This behavior seems to me to be a perfectly natural reaction to obscure, arcane, irrational, and confiscatory tax policies based on a belief that some substantial portion of a corporation’s or individual’s earnings or wealth belongs to the government. I blame no one but the elected fools (or any other fools) who establish tax laws without considering the downstream effects of their brilliance.
--R Sent from iPhone > On Nov 5, 2017, at 7:32 PM, archer75--- via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > wrote: > > > Paradise Papers leak reveals secrets of the world elite's hidden wealth > > Files from offshore law firm show financial dealings of the Queen, big > multinationals and members of Donald Trump’s cabinet > > What are the Paradise Papers? – video > > The world’s biggest businesses, heads of state and global figures in > politics, entertainment and sport who have sheltered their wealth in > secretive tax havens are being revealed this week in a major new > investigation into Britain’s offshore empires. > > The details come from a leak of 13.4m files that expose the global > environments in which tax abuses can thrive – and the complex and seemingly > artificial ways the wealthiest corporations can legally protect their wealth. > > The material, which has come from two offshore service providers and the > company registries of 19 tax havens, was obtained by the German newspaper > Süddeutsche Zeitung and shared by the International Consortium of > Investigative Journalists with partners including the Guardian, the BBC and > the New York Times. > > The project has been called the Paradise Papers. It reveals: > > > > Millions of pounds from the Queen’s private estate has been invested in a > Cayman Islands fund – and some of her money went to a retailer accused of > exploiting poor families and vulnerable people. > > EXTENSIVE OFFSHORE DEALINGS BY DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET MEMBERS, ADVISERS AND > > DONORS, INCLUDING SUBSTANTIAL PAYMENTS FROM A FIRM CO-OWNED BY VLADIMIR > PUTIN'S > > SON-IN-LAW TO THE SHIPPING GROUP OF THE US COMMERCE SECRETARY,WILBUR ROSS. > > A previously unknown $450m offshore trust that has sheltered the wealth of > Lord Ashcroft. > Aggressive tax avoidance by multinational corporations, including Nike and > Apple. > How some of the biggest names in the film and TV industries protect their > wealth with an array of offshore schemes. > The billions in tax refunds by the Isle of Man and Malta to the owners of > private jets and luxury yachts. > The secret loan and alliance used by the London-listed multinational > Glencore in its efforts to secure lucrative mining rights in the Democratic > Republic of the Congo. > The complex offshore webs used by two Russian billionaires to buy stakes > in Arsenal and Everton football clubs. > > The disclosures will put pressure on world leaders, including Trump and the > British prime minister, Theresa May, who have both pledged to curb aggressive > tax avoidance schemes. > > The publication of this investigation, for which more than 380 journalists > have spent a year combing through data that stretches back 70 years, comes at > a time of growing global income inequality. > > Meanwhile, multinational companies are shifting a growing share of profits > offshore – €600bn in the last year alone – the leading economist Gabriel > Zucman will reveal in a study to be published later this week. > > “Tax havens are one of the key engines of the rise in global inequality,” he > said. “As inequality rises, offshore tax evasion is becoming an elite sport.” > > At the centre of the leak is Appleby, a law firm with outposts in Bermuda, > the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the Isle of Man, Jersey and > Guernsey. In contrast to Mossack Fonseca, the discredited firm at the centre > of last year’s Panama Papers investigation, Appleby prides itself on being a > leading member of the “magic circle” of top-ranking offshore service > providers. > > It acted for the establishment offshore, providing the structures that helped > to legally reduce their tax bills. > > Appleby says it has investigated all the allegations, and found “there is no > evidence of any wrongdoing, either on the part of ourselves or our clients”, > adding: “We are a law firm which advises clients on legitimate and lawful > ways to conduct their business. We do not tolerate illegal behaviour.” > > https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/nov/05/paradise-papers-leak-reveals-secrets-of-world-elites-hidden-wealth > > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. > http://www.avg.com > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
