UN urged to end abuses of anonymous shell companies by The Associated Press Last Updated Dec 9, 2020 at 10:43 pm EDT TANZANIA, Tanzania — More than 20 organizations and several economists urged the U.N. General Assembly on International Anti-Corruption Day on Wednesday to put an end to abuses by anonymous shell companies that cover up financial crimes. They said in a letter that scandal after scandal over decades has demonstrated that “anonymous shell companies have been used to divert public funds, channel bribes and conceal ill-gotten gains, as part of corruption and money laundering schemes stretching across borders.” The organizations and economists said the decision by the 193-member world body to hold a special session on fighting corruption next June provides “a historic opportunity … to put an end to the abuse of anonymous companies and other legal vehicles that facilitate cross-border corruption and other crimes.”