Complex systems of secrecy: the offshore networks of oligarchs
Journal: PNAS Nexus
Year: 2023

Following the invasion of Ukraine, the USA, UK, and EU governments-among others-sanctioned oligarchs close to Putin. This approach has come under scrutiny, as evidence has emerged of the oligarchs' successful evasion of these punishments. To address this problem, we analyze the role of an overlooked but highly influential group: the secretive professional intermediaries who create and administer the oligarchs' offshore financial empires. Drawing on the Offshore Leaks Database provided by the Int