Photo / APNew Zealand-registered trusts held nearly $300 million in assets for a Roman Catholic order caught in an international paedophilia scandal, according to leaked records contained in the Pandora Papers. At the time the trusts were established, New Zealand was a popular destination for people seeking to hide money offshore using trusts. Over the next several decades, the order expanded internationally and established influential connections in the Vatican and elsewhere. A Legion spokesperson said it would be wrong to "attribute any decisions, investments, or activities" of the two trusts to the Legion. Yet a review by the ICIJ of numerous leaked records shows that all three trusts are extensively linked to the Legion.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 05, 2021 04:41 UTC