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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact: Email:,coord(at)jubileeusa.org

White House Acts on Corruption and Tax Evasion in Wake of Panama Papers

The Obama Administration announced actions to combat money laundering, corruption and tax evasion. In April, the "Panama Papers" leak exposed how "anonymous shell corporations" facilitate crime and corruption.

"It's crucial to global development that we stop corruption and tax evasion," noted Eric LeCompte, executive director of the religious development coalition Jubilee USA Network. "Developing countries lose a trillion dollars a year to corruption, crime and tax evasion."

WASHINGTON

The Obama Administration announced actions to combat money laundering, corruption and tax evasion. In April, the "Panama Papers" leak exposed how "anonymous shell corporations" facilitate crime and corruption.

"It's crucial to global development that we stop corruption and tax evasion," noted Eric LeCompte, executive director of the religious development coalition Jubilee USA Network. "Developing countries lose a trillion dollars a year to corruption, crime and tax evasion."

According to a 2012 academic study from Griffith University, the United States is the second-easiest country in the world to set up an anonymous shell company. These types of companies are accused of being vehicles that can facilitate crime and tax evasion. Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Peter King (R-NY) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced legislation February 3 to address the issue. After the "Panama Papers" leak, which cited more than 200,000 shell companies in its revelations, the number of co-sponsors of the House bill nearly doubled. In announcing its own legislation, the White House noted that anonymous shell company formation in the United States "can only be resolved through Congressional action."

Some US-based anonymous shell companies enabled a range of crimes, including human trafficking, weapons sales, medicare fraud, terrorism financing and evading sanctions. The current bill, "the Incorporation Transparency and Law Enforcement Assistance Act," HR 4450 and S 2489, is endorsed by a number of law enforcement organizations and a broad range of faith, development and human rights organizations.

"While we are grateful for White House action, we need to see what impacts their actions will have," stated LeCompte. "I'm hopeful that we can reach bipartisan consensus to end the illegitimate use of anonymous shell companies."

Read more about the Panama Papers and anonymous shell companies

Read more about the Incorporation Transparency and Law Enforcement Assistance Act

Read a sampling of letters from law enforcement organizations on HR 4450 and S 2489: the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Assocation and the Fraternal Order of Police.

Jubilee USA Network is an interfaith, non-profit alliance of religious, development and advocacy organizations. We are 75 U.S. institutions and more than 750 faith groups working across the United States and around the globe. We address the structural causes of poverty and inequality in our communities and countries around the world.

(202) 783-3566