Cyprus Confidential

Cyprus Confidential is a journalism project investigating financial services in Cyprus and their role in allowing avoidance of international sanctions, and implementation of Russian state goals. It is conducted by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Paper Trail Media and 69 media partners including Distributed Denial of Secrets and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and more than 270 journalists in 55 countries and territories.[1][2] Other media partners included Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, the Belarusian Investigative Center, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, CBC, Der Spiegel, the Guardian, Le Monde, Politiken, Swedish Television (SVT), Syrian Investigative Reporting for Accountability Journalism, Ukraine's Slidstvo and The Washington Post.[2]

The investigation suggests that "67 of the 105 Russian billionaires on the 2023 Forbes World’s Billionaires List used financial services firms on the island of Cyprus to hide their wealth and keep it out of reach from Western sanctions".[3] The leaks include confidential information from financial services companies, mostly with connections to Cyprus, showing strong links with high-up figures in the Kremlin, some of whom have been sanctioned.[4][5]

The investigation reveals how Russian oligarchs transferred large amounts of assets to Cyprus after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union imposed sanctions on more than 1,600 individuals and entities after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.[6][7]

  1. ^ "Inside Cyprus Confidential: The data-driven journalism that helped expose an island under Russian influence - ICIJ". www.icij.org. 2023-11-14. Archived from the original on 2023-11-30. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  2. ^ a b "About the Cyprus Confidential investigation - ICIJ". www.icij.org. 2023-11-14. Archived from the original on 2023-11-21. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  3. ^ Tognini, Giacomo (14 November 2023). "Cyprus Confidential: ICIJ Reveals How 67 Russian Billionaires Used Cyprus Financial Firms To Hide Their Wealth". Forbes. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Cyprus Confidential: Leaked Roman Abramovich documents raise fresh questions for Chelsea FC: ICIJ-led investigation reveals how Mediterranean island ignores Russian atrocities and western sanctions to cash in on Putin's oligarchs". The Irish Times. 15 November 2023. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "UK announces new sanctions in response to Russian sham elections in Ukraine". Government of the United Kingdom. 29 September 2023. Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  7. ^ Payne, Julia; Baczynska, Gabriela (12 September 2023). "EU to cease sanctions against three Russian businessmen this week, sources say". Reuters. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.