Emma Watson, the Harry Potter actress-turned-liberal activist, has been named in the Panama Papers.
Emma Watson set up an offshore company and used it to buy a 2.8 million dollar home. This week's leaks show that Watson had set up an offshore company in which her offshore account is hidden. The records show that her 2.8 million dollar property was bought through a company registered in the British Virgin Islands. Falling Leaves Ltd (Watson's company) is registered to the British Virgin Islands; A tax evader's haven.
The Times reported that she was able to buy a 3 bedroom property, from the investment returns of Falling Leaves Ltd.
Owning property through an offshore account is not illegal, however it makes the said person to be a suspected tax evader. Watson claimed that the offshore account was set to protect her anonymity as the young actress has experienced her fair share of stalkers in the past.
A spokesperson for the Harry Potter actress confirmed that Watson had an offshore account, and claimed that many prominent actors and actresses did. Watson's spokesperson assured the media that she was not getting any tax or financial advantage.
Records published by the ICIJ have not shown any details or evidence which might deem Watson's actions to be illegal.
The Panama Papers, in case you've forgotten already, are a cache of more than 11 million confidential documents from a Panama law firm leaked to and published online last month by an international consortium of journalists who have been busy combing the database for details on how rich, famous and powerful people hide their wealth in offshore accounts and tax havens.
