Democrats want inquiry into Wilbur Ross Paradise Papers link to Putin son-in-law

Source: the gu


Last modified on Sunday 5 November 2017 18.15 EST

Democrats have called for an inquiry into Wilbur Ross’s business links to Vladimir Putin’s son-in-law, as politicians and campaigners including Jeremy Corbyn urged leaders to tackle tax avoidance systems revealed in the Paradise Papers.
Trump commerce secretary's business links with Putin family laid out in leaked files


Ross, Donald Trump’s commerce secretary, is under pressure after the Guardian and international partners revealed his holding in a shipping company that does lucrative business with a firm co-owned by Kirill Shamalov, who is married to the Russian president’s daughter.

Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said Ross had misled Congress and the US public by concealing his ongoing stake in the company, Navigator, which has a haulage contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars with the Russian energy company Sibur.

“Only after a thorough investigation can Americans be sure Secretary Ross really has their best interests at heart,” said Blumenthal..................................

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/nov/05/democrats-inquiry-wilbur-ross-putin-paradise-papers

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BOMBSHELL
Massive Leak Reveals New Ties Between Trump Administration and Russia, Implicating Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Jared Kushner


https://www.thedailybeast.com/massive-leak-reveals-new-ties-between-trump-administration-and-russia-implicating-commerce-secretary-wilbur-ross-and-jared-kushner

The so-called Paradise Papers have revealed secrets of politicians worldwide, including new links between the Trump administration and Russia.

11.05.17 2:12 PM ET

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The so-called Paradise Papers were leaked to the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, the same publication that obtained the “Panama Papers.” Süddeutsche Zeitung shared the new documents with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which led a global effort of 96 media organizations from 67 countries to pore through the records. The findings were published on Sunday.

The documents show that many of the wealthy individuals Trump brought into his administration have worked to legally store their money in offshore havens where they would be free from taxation in the United States. Trump has promised repeatedly to “drain the swamp,” in condemning the idea that well-connected individuals in Washington, D.C., preserve their own interests at the expense of the rest of the country.

Among the Trump administration officials implicated in the leaks is Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who according to the documents concealed his ties to a Russian energy company that is partly owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s judo partner Gennady Timchenko and Putin’s son-in-law, Kirill Shamalov. Through offshore investments, Ross held a stake in Navigator Holdings, which had a close business relationship with the Russian firm. Ross did not disclose that connection during his confirmation process on Capitol Hill.

“In concealing his interest in these shipping companies—and his ongoing financial relationship with Russian oligarchs—Secretary Ross misled me, the Senate Commerce Committee, and the American people,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said in a statement on Sunday. He characterized Ross’ financial disclosures as a “Russian nesting doll, with blatant conflicts of interest carefully hidden within seemingly innocuous companies.”...............................