The president of the Chilean chapter of Transparency International has resigned after he was alleged to be involved with secret offshore companies exposed in the #PanamaPapers.
Though Gonzalo Delaveau was not accused of any wrongdoing, the leaks throw some doubts into his role as the head of an organization that spearheads openness in government and highlights corporate corruption.
“We are deeply troubled by what has happened with the Chair of our chapter in Chile,” José Ugaz, chair of Transparency International, wrote in a statement on Tuesday.
“At Transparency International we stand for transparency and integrity above all else and once we learned of Delaveau’s involvement with secret companies, our International Board began the process of suspending the chapter before possible dis-accreditation. With Delaveau’s resignation, our Board decided to halt its efforts to sanction the chapter.”
Mr. Delaveau resigned after his name was linked to no fewer than five offshore companies.
“While Delaveau is not reportedly accused of illegal activity, and he may be able to explain his activities, for us that is not the point,” Mr. Ugaz wrote.
“Not all secret companies are illegal, but many are used to hide money flows and to support acts of corruption. As we said yesterday in a press release about the Panama Papers investigation: Transparency International wants public registers of all companies’ beneficial owners to make it harder for the corrupt to hide their illicit wealth in secret companies and trusts that use nominees to register ownership.”
Mr. Delaveau resignation came after after Chile’s tax authority announced it would begin investigations into Chileans mentioned in the Panama Papers.
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