The lawyers were secretly filmed by an activist from anti-corruption charity Global Witness offering advice on how a 'government minister' could use suspect funds to purchase property and luxury goods, such as jets and yachts, without attracting attention from US authorities. Almost every lawyer recorded by the activist offered some advice as to how purchases with 'grey money' could be made while ensuring that the transaction was opaque enough to shield the minister's identity. While none of the 13 law firms recorded by Global Witness made illegal suggestions to the would-be client, the resulting footage (titled 'Undercover in New York') offers a little-seen insight into how legal professionals might be helping to facilitate the flow of dirty money into the US.
Lawyers on film
The disguised GW activist reportedly told law firms that he was an adviser to a mining minister from an African nation with a salary comparable to that of a US school teacher, who was looking to make multi-million dollar investments in property and luxury goods using funds he had accrued through 'helping companies receive mining concessions in his country.' Henderson & Koplik managing partner Mark Koplik was filmed advising the 'client' that the money behind the purchases would need to be 'scrubbed' and suggesting ways in which the paper trail behind the transactions might be obscured. Another lawyer, Sullivan and Worcester partner James Silkenat, proposed to the undercover activist that a complex web of corporate ownership could be used to 'insulate [a buyer's] ownership from public view.'
Perfectly legal
The lawyers involved have been quick to emphasise that all of the advice captured in 'Undercover in New York' is perfectly legal. A statement made by Mr Silkenat and his colleague Hugh Finnegan, who was also recorded offering advice, made clear that they would never have taken on work from the client as presented to them by the adviser. 'We listened, we told him that there would be a need to conduct due diligence on the background and past activities of his purported client, as well as the sources of the funds his “client” was seeking to invest,' the pair said in a statement to The Guardian. Sources: The Guardian; RT; Global Witness (Undercover in New York)
Email your news and story ideas to: [email protected]
