Jordan rejects reports on the king’s financial dealings, describing them as “deviant”

“Some of the press reports published on the king’s estates are inaccurate, distorted and exaggerated,” the royal family said in Amman on Monday. Publication of royal property addresses is also a security risk to the King and his family.

The international research network ICIJ published “Pandora’s Papers” on Sunday. According to the media involved in the project, the evaluation of nearly twelve million documents from external financial service providers weighs more than 330 politicians and officials around the world. They are said to have done a great deal of covert work through letterbox companies.

King Abdullah II used no less than 30 offshore companies in tax havens to purchase 14 luxury properties in the USA and Great Britain. The real estate empire built in this way is said to be worth over $100 million. So far, the head of state has not been charged with any criminal misconduct.

Immediately after the revelations by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), lawyers from the royal family stated that it was only about the king’s personal assets. For security and discretionary reasons, he turned to offshore companies.

“It is no secret that His Majesty the King owns a number of apartments and residences in the United States and the United Kingdom,” the royal family said. This is neither unusual nor inappropriate.