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Ownership Transparency

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.

New Panama Papers Release Shows Vast Network of Secret Companies

U.S. Called Out as Among Easiest Countries to Open Anonymous Shell Companies Renewing Calls for Congressional Action
WASHINGTON, DC — The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published more than 200,000 documents from a trove of leaked files known as the Panama Papers this afternoon, renewing calls from anti-money laundering and tax policy experts in favor of bipartisan transparency measures to curb terror finance, corruption, and tax evasion.  The bill is called the Incorporation Transparency and Law Enforcement Assistance Act (H.R.4450 |S. 2489).

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Anti-Money Laundering Experts Deeply Concerned by Administration’s Flawed ‘Panama Papers’ Response

Loopholes in New Treasury Rule Perpetuate Problem of Anonymous U.S. Shell Companies—Enabling Terror Finance, Crime, and Corruption
WASHINGTON, DC – Leading anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, and tax policy experts expressed deep concerns about a set of rules and proposals announced by the Obama Administration last night in the wake of the so-called “Panama Papers” revelations.

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Ernst and Young Study Finds that 91% of Senior Business Executives Believe that Beneficial Ownership Information is Important

Never before have governments and multinational institutions cooperated so extensively in combating bribery and corruption. The transnational nature of the issue led the G20 major economies to recognize bribery and corruption as an important impediment to economic growth and the group’s focus on corruption has continued under its Chinese presidency in 2016. The G20 outlined its priorities in the “2015-2016 G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan” identifying key areas where economies and multinational organizations must strengthen their cooperation.

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Spokespeople Available: Leaked #PanamaPapers Expose Deadly World of Anonymous Shell Companies

U.S. the 2nd Easiest Place in the World to Open Anonymous Shell Companies to Launder Money
70+ Faith Leaders, Small Business Owners, Citizen-Lobbyists Headed to Washington Next Week to Call on Lawmakers to End Abuse of Anonymous Companies
WASHINGTON, DC — A trove of more than 11 million documents from a Panamanian law firm leaked to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists shows the deadly, devastating toll that anonymous companies take on the world, highlighting the need for U.S. action, according to the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition.

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