Opaque Ownership Structures Obstruct Enforcement of a Growing Global Illegal Economy Valued at $500 Billion to $3 Trillion

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The formation and use of anonymous companies undermine the economic and financial interests of U.S. companies and markets according to a new report published Monday by the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition.  The author, former Chair of the OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade David M. Luna, found that criminals and counterfeiters are expanding their market share with fake products in storefront and on-line markets, contributing to a growing global illegal economy valued at between $500 billion and $3 trillion.  Criminally-derived profits (or dirty money) related to corruption and money laundering constitute several trillion dollars more that further finances insecurity and instability around the world.

Corporate Transparency Act of 2019 a Critical Measure to Combat Corruption, Sanctions Evasion, Money Laundering, and Human Trafficking

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation on Friday addressing the largest vulnerability in the nation’s anti-money laundering framework, according to the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition, a non-partisan alliance of more than 100 state, national, and international organizations promoting policies to combat the harmful impacts of corrupt financial practices.

Investors, Businesses, and Policymakers Increasingly Take Steps Toward Public Country-by-Country Reporting of Tax Information

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Public disclosure of multinational corporations’ disaggregated profits and taxes is steadily progressing toward a global norm as investors, businesses, and policymakers have increasingly taken steps toward transparency, according to a new study published Tuesday by the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition.

“No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act” Endorsed by 57 National Organizations, Sponsored by 80 Members of Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Eighty lawmakers introduced legislation Wednesday that would equalize the tax rates for domestic businesses and multinational corporations — reducing the tax incentive to shift profits and operations overseas that were enacted under the recent tax overhaul, according to the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition.

Global Reporting Initiative’s Proposal Could Bring Public Country-by-Country Reporting of Taxes, Profits, Revenues, and Employees to More than 4,000 Companies

Plan Comes as U.S. Senators Call on GM to Disclose Country-by-Country Data

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A global sustainability standards-setting body issued a proposal Thursday to have multinational companies publicly disclose basic financial information on a country-by-country basis, in a move praised by transparency advocates.  The Sustainability Reporting Standards from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) are voluntarily followed by over 4,000 businesses in more than 90 countries.  The draft GRI “Standard on Tax and Payments to Governments” was developed by a multi-stakeholder technical committee consisting of representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers, MFS Investment Management, Vodaphone PLC, and the Tax Justice Network, among others.

Investors and Analysts Call for More Disclosures around Offshore Tax Practices as Shifting Tax Policies and Increased Enforcement Actions Impact Shareholder Value

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Investors are at an increasing risk from the lack of information disclosed by companies about their tax practices, according to a new analysis published today by the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate lawmakers introduced legislation Thursday that would make it harder for multinational corporations to game the offshore provisions in the newly adopted tax overhaul.  Sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the Removing Incentives for Outsourcing Act (S.3674) would ensure that tax rates for profits booked offshore are applied on a per-country basis, rather than on a worldwide average basis — reducing the chance of gaming.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the news stories about Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker receiving payments from an anonymous company called the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition, which has called for greater transparency and an end to anonymous companies, put out the following statement.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than 60 institutional investors and academics called on regulators Tuesday to require more transparency in corporate filings — including information on offshore tax practices.  The petition to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is part of a broader effort to align disclosure frameworks with an investment environment focused on long-termism.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan group of more than twenty state attorneys general urged Congress on Thursday to help them counter money laundering, corruption, and terror financing by passing legislation to end the incorporation of anonymous shell companies in the United States.