The chief prosecutor in Venezuela has released an order to banks to freeze the accounts of people that the authorities are investigating in relation to the leaked documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca.
According to Fox News, Venezuela's public prosecutor, Luisa Ortega, said to a television station, Globovision, on Monday that they are planning to issue warrant of arrest to the people identified in "leaked documents." Current Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro instructed Ortega to do an investigation last week. However, Ortega did not drop names of the people who might be involved. But Venezuelans whose names are connected to the "leaked documents" include an ex-top military officer, an official from a state oil company and a security official who worked at the presidential house during the late President Hugo Chavez's administration.
According to ABC News, out of 11.5 million leaked documents, Venezuela is said to be mentioned in 241,000 documents. However, the leak did not make a huge impact on the public consciousness because of a current severe economic crisis and worsening government problem the country is facing.
On Monday, Peru authorities from tax agency raided the home of law firm Mossack Fonseca representative in Lima. The team seized all accounting documents that belong to Monica Ycaza Clerc. Clerc represents the global lawfirm in Peru. According to CNN, the seized accounting documents are relevant to an on-going investigation about tax evasion and fraud involving Mossack Fonseca and Peruvian taxpayers.
According to the tax agency of Peru, the raid was done "in order to thoroughly investigate her and also check for possible connections that she would have with Panama papers case and with Peruvian taxpayers."
Governments from different countries have also started doing their investigation about possible financial wrongdoings done by rich and powerful persons around the world. Mossack Fonseca is involved in the investigation because of the leaked documents that has embarassed top world leaders and offshore companies. Speculations have spread that the global lawfirm assisted to establish offshore accounts and secret shell companies for the rich and powerful people around the globe.
Yahoo reported that even British Prime Minister David Cameron's name was also dragged into this controversy after he admitted that he gained profits from shares in an investment fund, but he denied the attempt to hide it nor avoid taxes. The said investment fund was operated by his late father, whose name appears in the leaked documents.
Other names that are dragged into this scandal because of the leaked documents are associates of the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin (although Putin's name is not mentioned in the documents), Ukraine's President Petro Poronsheko, Argentina's President Mauricio Macri, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
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