PANAMA CITY: Panamanian lawyer Ramon Fonseca, one of the heads of the now-defunct law firm Mossack Fonseca that was at the epicentre of the global “Panama Papers” scandal, died while awaiting sentencing in his money-laundering trial, his lawyer said on Thursday.

During the night Fonseca “died while hospitalised”, a member of his legal team said, adding that the health concerns were “why he did not attend the trial” that opened on April 8.

No further details were given about the cause of death of Fonseca, 71, who died in hospital in Panama City.

Documents leaked from Mossack Fonseca, which were published in 2016, revealed how many of the world’s wealthy stashed assets in offshore companies, triggering scores of investigations around the globe.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2024