When the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists first released the Panama Papers, it named a number of high-profile individuals from various countries with offshore accounts. Now, with more data revealed, the documents have unveiled more names, including Harry Potter star, Emma Watson.
As it is, it is not illegal to have an offshore account or company. However, the Panama Papers did shed light on how the rich and powerful are using the system to hide their wealth and reap tax advantages. Offshore accounts are supposed to be private as well, and that layer of protection makes doubly attractive.
In a statement released by Watson's representatives, they said that the actress has an offshore company set up solely for the purpose of keeping her anonymous and safe.
"Emma receives absolutely no tax or monetary advantages from this offshore company whatsoever — only privacy," they added.
Watson's representatives also said that the UK requirement to publicly disclose the companies' shareholders has already jeopardized the actress in the past, given that a lot of information is being made available to the public.
The offshore entity in question is Falling Leaves, which Watson set up in 2013. She bought a property in London a month after setting up the company in the British Virgin Islands. It is estimated that the actress' net worth is $50.5 million.
Other figures identified in the Panama Papers include: Vladimir Putin, Lionel Messi, Simon Cowell and Jackie Chan.
Watson has appeared in a number of movies through the years but is still most recognizable to people as Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter movies. This year, she is set to star alongside Tom Hanks in The Circle and Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast as Belle. The actress did say, however, that she'd like to spend a year just reading literature and getting HeForShe off the ground. HeForShe is a UN initiative focused on gender equality.
In light of this, Watson was one of the signatories of an open letter addressed to Sadiq Khan, urging London's new mayor to erect a statue of the suffragettes in Parliament Square.
