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Ramón Fonseca Mora

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fonseca and the second or maternal family name is Mora.

Ramón Fonseca Mora (14 July 1952 – 8 May 2024) was a Panamanian novelist, lawyer and co-founder of Mossack Fonseca, a former law firm based in Panama with more than 40 offices worldwide. He was minister-counselor of Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela, and president of the Panameñista Party until he was dismissed in March 2016, due to the Brazilian Operation Car Wash anti-corruption probe.[1]

Ramón Fonseca Mora
Fonseca in 2009
Born(1952-07-14)14 July 1952
Panama City, Panama
Died8 May 2024(2024-05-08) (aged 71)
Panama City, Panama
Alma materUniversity of Panama
London School of Economics
Occupation(s)Novelist, lawyer
Known forCo-founder of Mossack Fonseca
Political partyPanameñista Party
Children6
Websitefonsecamora.com

In 2016, Mossack Fonseca was raided by police on suspicion of money-laundering, bribery and corruption.[2] Fonseca and his partner Jürgen Mossack were arrested and jailed on 10 February 2017.[3] They were initially refused bail because of flight risk,[4] but were released on 21 April 2017 on US$500,000 bail each, after a judge ruled they had cooperated with the investigation.[5][6] In March 2018, the firm shut down in the wake of its involvement in the Panama Papers affair. Numerous lawsuits including serious allegations of collusion with despotic regimes, mafia, and global criminals are ongoing.[7]

Early life

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Fonseca was born on 14 July 1952 in Panama[8][9] and studied law and political science at the University of Panama and the London School of Economics.

He stated that as a young man, "he hoped to save the world",[10] and considered joining the priesthood.[11] But, he revealed in a 2008 television interview that, "I didn't save anything, I didn't make any change. I decided then, as I was a little more mature, to dedicate myself to my profession, to have a family, to get married and have a regular life … As one gets older, you turn more materialistic."[12]

Career

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In 1977, Fonseca and Jürgen Mossack founded the law firm Mossack Fonseca in Panama City.[13] It went on to become the world's fourth-largest offshore law firm, with more than 40 offices all over the world. In March 2018, the firm shut down in the wake of its involvement in the Panama Papers affair.[14]

He was also a member of the Panameñista Party.[15]

Fonseca was also an award-winning novelist.[10] He wrote four novels, along with plays and short stories. He was awarded the Ricardo Miró Prize, the national literary award in Panama, twice, for novels Dance of the Butterflies (1994) and Dream City (1998).[16]

Criminal investigations

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Main article: Mossack Fonseca § Controversies

Panama Papers

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Main article: Panama Papers

Following the leak of 11.5 million Mossack Fonseca documents by an anonymous whistle-blower to the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung in 2016, it was revealed how offshore tax regimes were exploited for tax purposes.[17] While offshore entities are not in themselves illegal, the documents showed how some of the more than 214,000 shell companies set up by Mossack Fonseca were used for illegal purposes, including fraud and tax evasion.[18] The documents were shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. As a result, more than 150 inquiries and criminal investigations were launched in more than 70 countries worldwide.[19]

On 20 October 2020, prosecutors in Cologne, Germany issued international arrest warrants for Fonseca and his German-born law partner, Jürgen Mossack. Charges against them include accessory to tax evasion and forming a criminal organization, with the firm noted as central to the investigation.[20]

The charges against Fonseca were dropped when he died in May 2024.[21]

Money laundering in Brazil

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According to court papers filed on 15 October 2019, Mossack and Fonseca "are the subjects of an FBI Investigation in the Southern District of New York" and are "defending criminal charges against them in Panama."[22]

In February 2017, both Fonseca and Mossack were arrested in connection with an investigation into money laundering and corruption in Brazil, known as Operation Car Wash. They were released on bail the following April.[6]

Personal life

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Fonseca had six children.[23] He was previously married to Elizabeth Ward Neiman,[24][25] who became the Ambassador of the Republic of Panama to the Netherlands on 9 September 2020.[26] As of April 2016 his son, Eduardo Fonseca Ward, was the former ambassador to the UAE.[27] Mora died at a hospital in Panama City due to pneumonia on 8 May 2024, at the age of 71.[28][29]

Works

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  • 1976: Las cortes internacionales de justicia
  • 1977: Reflexiones de derecho judicial
  • 1985: Compañías panameñas
  • 1988: Panamá, un viejo lugar bajo el sol
  • 1994: La danza de las mariposas, won the Ricardo Miró Prize, Panama's national book award[30]
  • 1995: La isla de las iguanas
  • 1996: La ventana abierta
  • 1997: Ojitos de ángel
  • 1998: Soñar con la ciudad, won the Ricardo Miró Prize[30]
  • 2000: 4 mujeres vestidas de negro
  • 2007: El desenterrador
  • 2012: Míster Politicus, "articulates the tangled processes that unscrupulous officials use to gain power and achieve their detestable ambitions"[30]
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Main article: The Laundromat (2019 film)

In 2016, Steven Soderbergh announced he would produce a film about the Panama Papers affair.[31] The comedy-drama The Laundromat premiered at the Venice Film Festival on 1 September 2019.[32] Fonseca and Mossack tried to block the film's release on Netflix by filing a defamation lawsuit against Netflix in October 2019, arguing that the ongoing FBI investigation and possible trial in New York as well as their defence against criminal charges in Panama could be negatively prejudiced by the way they are portrayed in The Laundromat.[33] A judge ruled that the case was filed in the wrong court, transferring it to Los Angeles.[34] With a court decision still pending, the film was made available for streaming by Netflix on 18 October 2019. In the film, Fonseca is portrayed by Antonio Banderas.[35]

References

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  1. ^ (in Spanish) Ministro consejero Fonseca Mora se va de licencia Archived 2 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine sur panamaamerica.com, 11 March 2016
  2. ^ Garside, Juliette (11 February 2017). "Mossack Fonseca: Panama Papers law firm bosses refused bail". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
  3. ^ "Founders of Panama Papers Law Firm Arrested on Money Laundering Charges". icij.org. 11 February 2017. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Panama Papers law firm bosses refused bail following bribery arrests". The Independent. 11 February 2017. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Panama grants bail to Mossack Fonseca founders in Brazil corruption case". Reuters. 22 April 2017. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Detained partners of law firm at the heart of Panama Papers scandal granted bail". DW.COM. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  7. ^ Washington, Jon Swaine Stephanie Kirchgaessner in (4 December 2018). "Panama Papers investigation: four men criminally charged in US". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
  8. ^ Nicanor Alvarado. "Ramón Fonseca Mora: "Vengo a contar mi verdad"". Laestrella.com.pa. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Ramón Fonseca Mora". www.oocities.org. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  10. ^ a b "Panamanian Law Firm Is Gatekeeper To Vast Flow of Murky Offshore Secrets · ICIJ". Panamapapers.icij.org. 3 April 2016. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  11. ^ "A torrential leak | The Economist". The Economist. Archived from the original on 6 September 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  12. ^ "Panamanian Law Firm Is Gatekeeper To Vast Flow of Murky Offshore Secrets - ICIJ". 3 April 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  13. ^ Andrew Buncombe (4 March 2016). "Panama Papers: Jurgen Mossack and Ramón Fonseca – the lawyers whose firm is at the centre of global controversy | Americas | News". The Independent. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  14. ^ Slawson, Nicola (14 March 2018). "Mossack Fonseca law firm to shut down after Panama Papers tax scandal". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Ramón Fonseca Mora". www.oocities.org. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  16. ^ "Obras – Ramón Fonseca Mora". www.ramonfonsecamora.com. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  17. ^ Harding, Luke (5 April 2016). "What are the Panama Papers? A guide to history's biggest data leak". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  18. ^ "The Panama Papers: Exposing the Rogue Offshore Finance Industry". ICIJ. 3 April 2016. Archived from the original on 3 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  19. ^ "Panama Papers Have Had Historic Global Effects — and the Impacts Keep Coming". ICIJ. December 2016. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  20. ^ "German arrest order for Panama Papers lawyers faces hurdle" Archived 10 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine Associated Press 21 October 2020
  21. ^ "Panama Papers trial concludes with all defendants absolved of money laundering charge". ICIJ. 28 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Mossack Fonseca & Co., S.A. et al v. Netflix Inc., Docket No. 3:19-cv-01618 (D. Conn. Oct 15, 2019), Court Docket". www.bloomberglaw.com. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  23. ^ "Preguntas Frecuentes – Ramón Fonseca Mora". Archived from the original on 27 October 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  24. ^ "Santa Clara Athletics – Men's Rowing". santaclarabroncos.com. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  25. ^ "Festival de Debutantes 2007". Panamá América (in Spanish). 6 June 2007. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  26. ^ "H.E. Elizabeth Ward is Panama’s Ambassador to The Kingdom of the Netherlands" Archived 14 January 2021 at the Wayback MachineDiplomat Magazine 9 September 2020
  27. ^ "Mossack & Fonseca deeply entrenched in Foreign Service". www.panamaamerica.com.pa. 8 April 2016. Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  28. ^ Murphy, Brian (13 May 2024). "Ramón Fonseca, co-founder of law firm in 'Panama Papers' leak, dies at 71". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  29. ^ Fallece el abogado Ramón Fonseca Mora a los 71 años Archived 9 May 2024 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
  30. ^ a b c "The saga of Mossack Fonseca" Archived 29 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine The Hindu 20 April 2017
  31. ^ McNary, Dave (7 July 2016). "Panama Papers Movie in the Works From Steven Soderbergh". Variety. Archived from the original on 9 October 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  32. ^ Brooks, Xan (1 September 2019). "The Laundromat review: Gary Oldman spins lies to Meryl Streep in sparkling comedy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  33. ^ Spencer, Samuel (18 October 2019). ""The Laundromat" on Netflix: What are the Panama Papers". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  34. ^ "Netflix's 'The Laundromat' Goes On as Court Transfers Lawsuit". The New York Times. Associated Press. 18 October 2019. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  35. ^ "The Panama Papers". www.netflix.com. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
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