David Cameron benefitted from offshore fund
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British Prime Minister David Cameron has admitted he held a 30,000 pound (A$56,000) stake in an offshore fund set up by his late father, after days of pressure following publication of the Panama Papers.
Mr Cameron said he sold the stake in the Bahamas-based trust in 2010, four months before he became Prime Minister, in an interview with television channel ITV.
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Downing Street issued four statements on the affair this week after the publication of the leaked Panama Papers, which showed how Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca had helped firms and wealthy individuals set up offshore companies.
Iceland’s prime minister Davîo Gunnlaugsson resigned following the damaging leak. Photo: ABC
“We owned 5,000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010. That was worth something like 30,000 pounds,” Mr Cameron said.
“I sold them all in 2010, because if I was going to become Prime Minister I didn’t want anyone to say you have other agendas, vested interests.”
Mr Cameron said he paid all UK taxes on the profits and insists he has nothing to hide, adding his father’s investment fund was not set up to avoid British taxes.
“I’ve never hidden the fact I’m a very lucky person. I had wealthy parents,” he said.
A spokesman for Mr Cameron said neither the Prime Minister, his wife nor their children would benefit in future from any offshore funds or trusts.
He had initially described the holdings of his late father, Ian, as a private matter, adding he and his family did not benefit from any such funds at present.
Panama Papers: Who’s who
Vladimir Putin. Photo: ABC
Vladimir Putin’s associates
The ICIJ’s findings reveal the Russian president’s associates shuffled as much as $2 billion through banks and shadow companies.
Mr Putin’s childhood friends Arkady and Boris Rotenberg amassed a fortune in part through lucrative contracts with state and state-owned companies, according to the ICIJ.
Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, Iceland’s Prime Minister
Mr Gunnlaugsson resigned in the wake of the document leak, making him the first major political casualty.
The data revealed accusations he used an offshore company to hide millions of dollars in investments in Iceland’s major banks.
Lionel Messi. Photo: ABC
Lionel Messi, soccer star
The ICIJ found a Panama company set up for Lionel Messi by Mossack Fonseca in 2012, Mega Star Enterprises Inc, adding a new name to the list of shell companies known to be linked to him.
The Barcelona star’s family has denied that he is involved in tax evasion.
Wilson Security
The leaked documents revealed that two brothers embroiled in a massive Hong Kong corruption scandal were ultimately in control of the Australian security company.
Wilson Security earned roughly half a billion dollars in lucrative Australian government contracts.
Xi Jinping. Photo: ABC
Family of Chinese president Xi Jinping
According to the ICIJ, the files reveal offshore companies linked to the family of China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, who has in the past vowed to fight “armies of corruption”.
Jackie Chan, movie star
The files show movie star Jackie Chan had at least six companies managed through Mossack Fonseca.
As with many of the law firm’s clients, there is no evidence that Mr Chan used his companies for improper purposes.