This is just one trial in one country (Panama) where one judge dismissed the charges. This scheme was operated in Panama because the legal system is favorable to them. That’s why it’s called “Panama Papers”
Many other people have been successfully charged throughout the world following the Panama Papers. Laws differ greatly across jurisdictions.
Don’t generalize across the world from the actions of one Panamanian court. This tax haven scheme was operated in Panama specifically because the legal system there was favorable to what they were doing.
Sure, but if it didn't apply here law enforcement could illegally wiretap you, leak it to the press, and then charge you. Things are different, but solutions are hard.
Not the first time something like this has happened. In fact it is the leakers are usually prosecuted instead of the perpetrators, even if they told the truth.
For example, the leaker of the FinCEN files [0] was sentenced to prison for helping to expose the regulators and large banks allowing illicit transactions from criminals and drug cartels. [1]
Yeah this judgement makes no sense. I assumed whistleblowing with insider evidence was an accepted way (and possibly the only way) to expose these kinds of massive wrongdoings.
There is no "possibly" about it. It is the only way to expose these wrongdoings.
The system is rotten and rigged. The sooner people wake up to this reality, the better. Like any breakup, the longer you let the relationship go, the more difficult and painful it is when you end it.
Unfortunately, often the same people who are opposed to things like what you said “absurdly wealthy against everyone else”; also inadvertently support them and make them absurdly wealthy through things like the various schemes and contracts related to pandemics, climate change, bailouts, welfare/social services, healthcare, immigration, war, etc.
If people wanted to solve this problem, we would need to make all of the things that benefit the wealthy financially but cost the rest of the people immensely, directly payable through direct taxes on income and wealthy of those most responsible and able to affect those matters, i.e., the upper neo-aristocracy.
For example; all the people who benefited most from all the pollution, should now not also be able to profit from the prescribed solutions to the consequences of their actions that just happen to also make them even more absurdly wealthy.
Even more unfortunate though is that many, if not most regular people simply do not understand the abusive relationship they are in with the upper class, so they’ll rationalize and excuse and justify all day long until the cows come home when someone wants to explain to them that being beaten, lied to, and exploited by the upper class is not a sign of love.
Sounds like you and I are in violent agreement. Though I dislike that you seem to begin with halfway lumping me in with the lot you go on to describe.
I’d offer one other dark pattern in the overall dynamic. Some folks, rather than being in denial about their being on the victim end of an abusive relationship, appear to be 100% ok with it as long as they themselves get to bully and exploit others lower down in the hierarchy.
That seems fucked.