The Justice Department is investigating whether it can pursue any prosecutions as a result of documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm over the weekend.
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“We are aware of the reports and are reviewing them. While we cannot comment on the specifics of these alleged documents, the U.S. Department of Justice takes very seriously all credible allegations of high-level, foreign corruption that might have a link to the United States or the U.S. financial system,” department spokesman Peter Carr told reporters.
The documents reportedly reveal hidden offshore accounts that the firm, Mossack Fonseca, helped 140 public figures to set up around the globe. Those include 72 current or former heads of state, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and many others in the Middle East.
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At least one French bank, Societe Generale SA, was tied to the holdings. French authorities have said they are investigating whether to pursue prosecution. “The goal of the investigation is to characterize infractions that may have been committed in France, by people whom the probe will identify,” said a spokesman for the French prosecutor’s office.
The White House, meanwhile, has declined to comment. “Obviously, we’ve seen the extensive reporting that has been done on these leaked documents,” spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Monday. “I don’t have comments about the specific allegations included in the documents, but I can tell you the U.S. continues to be a leading advocate of increased transparency in the international financial system and in fighting corruption.”
