Ramón Fonseca, who co-founded the law firm at the heart of the Panama Papers leak, died Wednesday night, his lawyer confirmed, while awaiting the verdict in his money-laundering trial in Panama.
Mr. Fonseca, 71, died after complications from pneumonia, his daughter, Raquel Fonseca, told the Spanish news agency EFE.
Both Mr. Fonseca and Jürgen Mossack, who together founded the Mossack Fonseca firm, stood trial in Panama last month in relation to an explosive investigation published in 2016 by a coalition of news outlets that looked at 11.5 million confidential documents from the firm.
During the trial, which began April 8 and lasted 10 days, prosecutors alleged that the firm had created shell companies with the purpose of hiding money that came from illicit activities.
A total of 29 people — former employees of the now-shuttered firm and alleged conspirators — were accused of money laundering.
Persons:
Ramón Fonseca, Fonseca, Raquel Fonseca, EFE, Jürgen Mossack, Mossack Fonseca, —
Organizations:
Mossack
Locations:
Panama, Spanish