The Pandora Papers investigation published its major findings in 2021.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists coordinated the investigation, working with media organizations and hundreds of journalists around the world. The project examined a huge leak of financial documents connected with offshore companies, trusts, and other structures used by wealthy and politically influential people.
The main findings were released in October 2021. The investigation drew attention to how offshore systems can conceal ownership of assets and move money across jurisdictions. The existence of an offshore arrangement is not automatically proof of illegal conduct, a distinction emphasized in reporting about the documents.
The name echoed the myth of Pandora’s box because the leaked files exposed a wide range of hidden information. Pandora Papers is different from Panama Papers, an earlier ICIJ investigation published in 2016. Both concerned offshore finance, but they were separate document leaks and investigations.