Russia has been exchanging information on residents’ foreign assets with almost 100 countries for 3 years now. The OECD has forced such offshore jurisdictions as the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands to reveal information on the assets of Russian residents to the Federal Tax Service. Does this mean the end of bank secrecy, offshores and scandals like the Panama Papers?
Issues for discussion: • Is the Federal Tax Service now aware of all accounts held by the Russian residents in offshore jurisdictions and other countries? • Are there many “loopholes” in the automatic exchange of information on foreign assets? • “Gold” passports, accounts with non-participating banks and cryptocurrencies – are these still a feasible option to evade taxes or not anymore?
