How Listed Companies Launder Money
Moneylife Digital Team 02 January 2015

Watch the video at the end of the article to know how unaccounted money is converted into tax-free long term capital gains

 

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has set anti-money laundering guidelines to put in place stronger checks against possible laundering of funds through capital markets. Despite the regulations in place, SEBI recently sought help from various investigative agencies under the finance ministry on alleged money laundering in listed companies. According to reports, the markets regulator had written to the finance ministry, highlighting the method used by certain low-value companies to evade taxes.

 

The quantum of the alleged tax evasion is said to be pegged at Rs20,000 crore.

Moneylife has published several articles in the past on how money launders operate and the need for proper regulations. Read: Low-risk bank customer accounts can be a conduit for money laundering (http://www.moneylife.in/article/38547.html), Football and cricket most susceptible to money laundering (http://www.moneylife.in/article/36919.html ),Why financial institutions should comply with anti-money laundering laws (http://www.moneylife.in/article/33471.html) and more here (http://www.moneylife.in/?imageField.x=0&imageField.y=0&cx=012932029967637413115%3Aroup7yt0ras&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=money+laundering)

How exactly does the laundering take place, using the exchange platform to convert black money into white. Here’s how.

Ambareesh Baliga, managing partner, Global Wealth Management, Edelweiss Financial Services, explained this  at a Moneylife Foundation event. He described the modus operandi of money laundering through listed companies. Mr Baliga, who has about 25 years of experience in the stock market, explains how a person reroutes his money through foreign investments in illiquid stocks which are manipulated by operators.

Such manipulative trades involves an entity seeking long-term capital gains exemption by approaching an operator, who finds out an illiquid stock on the exchange platform and gets an allotment of shares done to the entity. Over a one year at least period the operator rigs the stock price up to a pre-determined level. This is when the foreign entity gets in, and gullible investors get in taking the stock higher as the earlier entity gets out. This enables conversion of unaccounted money into tax-free long term capital gains. Watch the video:

 

From Moneylife Foundation programme on 28 February 2014.

 

Comments
praveenkumar kudagi
6 years ago
Yesterday I have transferred 200000 amount , amount is debited from my account but not credited to account to be transferred.
In bank I enquired they are not responding & saying it's not in our control. Disgusting. My 200000 amount is debited from account but who is responsible for that..
Sharad Jain
8 years ago
please repost the article/writeup unable to read the last few words of each line, thanks
V Rajendran
8 years ago
Wonderful story. A very revealing one. Quite disturbing too. Perhaps the law makers are aware of the happenings.
Gopalakrishnan T V
8 years ago
This round tripping and laundering of money are known to many. How to fix the problem is what Money Life should ponder and act.NPAS are other ways of looting. No one wants to fix it as depositors bear the brunt by taking 4% rate of interest on their savings. In stead of Capital gains tax which is not there if one holds for more than an year the securities, STT should emerge as a tool to fix the problem to a great extent. There should be separate STT for purchases and sales and the rates also should vary on the quantum of Purchases and sales. If frequency increases the rates should be altogether different. There are umpteen ways to take care of the round tripping but as it is rightly observed politicains have a stake and they are the law makers. Chartered Accountants are the brain behind to enable the transacxtions cmfortably.
SuchindranathAiyerS
8 years ago
All successful crime is simplicity itself. But the source of successful crime is usually bad laws. And in making bad laws, there are few who can match India's legislative competence over the decades.
rajivahuja
Replied to SuchindranathAiyerS comment 8 years ago
I think you are correct in your observations.
avraman
Replied to rajivahuja comment 8 years ago
second your opinion and strongly repeat what suchindranthji said...it is bad laws or bad implementation of the good laws ...either one means economic disorder with legal excuse & escape routes for the haves ..
avraman
Replied to rajivahuja comment 8 years ago
second your opinion and strongly repeat what suchindranthji said...it is bad laws or bad implementation of the good laws ...either one means economic disorder with legal excuse & escape routes for the haves ..
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