It is estimated that each year up to 2,000 billion dollars are recycled, much of it through companies that allow the identity of the beneficiaries of the money to be kept secret. Tracking financial flows - especially those with illegal origin - is becoming increasingly complex. As if "classic" tax havens were not enough, we must consider that each State has its own "laundry." Just think about Delaware in the USA and the Isle of Man off the UK.
The role of journalists and activists has become crucial. Despite taking personal risks, they are always looking to bring to light international transactions that have enabled corrupt leaders, such as the former Tunisian president Ben Ali and the former Ukrainian president Yanukovych, to hide their treasures abroad before fleeing.
IRPI, Italian centre of investigative reporting, and ANCIR, African network for investigative reporting based in South Africa, are launching a "Mafia in Africa" follow up based on #panamapapers tomorrow on The Namibian and Friday on the Mail&Guardian which will be presented for the first time in this session - with Alessia Cerantola, for the Panamapapers project, Cecilia Anesi for Irpi.
Organised in association with Transparency International Italy.
