Offshore lawyers sue Laundromat filmmakers

(CNS): The partners of beleaguered law firm Mossack Fonseca are suing the makers of the movie The Laundromat, which is based on the Panama Papers scandal, claiming the film paints them as villains at the centre of a web of illegal offshore activities. Jürgen Mossack and Ramón Fonseca filed the legal action in the district court of Connecticut, USA, just days before the movie is due to premier on Netflix this weekend.

The Panama-based firm was embroiled in a world-wide scandal after what became known as the Panama Papers, millions of documents relating to the firm’s work for the rich powerful, were leaked. The office was forced to close but the partners are taking action against how they are both portrayed by Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas in the Steven Soderbergh film.

The papers revealed that politicians, business leaders, celebrities and the famously wealthy were using the firm to set up offshore bank accounts and shell companies to conceal their wealth or dodge taxes.

According to the legal documents, the lawyers say they are unfairly depicted as “ruthless, uncaring and unethical lawyers” engaging in a catalogue of crimes to benefit their wealthy clients and themselves while profiting from tragedy.

“The magic makes for a great story, to be sure, but the innuendo created is destructive and unfair,” the law firm partners have claimed. “It is a moneymaker for Netflix but an irreparably harmful money-loser for the plaintiff,” the lawyers’ lawyers say.

It is understood that Netflix has filed a motion to dismiss the action.

See the legal case documents on Bloomberg Law here and watch the movie trailer below.