Summit Notebook
Exclusive outtakes from industry leaders
Tax evaders on the run
By Neil Chatterjee The U.S. has promised it will hunt down tax evaders. And it seems tax evaders are on the run. DBS bank, based in the growing offshore financial centre of Singapore, told Reuters it had been approached by U.S. citizens asking for its private banking services. But when told they would have to sign U.S. tax declaration forms, the potential clients disappeared. Swiss banks also approached DBS on the hope they could offload troublesome U.S. clients to a location that so far has not been reached by the strong arms of Washington or Brussels. DBS said no thanks. In fact many private banks and boutique advisors now seem to be avoiding U.S. clients. Will this spread to other nationalities, as governments invest in tax spies and tax havens invest in white paint? Is this the end of offshore private private banking?
AUDIO: Capital flight to cure what ails
Soaring oil prices have helped make Russia rich, but the flood of petrodollars means Russians face double digit price inflation. Dmitry Pankin, Russia’s deputy finance minister, sees a trade off in a recent market selloff: Russian companies might have trouble raising capital, but billions of dollars in capital outflows may be just the thing to help cool inflation.
Offshore investment or not. You have to be allowed to invest your taxed money wherever you want. Evading payment of taxes where you reside will always be an illegal act.