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The Deterrence Effect of Whistleblowing

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  • Niels Johannesen
  • Tim B.M. Stolper

Abstract

We document that the first leak of customer information from a tax-haven bank caused a sudden flight of deposits from tax havens and a sharp decrease in the market value of banks known to be assisting with tax evasion. The loss of market value was largest for the banks most strongly involved in tax evasion. Subsequent leaks had qualitatively similar although smaller effects. Our findings suggest that whistleblowing in tax-haven banks deters offshore tax evaders by increasing the perceived risk of committing and assisting with tax evasion.

Suggested Citation

  • Niels Johannesen & Tim B.M. Stolper, 2021. "The Deterrence Effect of Whistleblowing," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64(4), pages 821-855.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlawec:doi:10.1086/715197
    DOI: 10.1086/715197
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    Cited by:

    1. Niels Johannesen & Daniel Reck & Max Risch & Joel Slemrod & John Guyton & Patrick Langetieg, 2024. "The Offshore World According to FATCA: New Evidence on the Foreign Wealth of US Households," Tax Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 38(1), pages 61-99.
    2. Bastani, Spencer & Waldenström, Daniel, 2018. "How Should Capital Be Taxed? Theory and Evidence from Sweden," IZA Discussion Papers 11475, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Menkhoff, Lukas & Miethe, Jakob, 2019. "Tax evasion in new disguise? Examining tax havens' international bank deposits," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 53-78.
    4. Alstadsæter, Annette & Johannesen, Niels & Le Guern Herry, Ségal & Zucman, Gabriel, 2022. "Tax evasion and tax avoidance," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    5. Theo Nyreröd & Giancarlo Spagnolo, 2021. "Myths and numbers on whistleblower rewards," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(1), pages 82-97, January.
    6. Alejandro Esteller-Moré & Shafik Hebous & Niels Johannesen & Katarzyna Anna Bilicka, 2018. "The Present and Future of Tax Havens / El presente y futuro de los paraísos fiscales / El present i futur dels paradisos fiscals," IEB Reports ieb_report_4_2018, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    7. Spencer Bastani & Daniel Waldenström, 2018. "How should capital be taxed? The Swedish experience," World Inequality Lab Working Papers hal-02878153, HAL.
    8. Laila Ait Bihi Ouali, 2020. "Effects of signalling tax evasion on redistribution and voting preferences: Evidence from the Panama Papers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(3), pages 1-22, March.
    9. Niels Johannesen & Patrick Langetieg & Daniel Reck & Max Risch & Joel Slemrod, 2020. "Taxing Hidden Wealth: The Consequences of US Enforcement Initiatives on Evasive Foreign Accounts," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 12(3), pages 312-346, August.
    10. Batten, Jonathan A. & Lončarski, Igor & Szilagyi, Peter G., 2021. "Strategic insider trading in foreign exchange markets," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    11. Annette Alstadsæter & Niels Johannesen & Gabriel Zucman, 2019. "Tax Evasion and Inequality," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(6), pages 2073-2103, June.
    12. Laila Ait Bihi Ouali, 2019. "Top Income Tax Evasion and Redistribution Preferences: Evidence from the Panama Papers," AMSE Working Papers 1901, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.
    13. Vincent Bouvatier & Gunther Capelle-Blancard & Anne-Laure Delatte, 2025. "Banks defy gravity in tax havens," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 77(3), pages 885-904.
    14. Spagnolo, Giancarlo & Nyreröd, Theo, 2019. "Financial Incentives for Whistleblowers: A Short Survey," SITE Working Paper Series 50, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics.
    15. Nyreröd, Theo & Spagnolo, Giancarlo, 2017. "Myths and Numbers on Whistleblower Rewards," SITE Working Paper Series 44, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics, revised 27 Apr 2018.

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