Panama Papers involve adviser to the prime minister of New Zealand

                  
John Key: "Unless there is something illegal in that we did not think we should worry about this issue"

Sydney - Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key, played down on Tuesday the importance of information linking his legal adviser with the Panamanian firm Mossack Fonseca, who would have used the country as a strategic part in the plot revealed by the Panama roles.

The aide Ken Whitney, responsible for years for personal legal matters Key, is member of the board of Rothschild Trust NZ, linked to the Panamanian office, as revealed journalistic investigation.

The same information indicated that Whitney offered references to New Zealand customers seeking to do business with Mossack Fonseca, which Key considered as an insufficient connection.

"It seems they are reporting very little convincing associations between several New Zealanders. Unless there is anything illegal in that we did not think we should worry about this issue," Key said, according to "Radio New Zealand."

This station, along with the station "TVNZ" and journalist Nicky Hager, revealed yesterday that New Zealand was one of the main places used by large fortunes mainly Latin American, to hide their wealth by Panamanian firm.

They have taken advantage of the crisscross of shell companies and trusts obscure New Zealand, as well as its high degree of confidentiality, tax exemption and legal security.

These media revealed today that firms New Zealand lawyers who in 2014 defended against the government against banning foreign trusts had extensive ties with Mossack Fonseca.

Key said the Treasury Department found that less than 200 trusts New Zealanders have ties to Mossack Fonseca, and all of them were declared.