The U.S. is the easiest place in the world for a criminal, terrorist, tax cheat, or kleptocrat to open an anonymous shell company to launder their money with impunity. Anonymous corporations are great ways to hide money and other assets — they can hold a bank account or buy a yacht. Criminals often layer anonymous corporations, with one owning another and so on, making it even harder for law enforcement to “trace the money” and figure out who is directing the company’s activity. It’s time to ending the use of anonymous shell companies as vehicles for illicit activity by requiring that the true owners of U.S. companies be disclosed at the time of formation and updated upon any change.
In this month’s edition of Just the FACTs, FACT hosts an event at the intersection of financial transparency, tax fairness, and democratic renewal, and the Government Accountability Office releases a new report detailing risks associated with Treasury’s gutting of the Corporate Transparency Act.
Read a recap and watch the recording of FACT’s September 22 conversation with Vanessa Williamson (Brookings) and Casey Michel (Human Rights Foundation) exploring why good tax policy and financial transparency are essential to American democracy.
Anonymous companies have been linked to money laundering, fraud, drug trafficking, sanctions evasion, corruption, tax crimes, human trafficking, organized crime, terrorist financing, and other forms of illicit activity. The Corporate Transparency Act remains our best tool to fight back.
In this month’s edition of Just the FACTs, bipartisan outcry from lawmakers over Treasury’s move to gut the ownership reporting requirements for U.S. companies, and FACT’s research prompts new legislation to end tax subsidies for foreign oil and gas drilling.
“By failing to fulfill Congress’ mandate for greater financial integrity, the Treasury Department has handed a major victory to U.S. adversaries, corrupt officials, fraudsters, and tax evaders who use our financial system to move and hide illicit wealth.”
– Erica Hanichak, co-director of the FACT Coalition
In this month’s edition of Just the FACTs, FACT-endorsed corporate tax transparency legislation is reintroduced in the House and Senate, sparks fly at FinCEN’s annual HFSC oversight hearing, FACT announces an event bridging transparency issues and American democracy, and more.
