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 Prior to the Offshore Leaks, the snippets of information available on offshore companies were largely confined to the outdated online registrars kept by tax havens, as an empty gesture towards transparency.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.

A ONE SOUND SOLUTIONS

Company Name A ONE SOUND SOLUTIONS
Date of Registration 31st January 2013
Company Objective a.     the design, manufacture, purchase, sale, rental, servicing and installation of portable and / or fixed lighting and sound systems for use in national and international (cultural) events such as eg theater, dance, music performances and concerts
    the conduct of business -. including retailers, wholesalers, intermediate, transit, commission and agency trade - importing and exporting and rent all types of music and audio visual instruments and apparatus, including light;
c organize     the giving and support of (cultural) events, shows, conferences, festivals, shows and workshops, which are held both indoors and in the outdoors.; .
d     the rental of equipment for (cultural) activities / events and in this regard to the disposal of persons skilled in the sub a to c certain;
e     the recording of audio and visual materials and issuing, managing, distributing and marketing it.;
f      building and driving (internet) radio and television and exploitation of image and sound studios.;
g      arranging, caring, producing and directing all possible (internet) radio, music and / or television programs.;
h develop     the, producing and supervising movies and events, such as, but not limited to sports / car events, shows, musical performances and exhibitions, as well as taking care of the marketing and publicity for it.; all the foregoing in accordance with the provisions of the relevant regulations;
i      the provision of services and the provision of all relevant organization, illustration, creative, graphic and audiovisual design, photography, light and copywriting.;
j.      the placing on the market and (do) editing, including editing, printing, recording, distributing and selling newspapers, magazines, brochures, books, advertising materials, advertising printed matter, other printed matter, audio and video tapes and programs, laser and computer discs and other information-carrying articles;
k      sell all kinds versier-, gift and souvenir items, such as eg, without being limited thereto:. T-shirts, bathing, recreation and sports clothing and related items, in short all those goods and items in souvenir shops to be traded commit; En      making of film, photography, video and music productions and all other types of audiovisual productions.; .
m      the creation, design, manage and develop Web sites, the implementation, including multimedia and electronic image processing in the broadest sense and publishing advertisement on these sites;
n.      the design, manufacture, produce, manage, lease and sale of audiovisual services and related products, including the operation and management of audiovisual services and equipment in the field of theater, film, radio, television, conferences, concerts and entertainment;
o      to represent and operate satellites and cable television networks.;
p      the negotiation and acquisition of television rights, or broadcasting for fixed hours, seasonal programs and the like.;
q      administer, manage and operate one or more music and video studios in the broadest sense.;
o     the observing the interests of movie stars / (sports) artists, supervising film stars / (sports) artists at the conclusion of contracts and represent their interests, all in the broadest sense of the word.;
s.     the provision of bail and other guarantees and transferring ownership whether or not in fiduciary or trust or mortgage, pledge or otherwise encumber assets, all this as security for the payment of the debts of the company and the debts of other legal or natural persons directly or indirectly to the partnership in, whether or not for contraprestatie;
t     the whole or in part build up pension provision for employees or former employees of the Company and / or their survivors.;
ow enter tthe participate on and the management of other companies or companies regardless of their purpose.;
v      perform all actions related to the above, all in the broadest sense.;
w.     the above will be made to the extent permitted by and subject to the provisions under or pursuant to the relevant legislation.
Country
aruba
Financial Secrecy Index [more info] 68
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