Secrecy World: Inside the Panama Papers Investigation of Illicit Money Networks and the Global Elite Hardcover – 21 November 2017

Great book and very informative ... well researched

Ótimo material para minhas leituras noturnas.

Excellent account on how the rich and the criminal hide their wealth and corruption from scrutiny. Money laundering, criminal activity, tax avoidance and evasion -- global income and wealth inequality is growing exponentially. Governments and law enforcement can't possibly keep up. Greed rears its ugly head.

Who hides their money in Switzerland any more when nations like Panama offer so much more? This book illuminates the world of hidden bank accounts that allows criminals, politicians, celebrities and family dynasties to conceal their wealth and investments. Taking advantage of loopholes and lax enforcement within and between the laws of both developed and less developed nations, the investors exposed in this spy-like financial thriller range from global banks like HSBC to a billionaire Saudi arms trafficker, to a classical cellist and "old friend " of Putin and long-time co-real estate investors of the Trump Organization. This is also the untold story of the many investigative journalists around the world who together contributed to the "Panama Papers" and later the "Paradise Papers." The author even chronicles infighting among a nonprofit journalism group that led the investigation in a manner that is brutally frank. (Full disclosure: I know to varying degrees many of the journalists involved.) Most importantly, interviews with the top two bankers at the heart of this story are included. The combined results make for a damn good read.

MI'm not sure what makes me angrier: discovering the length the rich will go to hide their wealth or knowing that there's no stopping them despite all the investigations. Either way, this book airs all the dirty laundry that the extremely wealthy have tried to conceal in the most crooked schemes possible over the past 35 years.Tax evasion, tax avoidance, tax denial, tax obliteration: you name it, they've done it!And the sad thing is that no nationality seems exempt from such fraudulent behavior, as if there exists no country and no allegiance when you're rich, only the commitment to protect and increase your money at all costs. No wonder the rich have become richer and the poor poorer, while nations can't afford any kind of social benefits!Mr. Bernstein explains how, where and why these people care about nothing except themselves and their growing fortunes. He tells it all with a clear and compelling style that I usually associate with bestselling fiction authors. But when you realize this is no fiction, the awareness of how selfish and self-centered these wealthy people really are comes crashing down on you.

Haven't had time to finish reading but spot on!