March 2022
- Exclusive
- Russia-Ukraine war
How Rene Rivkin’s lawyer helped Putin’s circle
While Zurich lawyer Benno Hafner was fending off Offset Alpine investigators, he was helping Russian oligarchs set up offshore funds to hide money
- Neil Chenoweth
November 2021
Conflict entrepreneurs: the dollars behind war zone work
New documents reveal how Aussies planned to make plump margins in conflict zones. Not everything went smoothly, with the UN probing alleged embargo breaches.
- Liam Walsh and Neil Chenoweth
October 2021
Backdating claims put Raptis directorship in spotlight
The veteran Gold Coast developer, accused of tax avoidance in an ATO claim, maintains he has always conducted his affairs legally.
- Liam Walsh
Harker quits Westpac board, blaming lung transplant
The departure comes after questions about his ties to a controversial trust-fund business. Sources said health reasons only were behind the resignation.
- Liam Walsh and Neil Chenoweth
- Exclusive
- Westpac Banking Corporation
Harker had second Samoan investment entity
Westpac director Steve Harker, in the spotlight for an offshore super fund, had a second Samoan entity that he used to operate a discretionary trading account through a stockbroker.
- Updated
- liam walsh, Neil Chenoweth, liam walsh and Liam Walsh
- Opinion
- Opinion
How to lift the lid on those Pandora’s boxes of offshore cash
The Australian government needs to honour its commitment to a transparent trail of ownership for money hidden away in tropical trust accounts.
- Miranda Stewart and Katy Barnett
CBA wrongly ensnares retiree in Raptis freeze order
When Commonwealth Bank went to implement a court-granted $80m freezing order, something went wrong.
- Liam Walsh
How Samoa became a tax link for Aussie super funds
A Singapore-based offshore fund marketed aggressively for Australians to set up Samoan super funds, and helped some money come Down Under too.
- Liam Walsh
Future Fund guardians required to reveal private interests
Westpac director Steven Harker said when he was appointed in 2012 he was not required to disclose every asset or investment unless they were in conflict with the underlying business.
- Ronald Mizen and Neil Chenoweth
US response to Pandora Papers leaves Australia exposed
US reform will leave Australia as one of the last holdouts against international moves to curb money laundering.
- Updated
- Neil Chenoweth and Liam Walsh
Murdoch, Packer and the Hollywood spy
The Pandora Papers reveal two Australian media scions did deals with a charismatic film producer. One is still paying the price.
- Neil Chenoweth
- Analysis
- Review
From Panama to the Pandora Papers, not enough has changed
The rich and powerful are still using offshore tax havens to store and move their money.
- Emma Agyemang
How the Binetters funnelled out $27m to fund their great escape
As Nudie Juice co-founder Emil Binetter was losing his mind while hidden away in Israel, he was ranting about a secret Zurich bank account.
- Neil Chenoweth
ATO freezes $80m in assets tied to developer Jim Raptis
The ATO alleged the Gold Coast developer, members of his immediate family and associated companies, were involved in “tax avoidance arrangements”.
- Liam Walsh
- Opinion
- Opinion
The Pandora revelations about Putin’s money are slim pickings
Blocked by post-Ukraine sanctions from storing their loot in the West, the Russian kleptocracy has turned its attention to coup-proofing the regime.
- Leonid Bershidsky
Gold Coast developer’s connection to Pandora
A man who has seen the booms and busts of the Australian property cycle has emerged in the Pandora Papers.
- Liam Walsh
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Pandora’s tax haven reputational pitfalls
The Pandora Papers leak shows why wealthy individuals who use offshore structures should push to shut down the havens exploited by criminals and tax dodgers.
- The AFR View
How anti-graft banks, miners dealt with bribing billionaire
Some of Australia’s biggest companies boast of combating graft. Then came a Chinese billionaire who testified to paying bribes for Aussie iron ore.
- Liam Walsh and Neil Chenoweth
How a Chinese steel billionaire outplayed Rio on iron ore
The head of Rizhao Steel earned $US3 billion from a Singapore marketing hub at Rio Tinto’s expense – and spent the profits buying hotels and offices worldwide.
- Neil Chenoweth and Liam Walsh
Imran Khan pledges to investigate ‘citizens mentioned in the Pandora Papers’
The Pandora Papers are a leak of 11.9 million documents from offshore service providers, who offer services such as producing offshore trusts.
- Neil Chenoweth and Liam Walsh