Twenty-seven (27) people are set to go on trial Monday for money laundering in connection with the “Panama Papers” tax evasion scandal.
The scandal revealed how many of the world’s wealthy stashed assets in offshore companies.
The 2016 revelations rocked governments, exposed high-profile personalities, triggered scores of investigations around the world and dealt a blow to Panama’s reputation as an offshore financial hub.
The defendants due to go on trial in a Panamanian criminal court, according to the Punch, include Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca Mora, the founders of the now-defunct law firm at the center of the scandal.
The leaked Panama Papers trove of 11.5 million files from their company Mossack Fonseca implicated influential figures including billionaires, politicians and even sports stars.
Icelandic Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson was forced to resign after it was revealed his family had offshore accounts.
Then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for life from office after being implicated in the documents.
Others implicated in the Panama Paper tax evasion scandal included former British premier David Cameron, football star Lionel Messi, Argentina’s then president Mauricio Macri, Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar, to name but a few.
Recall that Nigerians linked to the secret firms from the data so far include ex-President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and his wife, Toyin; a former Governor of Delta State, Mr. James Ibori; a former Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.); former President of the Senate, Sen. David Mark; Africa’s richest man, Mr. Aliko Dangote, and his cousin, Sayu Dantata; as well as the late General Overseer of The Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet Temitope Joshua, and his wife, Evelyn.
