>> BRAUDE: TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," IT'S ALL JUST ABOUT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT: THE OMICRON COVID VARIANT.

BUT WITH MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET AHEAD OF ITS INEVITABLE ARRIVAL?

THE CLINICAL DIRECTOR OF THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE DIVISION AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, DR. PAUL SAX JOINS ME.

THEN LATER, YOU'VE HEARD OF SHADY TAX SHELTERS IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS, BUT WHAT ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA?

A LOOK BACK AT MY RECENT CONVERSATION WITH TWO "FRONTLINE" JOURNALISTS WHO ARE AMONG HUNDREDS DIGGING THROUGH A TROVE OF LEAKED FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS THAT REVEAL HOW A GLOBAL ENTANGLEMENT OF POLITICAL POWER AND SECRETIVE FINANCIAL DEALS ARE SHELTERING TRILLIONS IN CONTROVERSIAL ASSETS.

>> BRAUDE: IT'S JUST THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE EVER-GROWING LIST OF WORDS MOST OF US HAVE GONE FROM NEVER USING AT ALL... TO USING HUNDREDS OF TIMES A DAY: OMICRON.

THAT, OF COURSE, IS THE COVID VARIANT FIRST DISCOVERED IN SOUTH AFRICA LAST WEEK, WHICH HAS PROMPTED A LOT OF CONCERN OVER BOTH HOW WELL VACCINES WILL WORK AGAINST THE NEW STRAIN, AND HOW QUICKLY IT WILL SPREAD AMONG THE UNVACCINATED.

TO THAT END, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION BANNED PEOPLE FROM TRAVELING TO THE U.S. FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND SEVERAL NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES THIS WEEK A MOVE THE PRESIDENT DEFENDED YESTERDAY, AFTER SOME ARGUED IT PUNISHED SOUTH AFRICA FOR BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT THEIR CASES.

>> HERE'S WHAT IT DOES: IT GIVES US TIME.

GIVES US TIME TO TAKE MORE ACTIONS, TO MOVE QUICKER.

WE NEEDED TIME TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY GET THAT VACCINATION NOW BEFORE IT, IT'S GOING TO MOVE AROUND THE WORLD.

>> VACCINATION IS GONNA BE THE SOLUTION TO THIS, WHETHER IT'S THE DELTA VARIANT OR WHETHER IT'S THE OMNICRON VARIANT.

VACCINATION IS GONNA BE THE SOLUTION.

>> BRAUDE: THAT'S WHY THE C.D.C.

UPDATED ITS BOOSTER SHOT GUIDELINES YESTERDAY-- NOW RECOMMENDING ALL ADULTS GET THE ADDITIONAL SHOT.

AND PFIZER IS EXPECTED TO ASK THE F.D.A.

THIS WEEK TO APPROVE BOOSTERS FOR FOR KIDS 16 AND UP.

OF COURSE, 30% OF PEOPLE IN THE U.S.

STILL HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN A FIRST SHOT, WHICH IS WHY SEVERAL STATES, INCLUDING MASSACHUSETTS, ARE WORKING ON A DIGITAL VERIFICATION SYSTEM TO PROVE VACCINE STATUS, AS GOVERNOR BAKER TOLD US ON BOSTON PUBLIC RADIO YESTERDAY.

>> IT'S A UNIVERSAL STANDARD AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER STATES, THERE'S PROBABLY 15 OR 20 OF THEM, TO TRY TO CREATE A SINGLE Q.R.

CODE THAT CAN BE USED FOR ALL SORTS OF THINGS WHERE PEOPLE MAY CHOOSE TO REQUIRE A VACCINE.

>> BRAUDE: HOW CLOSE IS THAT DEAL?

>> SOON.

>> BRAUDE: JOINING ME TO DISCUSS ALL OF THIS AND MORE IS DR. PAUL SAX, THE CLINICAL DIRECTOR OF THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE DIVISION AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL AND A PROFESSOR AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS FOR INVITING ME.

>> Braude: SO JOE BIDEN SAID YESTERDAY CAUSE FOR CONCERN, NOT PANIC.

BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW SO FAR -- AND, OBVIOUSLY, SO FAR -- WHAT CONCLUSION DO YOU DRAW?

>> I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW IT VERY CLOSELY, BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO INDICATION THAT THE VACCINES ARE USELESS, WHICH, OF COURSE, IS THE BIGGEST FEAR.

PROBABLY THEY ARE PROTECTIVE AGAINST SEVERE DISEASE, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT AS PROTECTIVE AGAINST INFECTION TOTALLY, KEEPING PEOPLE OUT TO HAVE THE HOSPITAL, OUT OF THE I.C.U.

AND ALIVE IS A VALID END POINT FOR THESE VACCINES, AND I ESPECIALLY THINK THAT'S THE CASE FOR THE BOOSTED VACCINE, THE THIRD DOSE OF THE VACCINE SEEMS TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL PROTECTION.

>> Braude: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE VACCINE.

FIRST, HERE'S THE PFIZER C.E.O.

YESTERDAY TALKING TO CNN ABOUT THE VACCINES.

>> WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE MORE VIRULENT.

WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO TRANSMIT FASTER OR HAVE A HIGHER DISEASE.

WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL ESCAPE THE PROTECTION OF OUR VACCINES.

>> Braude: SPEAKING OF THE FINANCIAL TIMES, THE C.E.O.

OF MODERNA SEEMED TO KNOW, THERE'S NO WORLD WHERE I THINK THE EFFECTIVENESS IS THE SAME LEVEL WE HAD WITH THE DELTA VARIANT.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A MATERIAL DROP, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH BECAUSE WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE DATA, BUT ALL THE SCIENTISTS SAY THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE GOOD.

YOU SEEM TO THINK THE PFIZER C.E.O.

IS CLOSER TO RIGHT?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE VACCINES -- VARIANTS THAT DISPLAYED IMMUNE EVASION BEFORE, REMEMBER THE BETA AND DELTA VARIANTS DID HAVE IMMUNE EVASION AS PROPERTIES BUT NOT AS MUCH TRANSMISSIBILITY.

IT REALLY WAS DELTA'S TRANSMISSIBILITY THAT CAUSED THE SURGES IN THE UNITED STATES THIS SUMMER AND NOW INTO THE WINTER.

BUT IT REMAINS TO BE SCENE WHETHER THIS VACCINE EVASIVENESS PROPERTY IS GOING TO RENDER THE VACCINES LESS USEFUL.

IT MAY BE THEY OFFER ALMOST AS GOOD PROTECTION.

I WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE PIECE RELEASED FROM ISRAEL SAYING THERE'S ALREADY EVIDENCE THEY OFFER SOME PROTECTION.

PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR MORE DATA BEFORE WE PANIC.

I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE NOT PANIC.

>> Braude: YOUR ADVICE FROM WHAT I READ SOMEWHERE IS DON'T WAIT FOR THE TWEAKED BOOSTER AS THE PFIZER AND MODERNAS ARE TALKING ABOUT, GET THE ONE THAT EXISTS NOW, CORRECT?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTAND IT'S GOING TO TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THOSE ARE AVAILABLE AT THE THE SHORTEST INTERVAL AND EVEN THEN IT'S NOT CAREER THAT IT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED.

SO AS A RESULT, I'M RECOMMENDING DEFINITELY ADULTS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE THIRD DOSE GET THAT THIRD DOSE AS THEY MENTIONED.

THAT'S THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF IMMUNE PROTECTION WE'VE SEEN WITH ANY STRATEGY.

THERE'S ALSO NO INDICATION THAT THIS THIRD DOSE IS MORE HARMFUL OR HAS MORE SIDE EFFECTS THAN OTHER DOSES, SO BY ALL MEANS DO IT.

AS WE LOOK BACK ON THE HISTORY OF VACCINES FOR COVID 19, WE'RE GOING TO SAY THE VACCINES INITIALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THREE DOSES AND THAT SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY SERIES.

>> Braude: THERE'S NO INDICATION, TO USE YOUR TERMS, THE VARIANT IS EVEN HERE YET, BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT IT WILL BE, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT'S A FAIR ASSUMPTION TO MAKE, AS YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD NOW THAT THERE'S -- NOW THERE'S EVIDENCE IT ACTUALLY WAS IN EUROPE BEFORE THE SOUTH AFRICANS DISCOVERED THE VIRUS, I'M SURE IT IS SPREADING BECAUSE THIS VIRUS WE KNOW SPREADS.

YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN THAT AMUSING CARTOON OF PEOPLE STANDING AT THE DOORWAY WITH THE VARIANT OUTSIDE AND THEY HAVE THE DOOR LOCKED AND THEY TURN AROUND AND SEE IT'S ALREADY IN THEIR HOUSE.

I'M AFRAID THAT'S LIKELY TO BE THE SITUATION WITH THIS VARIANT.

WHAT'S NOT CLEAR YET IS HOW WIDELY DISTRIBUTED IT WERE, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO CAUSE YET ANOTHER SURGE OF COVID 19.

>> Braude: YOU REITERATED WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID ABOUT NO TIME FOR PANIC, BUT BASED ON MY LIMITED SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE -- AND I DO MEAN REALLY LIMITED -- WATT IS SOMETHING LIKE MORE THAN HALF TO HAVE THE WORLD'S POPULATION IS UNVACCINATED.

I THINK IT'S 44%, I THINK I SAW IN THE "TIMES" YESTERDAY, FULLY VACCINATED.

SO WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT FERTILE TERRITORY FOR MUTATIONS, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT EVEN IF OMICRON TURNS OUT NOT TO BE A CAUSE FOR PANIC, ULTIMATELY THERE WILL BE A VARIANT THAT IS CAUSE FOR PANIC UNLESS THIS VACCINATION THING PICKS UP STEAM BIG TIME, NOT JUST HERE IN THE U.S.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY AROUND THE WORLD.

>> VACCINATION GLOBALLY IS GOING TO HELP EVERYBODY.

YOU WON'T FIND A SINGLE SCIENTIST WHO DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT.

ONE THING WE'RE VERY LUCKY IN THIS COUNTRY IS WE HAVE AN ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF VACCINES SO I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT BUT POLICY-MAKER NEED TO MOVE TOWARD GETTING THE VACCINES TO THE PLACES WHO NEED THEM MOST.

THIS WILL NOT DEPRIVE US.

WE HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLY HERE.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR GLOBAL HEALTH AND OUR HEALTH, TOO.

>> Braude: THE ABSENCE OF VACCINATIONS, WHEREVER THEY ARE, IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BREED MUTATIONS, WHETHER IT'S OMICRON THAT CAUSES GREAT DAMAGE OR NOT, CORRECT?

>> WELL, IT IS TRUE THAT IT'S GENERALLY BEEN OBSERVED IN UNVACCINATED PEOPLE, IN PARTICULAR PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED TO CONTRACT COVID 19, AND THEY HAVE THESE PROLONGED SYNDROME OR THE VIRUS FOR MONTHS OR WEEKS AT A TIME.

IT'S IN THAT CONTEXT WE'VE SEEN THE VARIANTS EMERGE.

THAT'S PLAUSIBLE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH OMICRON AS WELL.

WE CAN'T EVER SAY SPECIFICALLY WHEN THAT HAPPENED, BUT IT'S THAT POPULATION WHO CONTRACTS THE VIRUS, WHO SEEM TO GENERATE THE VARIANTS AND THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO CONTRACT IT IN A POPULATION THAT'S LESS VACCINATED.

>> Braude: I KNOW VACCINATIONS AREN'T ONLY AT THE TOP OF YOUR LIST BUT VIRTUALLY YOUR COLLEAGUES.

ON MY LIST, RIGHT BELOW VACCINATIONS IS TESTING.

I KNOW I'M NOT ALONE.

OVER THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND, ABOUT TO GO TO PEOPLE'S HOUSES, TRY TO FIND RAPID TESTS AT HOME, WENT TO MAYBE HALF A DOZEN DRUGSTORES TILL I FOUND SOMETHING.

THEN WHEN I FOUND THEM, 24 BUCKS FOR TWO.

I CAN AFFORD THAT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD THAT.

ISN'T THE CRITICAL INGREDIENT AND THE ULTIMATE FIX HERE IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GETTING AS INVOLVED IN MAKING RAPID TESTS AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE IF NOT FREE AS THEY DID WITH VACCINES?

>> CAN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE.

THEY'RE REALLY VALUABLE TOOLS.

I'VE HEARD ABOUT CASES JUST OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND OF PEOPLE PLANNING TO GATHER AND THEY'RE HEALTHY TEENAGE OR YOUNG ADULT CHILD WAS PLANNING TO JOIN THEM AND THEY TESTED AND WERE POSITIVE ON A RAPID TEST.

THEY HAD VERY MILD OR MINIMAL SYMPTOMS AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHEN THEY'RE MOST CONTAINS IS THE DAY BEFORE THE SYMPTOMS DEVELOP.

SO I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MAKE USE OF THESE.

UNFORTUNATELY, NOW, IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF HEALTH LITERACY AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO DO SO.

AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE ARE $24, $25 FOR TWO, AND IN ADDITION YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO GO ONLINE TO GET THEM BECAUSE THE PHARMACIES AND OTHER STORES ARE ALWAYS OUT OF THEM.

IT'S A HUGE PROBLEM AND ONE THAT'S BEEN EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING FOR ALL OF US.

>> Braude: THE INTRODUCTION WE HAD GOVERNOR BAKER ON OUR RADIO SHOW YESTERDAY TALKING ABOUT A POSSIBILITY OF A VACCINE PASSPORT HERE, A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE THAT A NEW MAYOR WU WAS ON OUR RADIO SHOW AND SAID SHE WAS SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING WHAT NEW YORK CITY, LOS ANGELES HAVE DONE, REQUIRING VACCINATION TO GO INTO RESTAURANTS, PERFORMANCE VENUES, ET CETERA.

IS THAT NOT A GOOD IDEA?

>> IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE EVERYBODY VACCINATED IN A SETTING LIKE THAT IS EVEN IF THERE ARE BREAKTHROUGH CASES, YOU'RE SPARING THE MOST SEVERE OUTCOMES AND AVOIDING THE KIND OF SUPERSPREADER EVENTS THAT LED TO THE BIOGEN DISASTER BACK IN THE SPRING OF 2020.

WE KNOW THAT A VACCINATED POPULATION CAN STILL GET COVID 19 BUT IS RES LIKELY TO HAVE IT.

ALL OF THESE TOGETHER, IF PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE THE FREEDOMS, AGAIN, AND THE SAFETY TO GATHER INDOORS IN HIGHER RISK TRANSMISSION ET ISINGS LIKE RESTAURANTS, CONCERTS, ET CETERA, HAVING THOSE VACCINE PASSPORTS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FROM A PERSONAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE.

>> Braude: CAN I ASK YOU WHAT CONCLUSION YOU DRAW, WHEN WILL YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES KNOW ENOUGH TO MAKE A FINAL CONCLUSION ABOUT OMICRON AND WHAT KIND OF THREAT IT POSES?

>> SO I'VE LEARNED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO NOT TO MAKE DEFINITIVE PREDICTIONS ABOUT THIS PANDEMIC BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS WRONG, AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO BACK ON THAT PROMISE TO MYSELF.

SO INFORMATION IS GOING TO COME IN VERY RAPIDLY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND WE'LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER SENSE.

RIGHT NOW IT'S TOO SOON TO MAKE DEFINITIVE PREDICTIONS.

SORRY TO LET YOU DOWN THERE.

>> Braude: APPRECIATE YOUR HONOR AND YOUR PLEDGE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANKS FOR INVITING ME ON.

>> Braude: UP NEXT, A STORY INVOLVING THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE, AND TRILLIONS IN HIDDEN ASSETS.

JORDAN'S KING ABDULLAH AND FORMER U.K. PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR, MUSICIANS ELTON JOHN, RINGO STARR AND SHAKIRA, AND VLADAMIR PUTIN'S FORMER MISTRESS, WITH WHOM HE'S RUMORED TO SHARE A DAUGHTER, ARE AMONG HUNDREDS OF WORLD LEADERS, CELEBRITIES AND OTHER RICHEST OF THE RICH WHO'VE BEEN USING OFFSHORE FINANCIAL SERVICES, INCOGNITO BANK ACCOUNTS AND SHELL COMPANIES, AROUND THE WORLD AND HERE IN THE U.S., TO HIDE THEIR MONEY.

AS A RESULT, THEY PAY LITTLE TO NO TAXES.

AND IT APPEARS MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE MONEY-STASHING IS LEGAL.

THE REVELATIONS ARE LAID OUT IN "THE PANDORA PAPERS," THE RESULT OF A TWO-YEAR INVESTIGATION INTO NEARLY 12 MILLION CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS THAT WERE LEAKED TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS AND THEN ANALYZED BY HUNDREDS IN 117 COUNTRIES, PBS'S "FRONTLINE" WHICH RECENTLY CAME OUT WITH A NEW DOCUMENTARY ON THE SUBJECT.

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE, ACCUSED OF SOME VERY BAD THINGS WHO ARE USING THIS SYSTEM TO HIDE THEIR WEALTH.

NOT ONLY POTENTIALLY FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND THE TAXING AUTHORITIES IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES BUT ALSO FROM THE VICTIMS IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES WHO MIGHT HAVE A CLAIM TO SOME OF THAT MONEY.

>> BRAUDE: THE FILM'S PRODUCER, EVAN WILLIAMS, AND INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS REPORTER WILL FITZGIBBON JOINED ME SHORTLY BEFORE ITS RELEASE.

WILL, EVAN, CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Braude: WILL, CAN I START WITH YOU?

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MAKE A MISTAKE TO BEGIN WITH.

THESE PEOPLE, WHILE SOME MAY HAVE BROKEN LAWS IN HOW THEY MADE THEIR MONEY, FOR THE MOST PART IF NOT TOTALLY, THEY ARE NOT BREAKING LAWS IN HOW THEY ARE HIDING THEIR MONEY.

IS THAT CORRECT?

>> I THINK THE SHORT ANSWER AT THIS STAGE IS REALLY WE DON'T KNOW AND WE CAN'T SAY.

THESE 12 MILLION RECORDS THAT WE HAVE THEM, YOU TALKED ABOUT DON'T, IN MANY OCCASIONS, EXPLICITLY SAY WHETHER OR NOT SOMETHING IS ILLEGAL.

POLITICIANS AND CRIMINALS ARE NOT STUPID ENOUGH TO WRITE IN AN EMAIL PLEASE HIDE MY WEALTH.

BUT WHAT WE KNOW FROM THIS SECRETIVE OFFSHORE WORLD IS VERY OFTEN GOVERNMENTS LEARN ABOUT THEIR OWN CITIZENS FROM THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE ON "FRONTLINE" PUBLISH, AND THAT MEANS IN MONTHS OR YEAR'S TIME I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF WE SAW COURT CAUSES EMERGES FROM THIS.

>> Braude: YOU PROFILED KING ABDULLAH AND AN INTIMATE FRIEND OF VLADIMIR PUTIN.

CAN WE START WITH HER FOR A SECOND AND CAN YOU SHARE HER STORY?

>> SURE.

SHE STARTED AS A CLEANER IN ST. PETERSBURG AND WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING IS THIS STORY VERY MUCH REVEALS HOW THESE INVESTIGATIONS WORK.

SO JUST ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE ICIJ, WILL AND HIS TEAM, WERE SHARING THESE DOCUMENTS WITH OTHER JOURNALISTS AROUND THE WORLD, A RUSSIAN WEB SITE PUBLISHED AN INVESTIGATION OF THE GIRLFRIEND SAYING SHE'D GONE FROM CLEANER TO BECOMING ONE OF RUSSIA'S RICHEST WOMEN SHORTLY AFTER HER ALLEGED AFFAIR WITH PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND REPORTEDLY HAVING HIS CHILD, HIS DAUGHTER.

ONE TO HAVE THE JOURNALISTS FROM THE BRITISH GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER ENTERED HER NAME INTO THE AT THAT TIME A BASE THE ICIJ PUT UP AND FOUND HER NAME.

THE DOCUMENTS SHOWED SHE WAS THE SECRET OWNER OF A SHELL COMPANY WHO OWNED AN APARTMENT IN MONACO, THEY PUT TWO AND TWO GOT AND GOT THE STORY.

THE GIRLFRIEND SHORTLY AFTER HAVING PRESIDENT PUTIN'S CHILD HAS A NICE APARTMENT IN MONACO.

>> Braude: RAGS TO RICHES STORY.

LUKE HARDING SPEAKING OF MONACO AND SOME OF PUTIN'S FRIENDS SPEAKING ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE.

>> WHAT'S HAPPENING IS PUTIN AND HIS FRIENDS ARE IN A CIRCLE, PARTICULARLY FRIENDS FROM ST. PETERSBURG WHO HAVE BECOME RICH, MAINLY ON ESTATE RESOURCES, OIL, GAS, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THEY'VE CREATED THESE COLOSSAL OFFSHORE STRUCTURES WHERE THEIR ASSETS ARE BEING HIDDEN AND ALSO THAT IS BEING DONE WITH HELP FROM THE WEST.

>> Braude: WHAT DOES "HELP FROM THE WEST" MEAN EXACTLY?

>> WHAT IT REALLY MEANS IS THAT CRIMINALS AND OLIGARCHS AND ANYONE WHO YOU MIGHT, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR IMAGINATION IMAGINE RUNNING OFF TO A PLACE WITH PALM TREES WITH A SUIT AND SUITCASE OF CASH IS HELPED BY WESTERN PROFESSIONALS OFTEN WEARING A TIE OR NICE SHIRT.

YOU KNOW, IN LONDON, IN NEW YORK CITY, IN ZURICH, ARMAMENTS AMSTERDAM, FOR EXAMPLE, AND I THINK "THE PANDORA PAPERS" PUNCHES THROUGH THE OLD AND LAZY NARRATIVE OF CRIMINALITY JUST BEING DONE BY THE CRIMINAL.

IT TAKES BILLIONS TO MOVE INTO A TAX HAVEN BE THAT MONACO OR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

>> Braude: YOU TALK ABOUT THE KING OF JORDAN WHICH IS THE GIRLFRIEND ON STIR ROADS, HIS DEPOS IT'S IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS WORLD, YES?

>> WELL, HE'S CERTAINLY BAITING IN TERMS OF LUXURIES.

AT LEAST ELEVEN LUXURY HOMES, A TRIO OF SIDE-BY-SIDE MANSIONS IN MALIBU, CALIFORNIA, OVERLOOKING THE OCEAN.

THE KING OF JORDAN NEVER DISCLOSED PUBLICLY BEFORE AND LIKE EVAN SAID IN THE CASE OF THE RUSSIAN HAD BOUGHT THESE PROPRTIES SECRETLY THROUGH SHELL COMPANIES.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE PUBLIC NOT ONLY CURIOUS JOURNALISTS LIKE EVAN AND MYSELF BUT CITIZENS OF HIS OWN COUNTRY WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN ABOUT HIS $106 MILLION PROPERTY IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE LEAKED RECORDS.

>> Braude: EVAN, VIRTUALLY EVERYBODY I KNOW WHEN THESE DOCUMENTS CAME OUT, THE FIRST THING WE ALL ASKED IS WHERE IS JEFF BEZOS AND ELON MUSK ON THE LIST, THEY'RE NOT THERE.

WHAT CONCLUSIONS CAN WE DRAW IF ANY BY THOSE WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE PAPERS.

>> THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IS I'M NOT TELECASTING APERSIAS ON ANYBODY, BUT THERE'S 12 MILLION DOCUMENTS, AND THIS IS STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE IN THE INVESTIGATION.

I KNOW FOR EXAMPLE THAT WILL AND THE ICIJ AND WEST COLLEAGUES ARE COMING UP WITH TWO OR THREE STRONG LEADS COMING OUT IN THE MONTHS TO COME AS WILL "FRONTLINE" AND WILL CONTINUE THIS.

THIS IS A LIVE TROVE OF DOCUMENTS THAT WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE IT MIGHT GO, BUT I WILL SAY WHAT IT DOES SHOW IS THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WILL FOUND THIS OUT, A LOT OF POLITICAL LEADERS.

WHAT SEEMS TO BE A HALLMARK OF THIS ONE IS THE NUMBER OF POLITICIANS AND WORLD LEADERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY USING A SYSTEM OF SECRECY TO HIDE WEALTH AND ACQUISITIONS SO THAT'S IMPORTANT.

IF WE ARE EXPECTING REFORM WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO SEE IT WITH THE CURRENT POLITICAL LEADERS THAT ARE THERE.

THERE MAY BE OTHER PEOPLE TO BE REVEALED.

>> Braude: FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WILL, YOU ARE MR. SOUTH DAKOTA.

IS THAT A FAIR WAY TO DESCRIBE YOU HERE?

WHEN I STARTED WATCHING THE FILM, I WAS TO PROUD OF MYSELF THAT I KNEW ABOUT THE CAYMAN ISLANDS, THE BAHAMAS, AND I'M NODDING LIKE I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN I START HEARING YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT THESE TRUSTS IN SOUTH DAKOTA, CAN YOU FLESH THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT FOR US?

>> YEAH, CERTAINLY.

WELL,WELL, MY REPORTING PARTNER WOULD BE MISSING SOUTH DAKOTA IN THAT REGARD.

WE WORK SIDE BY SIDE.

THAT WAS REALLY ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING AND IMPORTANT REVELATIONS OF "THE PANDORA PAPERS."

FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE HAD THE REEKED DOCUMENTS THAT COME FROM INSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.

NOW, FOR IN OTHER WORDS OUT THERE WHO FOLLOW THE WORLD OF OFFSHORE FINANCE, THEY'VE HEARD RUMORS SOUTH DAKOTA IS A SAFE HAVEN, THEY HAVE RELAX RULED, INCREDIBLY TIGHT SECURITY WHICH MEANS ANYONE WISHING TO MOVE MILLIONS OR BILLIONS INTO IS IT STATE IS BASICALLY PROTECTED FOREVER BUT WE NEVER HAD LEAKED DOCUMENTS TO PROVE THE RUMORS BEFORE.

FOR ME INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM IS OFTEN ABOUT MOVING FROM THE RUMOR TO THE CONCRETE.

THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DO IN "THE PANDORA PAPERS."

FOR THE FIRST TIME WE CAN SAY HERE ARE THE BRAZILIAN BILLIONAIRES, A COLOMBIAN MILLIONAIRE THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF BEING INVOLVED IN A MONEY LAUNDERING RING YEARS AGO.

THEY HAVE BEEN MOVING AWAY FROM THE CAYMAN ISLANDS BECAUSE THE TAX HAVENS HAVE REFORMED THEMSELVES, GUESS WHO HASN'T REFORMED?

SOUTH DAKOTA.

>> Braude: WHAT'S THE INCENTIVE FOR SOUTH DAKOTA TO REFORM?

THEY WOULD LOSE A TON OF DOUGH.

>> THAT'S A REAL QUESTION I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO.

THERE ARE GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD WHO REACTED TO "THE PANDORA PAPERS" EVEN TODAY AS WE TAKE THIS INTERVIEW THE PRESIDENT OF CHILE IS BEING IMPEACHED POTENTIALLY IN HIS HOME COUNTRY, AND YET THE DEATHLY SILENCE OF LAWMAKERS IN SOUTH DAKOTA AS A RESPONSE TO "THE PANDORA PAPERS" IS QUITE REMARKABLE.

THERE REALLY ISN'T AT THE MOMENT POLITICAL PRESSURE FROM WHAT I CAN SEE FOR HUGE CHANGES.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE HEARD RUMORS THAT SOUTH DAKOTA DOES FEEL A LITTLE BIT DISLIKED AT THE MOMENT, THEY FEEL A LITTLE BATTERED AND BRUISED AFTER "THE PANDORA PAPERS" SO THERE MIGHT BE A FEW TWEETS TO THE LEGISLATION COMING UP.

BUT I THINK THE BIGGER QUESTION OF WHY THE UNITED STATES HAS BECOME ONE OF THE WORLD'S PREEMINENT TAX HAVENS IS NOT GOING AWAY SOON.

>> Braude: WE STARTED WITH A REPORTER FROM "THE WASHINGTON POST" BEGINNING TO EXPLAIN AND I ASSUME PEOPLE WATCHING WILL SAY WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT THIS OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THE RICH ARE GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER, WHY SHOULD I CARE?

WHY DOES IT MATTER TO REAL PEOPLE?

>> I THINK IT MATTERS HUGELY BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FUNNELED INTO THE SECRET SYSTEM IS OFTEN FROM COUNTRIES WHERE THAT MONEY IS MEANT TO BE SPENT ON THE SERVICES AND LOOKING AFTER THEIR OWN CITIZENS.

THESE ARE PEOPLE THERE ARE SQUIRRELING AWAY MONEY THAT SHOULD BE PAID IN TAXES, NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, WE DON'T KNOW, PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE IN THE UNITED STATES, DEBBY AND WILL MAKE THE POINT THIS IS THE BEGINNING, THIS IS A THIN TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IN A FUNNY WAY ABOUT WHO ELSE IS USING THIS SECRET SYSTEM.

ARE THEY DRUG RUNNERS?

ARE THEY TERRORISTS?

ARE THEY DICTATORS?

SO THERE'S A MESSY PROBLEM IN THE WAY THAT SECRECY IS BEING USED TO ELICIT THE MONEY FROM AROUND THE WORLD INTO THESE TRUSTS IN PLACES LIKE SOUTH DAKOTA BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE REALLY THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REALLY DRILL DOWN ON THE SOURCES OF THOSE -- OF THAT MONEY AND THE TYPE OF PEOPLE PUTTING IT IN THERE AS WE SAW FROM THE SEVERAL EXAMPLES IN THE FILM AND IN THE REPORTING FROM WILL AND DEBBY.

THERE ARE MASSIVE QUESTIONS FOR US, GENERALLY.

>> Braude: YOU DID GREAT WORK, YOU AND COLLEAGUES.

THANKS FOR THE TIME.

APPRECIATE IT.

YOU CAN WATCH "THE PANDORA PAPERS" ONLINE NOW ATLED PBS.ORG/FRONTLINE.

THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT.

WE'LL BE BACK TOMORROW.

THANKS FOR WATCHING, STAY SAFE, AND STAY TUNED NEXT FOR ANOTHER INSTALLMENT FROM THE GBH NEWS "CURIOSITY DESK" SERIES.

EDGAR B HERWICK III WILL DIVE INTO A QUESTION I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED THE ANSWER TO: WHY DO ALL MICROWAVES SOUND THE SAME?

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org >> HEY FOLKS, EDGAR B. HERWICK III HERE FROM GBH'S CURIOSITY DESK, WHERE YOU ASK QUESTIONS AND I FIND ANSWERS.

TODAY'S QUESTION CAME OUR WAY ON TWITTER FROM EMILY WORDEN.

NOW, WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS QUESTION, I WAS LIKE, "YES, THAT IS SO GOOD.

MICROWAVES DO ALL SOUND THE SAME".

AND THEN I WAS LIKE, "WAIT A MINUTE.

DO THEY SOUND EXACTLY THE SAME?

AND I KNOW THEY SOUND ALIKE BUT LIKE EXACTLY THE SAME?"

LET'S PUT IT TO THE TEST.

OKAY, SO I QUICKLY GOT MY HANDS ON EVERY MICROWAVE I COULD FIND HERE AT WGBH.

MY APOLOGIES TO JAMES IN ACCOUNTING.

I'M GONNA SET THEM ALL TO FIVE SECONDS, AND THEN I'M GONNA PUT THEM ON IN SUCCESSION.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR A BUNCH OF TONES AT THE SAME TIME.

THAT SHOULD REALLY GIVE US A SENSE OF IF THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME OR NOT.

(MICROWAVE BEEPING) YUP, YUP, SO THEY'RE ALL RIGHT THERE BETWEEN A FLAT AND A FLAT -- B AND A B SHARP, NOT EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT PRETTY DARN SIMILAR.

AND IT TURNS OUT, THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT.

POPCORN.

FOR DECADES, THE SAME PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY WAS USED IN NEARLY ALL MICROWAVES TO GENERATE THAT CLASSIC MICROWAVE SOUND, A LITTLE DEVICE CALLED A PIEZOELECTRIC BUZZER.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY A MEMBRANE THAT VIBRATES AND IS ELECTRICALLY CHARGED, AND VIBRATES TO CREATE A SOUND, VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY A SPEAKER WORKS.

PIEZOELECTRICITY WAS FIRST DESCRIBED BY PIERRE AND JACQUES CURIE, WAY BACK IN 1880.

IT IS ESSENTIALLY AN ELECTRIC CHARGE THAT CAN ACCUMULATE IN CERTAIN MATERIALS WHEN PHYSICAL PRESSURE IS APPLIED.

THAT PART, PIEZO, COMES FROM A GREEK WORD THAT MEANS PRESS OR SQUEEZE.

NOW THE PIEZOELECTRIC BUZZER HARNESSES THAT CHARGE TO GENERATE THAT SIMPLE BEEP BEEP.

IT WAS FIRST BROUGHT TO MARKET BY JAPANESE MANUFACTURERS IN THE 1950S, AND QUICKLY PROVED TO BE A WORLDWIDE HIT.

NOW ON THE ONE HAND, THEY'RE PRETTY VERSATILE, USED NOT JUST IN MICROWAVES, BUT ALSO SMOKE ALARMS AND TIMERS AND ALL SORTS OF GADGETS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED IN WHAT THEY CAN DO.

WE COULD SET THE FREQUENCY, BUT WE COULDN'T DO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

THE FREQUENCY AND THE LENGTH OF THAT NOTE WAS ABOUT ALL WE HAD AVAILABLE TO US.

(BEEPS) THIS IS WHY, FOR DECADES, NEARLY ALL MICROWAVES HAVE SOUNDED THE SAME.

(BEEPS) BUT TODAY, IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME, THANKS TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED MAINLY FOR MOBILE PHONES, A VERITABLE SYMPHONY OF SOUNDS IS NOW AVAILABLE, LITERALLY AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON.

(ELECTRONIC TONES) THERE, SO YOU HEARD THAT LITTLE BEEP AT THE END OF IT, BUT IT'S A LOT MORE ORGANIC, IT'S A LOT MORE MUSICAL, AND IT'S A LOT MORE SUBTLE AND NUANCED.

THIS NEW WORLD ORDER DOES PRESENT SOME CHALLENGES.

AFTER ALL, THAT ICONIC MICROWAVE BEEP MIGHT NOT BE SPELLBINDING, BUT IT IS DEEPLY FAMILIAR.

DESIGNERS LIKE HUGHES HAVE TO COME UP WITH JUST THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF BLEEPS AND BLURPS THAT SAYS, "HEY, THE POPCORN IS READY" JUST AS EFFECTIVELY.

THAT'S THE MAIN OBJECTIVE WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, IS COMMUNICATE TO YOU IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AND A THOUGHTFUL WAY THAT YOUR TASK'S COMPLETE.

(BEEP) DON'T FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE.

AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE I MIGHT JUST LOOK INTO IT FOR YOU.

I'M EDGAR B. HERWICK III.

STAY CURIOUS OUT THERE.