Russia on Monday dismissed allegations of hidden wealth again Kremlin-linked individuals in the Pandora Papers as “unsubstantiated claims.” The Pandora Papers obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) have named uncovered financial assets of rich individuals across the world, including high-level politicians who face allegations ranging from corruption to money laundering and tax avoidance.
“We didn’t see anything on hidden wealth within Putin’s inner circle,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding it was not clear “how this information can be trusted”.
Pandora Papers: Private dealings of 35 world leaders, super-rich leaked
The investigation involving some 600 journalists from 150 media outlets is based on a leak of some 11.9 million documents from 14 financial services companies around the world.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin has not been directly named, he is linked via associates to secret assets in Monaco, notably a waterfront home acquired by a Russian woman reported to have had a child with him, news agency AFP reports.
The leaks reveal that the $4 million Monaco property was purchased through an offshore company towards the end of 2003 for the native of Putin’s hometown Saint Petersburg.
Russian investigative outlet Proekt reported in November 2020 that the woman, Svetlana Krivonogikh, had at one point worked as a cleaner, and was the mother of Putin’s child.
The purchase of the property went ahead shortly after Krivonogikh reportedly gave birth, according to the Pandora Papers.
The ICIJ has found links between almost 1,000 companies in offshore havens and 336 high-level politicians and public officials.
Pandora Papers investigation to be monitored by CBDT chairman
More than two-thirds of the companies were set up in the British Virgin Islands. According to ICIJ, the ‘Pandora Papers’ have uncovered financial secrets of current and former world leaders, politicians and public officials in 91 countries and territories.
The Pandora Papers are the latest in a series of mass ICIJ leaks that started with LuxLeaks in 2014, and were followed by the Panama Papers, the Paradise Papers and FinCen.
