Novaya Gazeta publishes investigation into Putin's and Russia's offshore connections

Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta has published a special investigation, “Offshore Revelations,” which looks into offshore companies belonging to Russian officials. It is alleged the offshore entities are used to launder money or avoid paying taxes. Novaya Gazeta's investigation is part of an international examination into the Panama Papers, which were published on April 3.

The Panama Papers are a set of confidential documents originally created by corporate services firm Mossack Fonseca. The set of documents was leaked to journalists in 2015.

On April 3, Novaya Gazeta published several articles on Russian connections to the Panama Papers. One of the articles, “The Golden Score,” traces $2 billion in assets belonging to a company registered in the name of a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin's, cellist Sergei Roldugin.

Through our combined efforts, in the dossier of offshore firms we found 12 former and active world leaders, 128 politicians and officials… from countries in the European Union, Brazil and China… In the files, we found one of Vladimir Putin's closest friends, heads of the largest Russian state-owned enterprises, State Duma Deputies, relatives of top aides within the Presidential Administration, Governors and high-ranking security officials.