VENTURE CAPITAL POST

European banking regulators have begun probing links between banks and tax havens in the wake of leakage of Panama Papers. Switzerland's financial watchdog FINMA has cautioned banks to crack down on money laundering. Geneva has also commenced a criminal enquiry into banks dealing with tax havens in the wake of Panama Papers.

Societe Generale said that it stood by all the rules of its operating nations. The bank confirmed that it no longer detained any establishments in the process in the Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories.

The Royal Bank of Canada has released an official statement, explaining that the bank is not guilty for any illegal activities including tax evasion in connection to shell company set up as mentioned in leaked papers from Panama’s Mossack Fonseca. The bank claimed to have high standards to ensure clients would not use its services to evade tax.

FMA of Austria will investigate Raiffeisen Bank International and Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg. The Austrian banks were named in Panama Papers in helping money laundering scheme.

The US Justice Department considers any credible allegation for violation of Federal Laws under its geographical territory very seriously. The department has been conducting its war against corruption through seizing assets related to illicit activities. Following leak of ‘Panama Papers’, it has been reviewing documents related to tax dodging through offshore accounts.

The history’s biggest confidential documents leak revealed Russian elites, mostly Mr Putin’s inner circles, as clients of an offshore law firm in Panama. The offshore money trail connected to Mr Putin’s allies is worth $2 billion.