Netflix Sued By Panama Papers Law Firm Over ‘The Laundromat’

The two partners behind now-dissolved Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca & Co have filed a libel and trademark infringement lawsuit against Netflix over The Laundromat, the streamer’s Panama Papers movie directed by Steven Soderbergh.

The complaint was made to the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. According to the filed document, the firm is claiming the film “defames and portrays the Plaintiffs as ruthless uncaring lawyers who are involved in money laundering, tax evasion, bribery and/or other criminal conduct”.

“The implications and innuendo converge to cast Plaintiffs in the light of mastermind criminals whose crimes include, but are not limited to, murder, bribery, money laundering and/or corruption. Defendant’s trailer and movie have clearly defamed the Plaintiffs and cast them in the false light of criminality,” the suit reads.

The law firm, which specialized in offshore financial services, closed down last March due to the economic and reputational damage caused by the disclosure of its role in widespread global tax evasion.

The Laundromat, which premiered at Venice and also played Toronto, is set to launch around the world on Netflix on Friday (October 18). It had an awards-qualifying theatrical run last month. Pic stars Meryl Streep and Sharon Stone in the story of a widow investigating legal fraud by chasing down the lawyers behind Mossack Fonseca & Co. Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas play Jürgen Mossack and Ramón Fonseca, the two partners behind the controversial firm.

The Panama Papers was one of the biggest data leaks in history. In 2015, an anonymous whistleblower leaked some 11.5 million documents from Mossack Fonseca to the press, disclosing financial information relating to the tax activities of a multitude of wealthy individuals and public officials.

Netflix did not immediately respond to request for comment.

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