$2bn Offshore Trail

This must mean that those banks can keep those offshore 9 Billion dollar's since it is not Putin's. But he does still have that watch collection that he could sell off if he needed some quick cash.

Putin says Panama Papers part of US plot to weaken Russia.

ST.PETERSBURG, Russia — President Vladimir Putin on Thursday denied having any links to offshore accounts and described the Panama Papers document leaks scandal as part of a U.S.-led plot to weaken Russia.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin apparently has a soft spot for luxury watches, but some are wondering why the timepieces haven't been hard on his wallet.

The Russian opposition group Solidarity has produced a slick video that begins with the title "Watches of a Kleptocrat" splashed on the screen. It lists Putin's collection of pricey wristwatches, which the groups says are worth nearly $700,000 - about six times his official annual salary. The Solidarity video questioned how Putin could afford such a lavish collection, suggesting this was evidence of government fraud.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

That's a big scandal. Panama has a very free lows to open acc in the bank.

Read Garry Kasparov's book Winter Is Coming. He has an interesting statement in it that if you wish to understand Putin's regime in detail forget about works by Karl Marx or Adam Smith. Don't look for anything about Montesquieu or Machiavelli, in fact ignore political science completely. Rather get any book by Maro Puzo. The Godfather Trilogy is a good place to start.

Basically Putin is the Don, the head of a crime family. As long as you are loyal to the capo he protects you. If you go against him, your life is forfeit.

Tanker wrote:Basically Putin is the Don, the head of a crime family.  As long as you are loyal to the capo he protects you. If you go against him, your life is forfeit.

It's a very interesting and unusual idea!
But I couldn't say that mafia it is wrong and bad deal. In fact, it is a very good position and style of life. U're working on the family and family protect u. What's wrong with it?
I think the same situation was in the USA. Let's say till 1960 year when JFK came. Then situation changed and never back.
So, as my point - mafia it is a historic step in the social development. The question is - who are the ppl in the county? Citizen or mafia' workers?

It's a bad idea Lockie because the Mafia is a criminal organization. It makes money profiting or encouraging human vices and misery. They peddle dangerous drugs, live off extortion of honest people, the prostitution of women and anything illegal which they can make a profit with. They corrupt the police and politicians and infiltrate unions ad all sphere of life. Plus these organizations are violent and often bloodthirsty they kill those who oppose them without regard for age or gender. They use terror and violence to impose their rules an control very much like the Communists or Nazis did which why these 2 movements are essentially criminal organizations.

frinik wrote:It's a bad idea Lockie because the Mafia is a criminal organization.

I think u're talking too emotional. Yes, u're rigt in the common sense, if lows of the mafia contradicts to Constitution. Constitution it is a kit of orders between government and ppl.
Let's take Mussolini - he destroyed mafia. Let's take JFK, he started to destroy mafia, BUT did someone asked ppl how had they feeling?
Ppl likes drugs, make a bet, adrenaline, fight.
I've to confess, mafia it is a good deal.
In Ukraine we took out Yanukovic mafia regime and now we're abt. to get Poroshenko regime.

Hmmm, Mafia is a good deal only for the mafia. If it was a good deal for everyone they would not need to use violence and terror to enforce their "family". It's the same way Putin wouldn't need to kill opponents and reporters and completely control the media and blame foreign bogey men to distract the people if he was TRULY popular with the Russian people.

Mussolini may have attacked the mafia but only to replace them as a bigger fascist mafia.

As far as JFK and his brother Robert going after the mafia it really does not matter what the beneficiaries of a criminal enterprise think of destroying that enterprise. I'm sure there were a lot more victims of the mafia that were overjoyed at them being destroyed.

I am not emotional I believe rationally and coolly that any type of organized crime is bad for any country!End of story.

Quote Mr. Putin... “Your humble servant is not there; there is nothing to talk about,” he said at a public forum for regional journalists in St. Petersburg that was broadcast live by state-run television.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I always get a laugh when I think about how Putin's replacement as President, Medvedev, had to be even shorter than Putin is and had to win the "election" by 1 percentage point less than Putin had.

Considering the fact that most of people that disagree with Putin have a short life span or simply disappear.

Was just wondering how well, all of those Putin follower's that have these offshore accounts are now sleeping. Especially with the thought that "humble" Putin is more than likely the main beneficiary in case something just happens to shorten their life span?

Putin has been in power since 2000 more or less, Dmitry Medvedev is a mere hand puppet. So basicly Putin has made some where around $562,500,000 a year as President of Russia.

Now that is not to shabby of a paycheck at all.

Guess with a paycheck like that, bulldozing a pile of Western-produced cheese and tonnes of other foodstuffs doesn't seem to bother Putin or his follower's to much at all.




[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Russia has bulldozed a pile of Western-produced cheese and tonnes of other foodstuffs imported in violation of sanctions.

The country has also steamrollered fruit and burnt a huge pile of bacon.

The actions come a year after Russia banned some Western food products in retaliation to EU and US sanctions applied after Moscow annexed Crimea.

The destruction has caused an outcry from anti-poverty campaigners who say it should have been given to the poor.

One steamroller took an hour to crush nine tonnes of cheese. Another consignment was due to be burnt. Boxes of bacon have been incinerated. Peaches and tomatoes were also due to be crushed by tractors.

Quote... On Sunday, one of Russia’s top television shows, Vesti, charged that the Panama Papers investigation has been ordered by the U.S. State Department, CIA, and other U.S. special services interested in discrediting the Russian president.

Hope Putin has his Ruby Red Slippers ready to click together, just in case.

Come on come on come on come on
Come on is such a joy
Come on is such a joy
Come on take it easy
Come on take it easy
Take it easy take it easy
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey.