Ramón Fonseca Mora Explained

Ramón Fonseca Mora
Birth Date:14 July 1952
Birth Place:Panama City, Panama
Death Place:Panama City, Panama
Alma Mater:University of Panama
London School of Economics
Occupation:Novelist, lawyer
Known For:Co-founder of Mossack Fonseca
Party:Panameñista Party
Children:6

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]

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

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

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. 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

Panama Papers

See 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

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.

Personal life

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] 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

In popular culture

See 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]

Notes and References

  1. Ministro consejero Fonseca Mora se va de licencia sur panamaamerica.com, 11 March 2016
  2. News: Mossack Fonseca: Panama Papers law firm bosses refused bail. Juliette. Garside. The Guardian. 11 February 2017. 12 May 2019. www.theguardian.com. 9 May 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240509165317/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/11/panama-papers-mossack-fonseca-fonders-refused-bail. live.
  3. Web site: Founders of Panama Papers Law Firm Arrested on Money Laundering Charges. icij.org. 11 February 2017. 12 May 2019. 8 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220308125709/https://www.icij.org/investigations/panama-papers/20170210-mossfon-panama-arrests/. live.
  4. Web site: Panama Papers law firm bosses refused bail following bribery arrests. 11 February 2017. The Independent. 12 May 2019. 12 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190512220223/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/panama-papers-mossack-fonseca-bosses-refused-bail-arrest-bribery-scandal-lawyers-jurgen-ramon-a7575361.html. live.
  5. News: Panama grants bail to Mossack Fonseca founders in Brazil corruption case. 22 April 2017. Reuters. 5 November 2019. en. 3 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220103090940/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-panama-corruption-idUSKBN17O018. live.
  6. Web site: Detained partners of law firm at the heart of Panama Papers scandal granted bail. DW.COM. en-GB. 4 November 2019. 28 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220228001148/https://www.dw.com/en/detained-partners-of-law-firm-at-the-heart-of-panama-papers-scandal-granted-bail/a-38541750. live.
  7. News: Panama Papers investigation: four men criminally charged in US. Jon Swaine Stephanie Kirchgaessner in. Washington. The Guardian. 4 December 2018. 12 May 2019. www.theguardian.com. 9 May 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240509165735/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/04/panama-papers-investigation-four-men-charged-us. live.
  8. Web site: Nicanor Alvarado . Ramón Fonseca Mora: "Vengo a contar mi verdad" . Laestrella.com.pa . 4 April 2016 . 13 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160413081845/http://laestrella.com.pa/panama/politica/ramon-fonseca-mora-vengo-contar-verdad/23927780 . dead .
  9. Web site: Ramón Fonseca Mora . www.oocities.org . 4 April 2016 . 20 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191220021324/http://www.oocities.org/athens/olympus/9427/fonseca.html . live .
  10. Web site: Panamanian Law Firm Is Gatekeeper To Vast Flow of Murky Offshore Secrets · ICIJ . Panamapapers.icij.org . 3 April 2016 . 4 April 2016 . 6 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160406030508/http://panamapapers.icij.org/20160403-mossack-fonseca-offshore-secrets.html . live .
  11. News: A torrential leak | The Economist. The Economist. 9 September 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160906145108/http://www.economist.com/news/international/21696497-huge-trove-documents-has-revealed-secrets-offshore-business-presaging-tougher. 6 September 2016.
  12. Web site: 2016-04-03 . Panamanian Law Firm Is Gatekeeper To Vast Flow of Murky Offshore Secrets - ICIJ . 2024-05-25 . en-US.
  13. News: Andrew Buncombe . Panama Papers: Jurgen Mossack and Ramón Fonseca – the lawyers whose firm is at the centre of global controversy | Americas | News . . 4 March 2016 . 4 April 2016 . 6 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160406064821/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/panama-papers-jurgen-mossack-and-ram-n-fonseca-the-lawyers-whose-firm-is-at-the-centre-of-global-a6967011.html . live .
  14. News: Mossack Fonseca law firm to shut down after Panama Papers tax scandal. Slawson. Nicola. 14 March 2018. The Guardian. 4 November 2019. en-GB. 0261-3077. 14 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180314222823/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/14/mossack-fonseca-shut-down-panama-papers. live.
  15. News: Ramón Fonseca Mora. 4 April 2016. www.oocities.org. 20 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191220021324/http://www.oocities.org/athens/olympus/9427/fonseca.html. live.
  16. Web site: Obras – Ramón Fonseca Mora. www.ramonfonsecamora.com. 5 April 2016. 8 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160408141714/http://www.ramonfonsecamora.com/blog/?page_id=2. live.
  17. News: What are the Panama Papers? A guide to history's biggest data leak. Harding. Luke. 5 April 2016. The Guardian. 4 November 2019. en-GB. 0261-3077. 3 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180203001240/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/03/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-panama-papers. live.
  18. Web site: The Panama Papers: Exposing the Rogue Offshore Finance Industry. ICIJ. 3 April 2016. en-US. 4 November 2019. 3 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191103235535/https://www.icij.org/investigations/panama-papers/. live.
  19. Web site: Panama Papers Have Had Historic Global Effects — and the Impacts Keep Coming. ICIJ. December 2016. en-US. 5 November 2019. 20 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191220021324/https://www.icij.org/investigations/panama-papers/20161201-global-impact/. live.
  20. https://apnews.com/article/arrests-tax-evasion-panama-city-panama-jurgen-mossack-c20c5fac6ef5f73aca8d43324288d223 "German arrest order for Panama Papers lawyers faces hurdle"
  21. Web site: 2024-06-28 . Panama Papers trial concludes with all defendants absolved of money laundering charge . ICIJ . en-US.
  22. Web site: 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. 4 November 2019. 5 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191105011102/https://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/desktop/document/MOSSACKFONSECACOSAetalDocketNo319cv01618DConnOct152019CourtDocket%3F1571215576. live.
  23. Web site: Preguntas Frecuentes – Ramón Fonseca Mora. en-US. 5 November 2019. 27 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191027144043/http://www.fonsecamora.com/preguntas-frecuentes/. live.
  24. Web site: Santa Clara Athletics – Men's Rowing. santaclarabroncos.com. en. 4 November 2019. 5 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191105011252/https://www.santaclarabroncos.com/sports/m-crew/2004-05/bios/fonseca_eduardo00.html%3Fview%3Dbio. live.
  25. Web site: Festival de Debutantes 2007. 6 June 2007. Panamá América. es. 4 November 2019. 5 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191105011257/https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/variedades/festival-de-debutantes-2007-5-281188. live.
  26. https://diplomatmagazine.eu/2021/01/10/panama-the-country-that-panamanians-return-to-and-foreigners-fall-in-love-with/h-e-ms-elizabeth-ward-neiman-ambassador-of-the-republic-of-panama-photography-by-jeroen-van-der-meyde-090920238/ "H.E. Elizabeth Ward is Panama’s Ambassador to The Kingdom of the Netherlands"
  27. News: Mossack & Fonseca deeply entrenched in Foreign Service. www.panamaamerica.com.pa. 8 April 2016. 20 October 2019. 20 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191020082717/https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/tema-del-dia/mossack-fonseca-deeply-entrenched-foreign-service-1021167. live.
  28. News: Murphy . Brian . 2024-05-13 . Ramón Fonseca, co-founder of law firm in ‘Panama Papers’ leak, dies at 71 . 2024-05-25 . Washington Post . en-US . 0190-8286.
  29. https://www.prensa.com/judiciales/fallece-el-abogado-ramon-fonseca-mora-a-los-71-anos/ Fallece el abogado Ramón Fonseca Mora a los 71 años
  30. https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/the-saga-of-mossack-fonseca/article14228269.ece "The saga of Mossack Fonseca"
  31. Web site: Panama Papers Movie in the Works From Steven Soderbergh. McNary. Dave. 7 July 2016. Variety. en. 4 November 2019. 9 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211009185310/https://variety.com/2016/film/news/panama-papers-movie-steven-soderbergh-1201809594/. live.
  32. News: The Laundromat review: Gary Oldman spins lies to Meryl Streep in sparkling comedy. Brooks. Xan. 1 September 2019. The Guardian. 4 November 2019. en-GB. 0261-3077. 9 May 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240509165616/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/01/the-laundromat-review-gary-oldman-spins-lies-to-meryl-streep-in-sparkling-comedy. live.
  33. Web site: "The Laundromat" on Netflix: What are the Panama Papers. Spencer. Samuel. 18 October 2019. Newsweek. en. 4 November 2019. 5 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191105011102/https://www.newsweek.com/laundromat-netflix-what-are-panama-papers-1466000. live.
  34. News: Netflix's 'The Laundromat' Goes On as Court Transfers Lawsuit. Associated Press. 18 October 2019. The New York Times. 4 November 2019. en-US. 0362-4331. 18 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191018160005/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/18/movies/laundromat-netflix-panama-papers.html. live.
  35. Web site: The Panama Papers. www.netflix.com. en. 4 November 2019. 5 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191105011100/https://www.netflix.com/title/80127976. dead.

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