The fallout form April’s Panama Papers, a massive leak of documents that revealed ties between many of the world’s rich and powerful and possible tax-evasion networks, will likely continue for several months. The 11.5 million files named celebrities, athletes, politicians, and other public figures who used offshore banks and shell companies to avoid paying taxes. Among those named was Pedro Almodóvar, who found himself implicated in the scandal just as his latest film Julieta was making its world premiere in Spain.
Related: Pedro Almodóvar Linked to Panama Papers, Cancels All Press for ‘Julieta’s Spanish Premiere
As a result, he canceled all of press appearances related to the film’s promotion. His brother Agustín, a partner in their production company El Deseo, released a statement taking full responsibility for setting up a shell company known as the Glenn Valley Corporation, which operated out of the British Virgin Islands between 1991 and 1994. In the official statement, Agustín apologized and said that his responsibilities included making business decisions for their production company.
And now, more than a week later, Pedro has broken his silence. “I didn’t know anything in connection with these papers, but I also have to say that my ignorance is no excuse,” he said, according to El País. “I am completely responsible together with Agustín [Almodóvar], and I certainly accept all responsibility there is, or may be, from the fact of being on those infamous papers.”
He also explained to Castilla-La Mancha TV that he canceled all press events because he knew he’d only find himself answering questions about the Panama Papers and not his movie.
But with no evidence that El Deseo has had an offshore accounts since the nineties, hopefully Almodóvar can put this incident behind him soon.