Nine years after the Panama Papers scandal burst, the efforts of the Special Tax Inspection (ISI) allowed the Belgian State to recover 39.6 million euros.
Almost 10 years ago, in April 2016, the world discovered the extent of a gigantic tax of tax optimization and fraud orchestrated from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. This massive leak of documents – 11.5 million – orchestrated by the International Consortium of Investigation Journalists (ICIJ), has uncovered thousands of companies offshore Used by politicians, business leaders, celebrities and wealthy individuals to hide their heritage or escape tax.
In Belgium, this investigation was carried out by a coalition of media – in the evening, of Tijd, and our colleagues from the Knack – who revealed that at least 732 Belgians were in the files of Mossack Fonseca. Some of them have been identified as structural users offshore for tax purposes.
264 files in Belgium
Since 2016, the General Administration of the Special Tax Inspectorate (ISI) has opened 264 files related to the Panama Papers. On this basis, 141 million euros in additional tax claims were taxed, of which 39.6 million have already been actually recovered, details the ISI in its press release.
But Panama Papers are not the only data leak operated by Belgian tax services. Other cases such as swissleaks, luxleaks or even paradise papers have also fueled the ISI investigations. In total, these various cases led to 650 million euros in the amounts claimed, of which 211 million have already been recovered.
1.2 billion euros in taxes of taxes and fines recovered
Globally, at least 1.2 billion euros in tax and fines were recovered thanks to the Panama Papers, reports the ISI. An amount which is probably underestimated, because several governments have not yet communicated their figures to date.
The first results of this major survey in the fight against international tax fraud underline the effectiveness of international cooperation and confirm the commitment of the SPF Finances in the fight against tax evasion. The ISI says “continue its relentless efforts in the fight against tax fraud, both at national and international level”.