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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/datablog/2012/nov/26/offshore-secrets-companies-sham-directors
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Offshore secrets: how many companies do 'sham directors' control? | Offshore secrets: how many companies do 'sham directors' control? |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The Guardian and the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists have been investigating the offshore industry and secrecy surrounding it, uncovering a network of individuals willing to appear on official records as directors of companies while acting only on the instructions of its real owners, who stay invisible and off-the-books. | The Guardian and the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists have been investigating the offshore industry and secrecy surrounding it, uncovering a network of individuals willing to appear on official records as directors of companies while acting only on the instructions of its real owners, who stay invisible and off-the-books. |
| The main story from Monday's Guardian sets out the position: | The main story from Monday's Guardian sets out the position: |
| More than 21,500 companies have been identified using this group of 28 so-called nominee directors. The nominees play a key role in keeping secret hundreds of thousands of commercial transactions. They do so by selling their names for use on official company documents, using addresses in obscure locations all over the world. | More than 21,500 companies have been identified using this group of 28 so-called nominee directors. The nominees play a key role in keeping secret hundreds of thousands of commercial transactions. They do so by selling their names for use on official company documents, using addresses in obscure locations all over the world. |
| This is not illegal under UK law, and sometimes nominee directors have a legitimate role. But our evidence suggests this particular group of directors only pretend to control the companies they put their names to. The companies themselves are often registered anonymously offshore in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), but also in Ireland, New Zealand, Belize and the UK itself. More than a score of UK agencies sell offshore companies, several of whom also help supply sham directors. | This is not illegal under UK law, and sometimes nominee directors have a legitimate role. But our evidence suggests this particular group of directors only pretend to control the companies they put their names to. The companies themselves are often registered anonymously offshore in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), but also in Ireland, New Zealand, Belize and the UK itself. More than a score of UK agencies sell offshore companies, several of whom also help supply sham directors. |
| The directors first came to light as a result of the Guardian's investigations into the British Virgin Islands, and it is not possible to get the company lists or totals published below using the official records made publicly available. | The directors first came to light as a result of the Guardian's investigations into the British Virgin Islands, and it is not possible to get the company lists or totals published below using the official records made publicly available. |
| Having obtained for the first time total company counts for dozens of individuals, the Guardian then cross-checked the same names at other registries around the world (UK, Ireland and New Zealand) to examine the international nature of these activities. | Having obtained for the first time total company counts for dozens of individuals, the Guardian then cross-checked the same names at other registries around the world (UK, Ireland and New Zealand) to examine the international nature of these activities. |
| It is possible some or all of the individuals named below have more companies in further countries, which do not make interfaces available to find directors' companies. | It is possible some or all of the individuals named below have more companies in further countries, which do not make interfaces available to find directors' companies. |
| We've published the full table below, showing total numbers of current and former companies across four countries for 28 individuals acting as nominee directors. | We've published the full table below, showing total numbers of current and former companies across four countries for 28 individuals acting as nominee directors. |
| If you've got any comments or thoughts on their activities, leave a comment on our main news story today, or (if you'd prefer to comment confidentially), email me at james.ball@guardian.co.uk. | If you've got any comments or thoughts on their activities, leave a comment on our main news story today, or (if you'd prefer to comment confidentially), email me at james.ball@guardian.co.uk. |
| Nominee directors | Nominee directors |
| This is a list of companies across the British Virgin Islands, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and the UK for which the individuals named appear either on official records or documents obtained by the Guardian/ICIJ as company directors. It includes current directorships, resigned directorships and directorships of dissolved companies which still appear on records. It is not an exhaustive list of all directorships they hold across the world. Directors' locations have been included based either on Guardian/ICIJ research or the addresses used most frequently across official records. Some directors have addresses in multiple countries. | This is a list of companies across the British Virgin Islands, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and the UK for which the individuals named appear either on official records or documents obtained by the Guardian/ICIJ as company directors. It includes current directorships, resigned directorships and directorships of dissolved companies which still appear on records. It is not an exhaustive list of all directorships they hold across the world. Directors' locations have been included based either on Guardian/ICIJ research or the addresses used most frequently across official records. Some directors have addresses in multiple countries. |
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