Here are the basics of what the Panama Papers leak is all about. Video by Jasper Colt, USA TODAY <\/p>\n
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks during a question and answer session on the forthcoming European Union referendum with staff of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Birmingham, England, on April 5, 2016.(Photo: Christopher Furlong, AFP\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n
Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency whistle-blower, has been quite vocal on social media about the Panama Papers leak and theinternational fallout from the millions of documents released. <\/p>\n
He's commented on global leaders involved withthe documents, mockingBritish Prime Minister David Cameron andIcelandPrime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, who stepped aside amid the fallout. <\/p>\n
\"If you're in charge of a country, keep your money in it,\"Snowden tweeted Tuesday, <\/p>\n
Cameronwas dragged into the scandal about offshoretax havens this weekover his late father's connections to an investment fund thatavoided paying tax in theUnited Kingdomby having its directors hold board meetings in Switzerland and the Bahamas rather than in London. <\/p>\n
Ian Cameron, a stock brokerwho died in 2010, was named inthe documents stolen from the Panamalaw firmMossack Fonseca.The company set up for Ian Cameron was calledBlairmore. <\/p>\n
USA TODAY <\/p>\n
'Panama Papers' law firm says it is a hacking 'victim' <\/p>\n
Downing Streetinitiallycalled the discovery a \"private matter.\" <\/p>\n
On Monday, Snowden tweeted a snarkyresponse after DavidCameron's spokeswoman calledfamily investments private. <\/p>\n
Downing Street laterconfirmed the prime minister does not hold any shares in the company. Cameron released another statement, saying,\"In terms of my own financial affairs, I own no shares. I have a salary as prime minister and I have some savings, which I get interest from and I have a house, which we used to live in, which we now let out while we are living in Downing Street and that's all I have.\" <\/p>\n
USA TODAY <\/p>\n
Panama Papers vs NSA: How big is the latest leak? <\/p>\n
Cameron added: \"I have no shares, no offshore trusts, no offshore funds, nothing like that. And, so that, I think, is a very clear description.\" His office added that Cameron, his wife and children do not benefit from any offshore funds. <\/p>\n
Former National Security Agency systems analyst Edward Snowden(Photo: Uncredited, AP) <\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Snowden tweeted that the \"resignation of Iceland's PMmay explain why the U.K. PM is so insistent public has no right to know a PM's 'private'finances.\" <\/p>\n
According to German newspaperSuddeutsche Zeitung, whichfirst shared newsof the Panama Papers, theleak consisted of 11.5 million documents, including 4.8 million emails. <\/p>\n
That compares to about1.7 million documents leaked by Snowden, aformerNSA contractor, in 2013 aboutthe agency's surveillance efforts. The NSA release amounted to just15% of the number of documents with the Panama Papers investigation. <\/p>\n
USA TODAY <\/p>\n
The story behind the massive Panama Papers leak <\/p>\n
Snowden noted on Twitter that the Panama Papers represent \"the biggest leak in the history of data journalism.\" <\/p>\n
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