Offshore A-Z is a digital repository of companies operating across major tax havens. Offshore A-Z exploits the inscrutability of such companies to speculate on their possible nature and intent. Each company listed on here is real, but the information surrounding these consist of both actual records, obtained by dmstfctn, and speculative images and mission statements, generated by algorithms.

Tax havens, or secrecy jurisdictions, employ laws and corporate regulations different from those of most jurisdictions, using secrecy as a prime tool. Furthermore, the agents operating offshore on behalf of clients elsewhere have been observed by dmstfctn to willfully introduce mistakes in the records held on the companies they help forming. (Offshore Investigation Vehicle)

When offshore companies are but a bundle of papers held in private storages, these practices contribute to a number of possible configurations of any given offshore company, whose records are at once factually correct and conveniently flawed.

Offshore A-Z plays with the idea that truth is not one nor static, and that it does not need to be upheld equally at all times or in all fora.

Obtaining the data

The data contained within Offshore A-Z comes from a number of sources. Prior to the Offshore Leaks, the snippets of information available on offshore companies were largely confined to the outdated online registrars kept by tax havens, as an empty gesture towards transparency. Employing data scraping techniques, dmstfctn extracted records on hundreds of thousands of companies appearing in a number of such registrars.

Yielding varying amounts of information, and naturally full of gaps - sometimes full company details and descriptions, sometimes little more than a name - the records were cross referenced with data from the ICIJ’s Offshore Leaks as well as Financial Secrecy Index scores from the Tax Justice Network, and compiled into a single searchable database.

Training the algorithms

Algorithms were then trained to fill in the gaps in information. Using keywords from the company’s records as a trigger, the algorithms associate images with each nondescript company and complete missing fields by guessing possible incorporation dates or by generating corporate mission statement via a simple neural network. The coherency and accuracy of the neural network is directly undermined by the opaque source material, or incomplete input records. Finally, companies previously named in the Offshore Leaks ( for example) are hyperlinked to the relevant entry on the ICIJ database, allowing user to investigate further.

Compiling the template

The resulting information is autonomously built into a Web 2.0 page, employing a visual grammar similar to that used by existing registrars of companies. However, under intense scrutiny, the template mealts away revealing warm hues and floating forms.

This cycle of actions is repeated for each unreleased company found in the database and publicly announced by a Twitter bot.

Zooming in

Among the companies listed on the Offshore A-Z, a few appearing to be embedded in complex offshore vehicles were further investigated, resulting in three stories focusing on the funding behind Leave.EU, the corporate tax-avoidance of Barclays and the colonial origins of HSBC.

Offshore A-Z is a project by dmstfctn.

PRICE SMART

Company Name PRICE SMART
Date of Registration 7th January 1991
Company Objective 1. RETAIL IN FOOD drugstore AND TOBACCO
BEVERAGES SUGAR WORKS, DELICATESSEN, DRUGS, MEDICATION,
CLEANING PRODUCTS, INSECTICIDES, cosmetics, toiletries, paper and
PLASTIQUEWAREN, PERFUMERY, LINGERIE, CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES
HATS , HATS, JEWELRY, JEWELRY, JEWELLERY, GLASSES, souvenirs,
SMALL GIFTS, CRYSTAL, GLASS, GAME PRODUCTS, LUGGAGE,
LEATHER GOODS, BELTS, HANDBAGS, FOOTWEAR, GLOVES, BRUSH WORK
LINEN GOODS, CARPETS, rugs, WALLPAPER, FURNITURE, ELECTRICAL
MACHINES PHOTO ARTICLES SMOKE ARTICLES, WATCHES, AND OFFICE
STORE BUYERS, BOOKS, MAGAZINES, hosiery, daily, weekly and
SHEETS MONTH;
2. THE GREAT, AGENTUREN- AND COMMISSION TRADE IN FOOD AND ALL
OTHER ALLEGED SUPERMARKET ITEMS.
3. RETAIL IN:
A. ELECTRONIC DEVICES, INCLUDING THOSE RADIO, TELEVISION,
GRAMOPHONE APPLIANCES, tape recorders, records, cassettes,
GRAMOPHONE RECORDS, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, VIDEO AND AUDIO CASSETTES AND
DISC, TELEVISION, VACUUM CLEANERS , DRYERS, Computing and
typewriters, VIDEO AND AIR COOLING EQUIPMENT, REFRIGERATORS,
WASHING MACHINES, dishwashers, GAS, WATCHES, shaving
MACHINES AND EVERYTHING BELONGS TO THIS END;
B. OFFICE IN ALL TYPES WRITE AND SIGN NEEDS, LEARNING AND
READING BOOKS, INCLUDING POCKET BOOKS, LEISURE READING,
handicrafts EQUIPMENT, PAPER AND PAPER PRODUCTS, RESOURCES,
LEARNING SYSTEMS SCHOOL NEEDS OFFICE
AND ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION SYSTEMS, COMPUTERS AND
COMPUTER sUPPLIES BOTH HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE, CARE
of copies;
C. DOMESTIC AND OFFICE FURNITURE, LAMPS, LIGHTS, floor coverings, curtain
MATERIALS CEILING AND WALL DECORATIONS AND WOOD CARVING;
D. SPORT AND HOBBY ARTICLES, TOOLS AND GYMNASTICS the neces-
PRESENT AND ARTICLES;
E. MANIC HOURS, galanterieën AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS;
F. ceramic and PLASTIC ITEMS, PORCELAIN AND GLASS WARE;
G. PHOTO AND FILM EQUIPMENT, FILM, GLASSES AND OPTICAL EQUIPMENT AND ALL
WHAT BELONGS TO THIS END;
H. PLANTS, FLOWERS, EARTH, HARDWARE, TUINGEREEDCHAPPEN AND ALL
TYPES OF PRODUCTS USED IN AND FOR THE GARDEN;
I. AUTO ACCESSORIES AND TIRES AND THE SOLD
TYRES ASSEMBLY;
J. ALL TYPES OF MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT AIR CONDITIONING, GENERATOR AND
BATTERIES;
4. THE EXPLOIT OF ANNEX A BAKERY RESTAURANT LIMITED
SPIJS CARDS;
5. EXERCISING A photographic and photofinishing.
6. DRIVE THE RETAIL IN PHONES.
Country
aruba
Financial Secrecy Index [more info] 68
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