”

That time when your journalism was so hot it melted the servers. #PanamaPapers https://t.co/AkCPAh6EEI

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) April 3, 2016

Despite the size of the leak, Ramon Fonseca, the director of the law firm, confirmed that the company had been the victim of a successful but “limited” hack. He went on to call the attack a “crime and felony.”

“Each person has a right to privacy, whether they are a king or a beggar," Fonseca told Sky News.

The company claims it cannot be held responsible for any wrongdoings. “We’re dedicated to making legal structures which we sell to intermediaries such as banks, lawyers, accountants and trusts, and they have their end-customers that we don’t know,” said Fonseca.

It’s likely that the ramifications of the leak will be felt over the coming weeks and months. There are already calls for a snap election in Iceland after the revelations linked the country’s prime minister to secretive offshore tax regimes.

Check out this Reddit thread to learn more about the Panama Papers, or see the full overview from the Suddeutsche Zeitung.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/64317-26-terabytes-data-leaked-panama-papers-reveals-corruption.html

 

[davislane1]

Meh. Everybody knows high-ranking officials are literal crooks.

I want to see the Clinton emails. That's a leak that would make data breaches great again.

 

[3volv3d]

This should be enough to give us immunity against the rich, so we can do as we please. Prosecution or death. Don't pay ya taxes when ya rich... Die

 

[davislane1]

This should be enough to give us immunity against the rich, so we can do as we please. Prosecution or death. Don't pay ya taxes when ya rich... Die

This is the blackest thing anyone has ever said on these forums. Even Captain Cranky isn't this OG.

 

[fredderf81]

This was a waste of time - everyone assumes this stuff anyway. this is not news to anyone. probably nothing much will happen to most of these people anyway. they became rich for a few reasons. when you have that much money you can do anything. this is the way it has always been and it will not change. just let them alone and focus on something else that you can do something about.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Only 72 heads of state? It sounds like a quick smash and grab sort of thing to me. Every head of state names, current and former should be there, and then some.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

This should be enough to give us immunity against the rich, so we can do as we please. Prosecution or death. Don't pay ya taxes when ya rich... Die

This is the blackest thing anyone has ever said on these forums. Even Captain Cranky isn't this OG.

I think you're underestimating him...

 

[davislane1]

I think you're underestimating him...

I stand by my claim. The quotation is straight hood. It would be peerless if Evolved had changed his avatar to a generously sized thong-clad 'booty' prior to submission.

 

[Uncle Al]

I believe the 72 are CURRENT leaders. This has been going on for a long time and is nothing new; only the publishing of information is new and revealing. Another reason Snowden is seen more and more as a hero.

 

[SirGCal]

Show me an honest politician anymore and I'll show you someone who is the best so far at hiding secrets.

 

[tonylukac]

There were 18 counts of fraud on my medical insurance in the last 9 months, some for prescription drugs I never purchased. Informed them on some, but the authorities don't care.

 

[Evernessince]

Related, anyone think the world should shift back to more of a direct democracy? Previously it was impossible for a large country like the United States or Russia to have citizens vote just due to the problems getting to the place of voting. With the internet being as widespread as it is now, anyone can vote from anywhere. Why bother having representatives when we now have the power to just give that vote directly to the people?

 

[dogofwars]

Meh. Everybody knows high-ranking officials are literal crooks.

I want to see the Clinton emails. That's a leak that would make data breaches great again.

Trump is that you!? Just kidding

 

[Lionvibez]

Is anyone really surprised

"absolute power corrupts absolutely"

 

[captaincranky]

"Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely".

Why do any of you act as though this comes as a big f***ing surprise?

Could it be that you're too busy watching for Kim Kardashian's next selfie? Are you curious when she'll set the record for sheer numbers of pictures taken of one person, by that person, in a single day? "Wow, her backside must be two inches bigger today than it was yesterday. She's so glamorous! I wish I could have Kanye West lay on top of me". And now the sports....

Are you so worried about how "Kaitlin" Jenner will adjust to "her" new way of having to urinate, that you don't know what the hell else is going on in the actual world?

The human alpha is the same as any other alpha in the animal kingdom. They take the best of everything, and leave the rest of the pack to forage on what scraps might remain.

 

[davislane1]

The human alpha is the same as any other alpha in the animal kingdom. They take the best of everything, and leave the rest of the pack to forage on what scraps might remain.

Entire blogs have been written about this. Books sold. "Systems."

...and you just gave it away.

 

[cartera]

I think Snowden needs to be careful what he says considering he is Putin's pet at the moment.

 

[captaincranky]

I think Snowden needs to be careful what he says considering he is Putin's pet at the moment.

I think he just needs to keep a tube of "Preparation H" handy, and be careful no to get tangled up in his leash.

 

[DDG4005]

Not too surprised by this but it's still a shame to read about it. We humans believe ourselves to be evolved, philosophical, even transcendental. But when it comes down to it we're just animals that use our evolved brain stems to justify our greed, lust, and stupidity.

 

[lripplinger]

I really want to say: who cares. How about we ask why certain politicians in this country aren't in prison, pounding big rocks into small rocks for the rest of their miserable existence.

 

[captaincranky]

I really want to say: who cares. How about we ask why certain politicians in this country aren't in prison, pounding big rocks into small rocks for the rest of their miserable existence.

Because they're politicians, silly!.............................................
And now an appropriate phrase borrowed from our constitution: "We hold these truths to be self evident".

Besides, you voted for them...(y) (Or to be more precise, against the other guy).

 

[captaincranky]

Entire blogs have been written about this. Books sold. "Systems."

...and you just gave it away.

Perhaps so. But, how many here will know what I'm talking about, and/or how many here will believe they're a simple member of the animal kingdom?

When in fact, we're an apex predator about to breed ourselves off the planet.

 

[davislane1]

Perhaps so. But, how many here will know what I'm talking about, and/oe how many here will believe they're a simple member of the animal kingdom?

When in fact, we're an apex predator about to breed ourselves off the planet.

Rat Utopia didn't have selective forces.

 

[captaincranky]

Rat Utopia didn't have selective forces.

Not only that, but the slaves were kept in gold chains. Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same...

 

[ajac63]

This is just the tip of the iceberg. What you'll never here about, till now, is that organisations behind the people that 'accidentally discover' and then report these things, are themselves guilty of similar levels of corruption.