Report: Dutch firms helped set up dubious tax constructions

Rotterdam attorney and notary firm Ploum Lodder Princen and Amsterdam trust office Infintax helped set up complex tax constructions for foreign companies and wealthy individuals, according to Trouw and Financieele Dagblad based on the Panama Papers.

Ploum Lodder Princen (PLP) has been the permanent notary of Infintax since late 2012. Infintax is the permanent business partner of Mossack Fonseca - the source of the so-called Panama Papers, 11.5 million documents, spreadsheets, emails and other leaked files that form the basis of a worldwide investigation into tax evasion. Infintax provides tax and trust services to Mossack Fonseca in the Netherlands.

According to the newspapers, Infintax set up constructions for money to flow into and out of countries such as Ecuador and Mexico. PLP is regularly involved in drafting the notarial deeds necessary for that.

Notary and chairman of PLP Stan Commisaris denies that the firm did anything wrong, but would not comment to the newspapers any further. Infintax was not available for comment.

In an interview with news wire Reuters, Mossack Fonseca co-founder Ramon Fonseca Mora stressed that their company did not violate any laws, never destroyed documents and never helped anyone with tax evasion and money laundering. He also emphasized that his company was hacked and that they filed a complaint with the public prosecutor.