The Indian Finance Ministry is starting the first prosecutions against Indians found to have set up off-shore companies undeclared to the Indian tax authorities discovered by the Paradise Papers. The November 2017 leaks by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists discovered companies incorporated in several jurisdictions including Malta. The Indian Express has reported that a [...]

A few days ago I wrote about a decision by Consuelo Scerri Herrera who is now the last word on cases appealed by people convicted by lower courts. That article was about the case of Charles Le Brun acquitted on appeal for pocketing VAT collected from his customers on the basis of a technicality, not even [...]

It’s a cliche of WWII movies. But in those two words — ‘Papers Please’ — is the power of the State to disrespect individuals, interrogate them not on the basis of a reasonable suspicion because of any of their actions but for being there and looking the way they do, invade their privacy, humiliate them, [...]

Reading the Times of Malta coverage (see below) of the conference organised by bankers and finserv intermediaries yesterday really made my blood boil. It’s perhaps why I can never work the beat and cover these events sitting quietly in the back taking notes. There’s the classic line of Edward Scicluna who may know a thing [...]