The media group that co-ordinated the Panama Papers investigation into offshore companies, has said, it would not participate in a criminal probe by the US Department of Justice. US Attorney for Manhattan, Preet Bharara wrote to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists seeking additional information from the group to aid his investigation into tax avoidance claims.
The group yesterday told prosecutors in Ms. Bharara’s office that it would not release unpublished data to them. Gerard Ryle, director of the consortium, in a press release said, media organizations shielded by the First Amendment and other legal protections from becoming an arm of law enforcement.
The consortium has still not publicly released many of the 11.5 million leaked files from Panamanian firm Mossack Fonseca that media outlets around the world used to reveal how prominent individuals and corporations hide assets and avoid taxes.