Overview

• The trial of 27 individuals implicated in the Panama Papers scandal commenced in Panama City, focusing on charges of money laundering.
• Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca Mora, founders of the Mossack Fonseca law firm, are among the defendants, facing allegations of creating shell companies for tax evasion.
• The Panama Papers leak in 2016 exposed how the world's wealthy hid assets in offshore companies, affecting global leaders and sparking investigations.
• Panama has made legal reforms since the scandal, but challenges remain in prosecuting due to the non-existence of certain laws at the time of the revelations.
• The trial is expected to highlight the ongoing global issue of tax evasion and the use of offshore financial havens.