The Panama Papers was a groundbreaking investigative journalism project coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in 2016. Based on 11.5 million leaked documents from Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm, the investigation exposed a complex global network of offshore financial entities used by political leaders, celebrities, and business elites to hide wealth, avoid taxes, and potentially engage in illegal financial activities.
The leaked documents revealed how over 214,000 offshore companies were used to:
Key impacts included:
The investigation represented a landmark moment in global investigative journalism, demonstrating the power of collaborative international reporting in exposing systemic financial corruption.