Reports: Google’s “666″ Bermuda Post Box

January 31, 2016

Bermuda is being spotlighted in the UK media again today [Jan 31], with the Daily Mail and Sun both running stories about Google’s connection with Bermuda, with the Sun saying “its only presence is the tiny metal box bearing the number of the beast 666.”

The Daily Mail article says, “Google has no office, no staff and little more than a plain PO Box numbered 666 on the sunny Caribbean Island of Bermuda. But it still sends £8 billion in profits a year to the island – which happens to have a 0 per cent corporation tax rate.

“Though this process has been branded ‘immoral’ by MPs, it is not illegal and Google says it has abided by international tax rules. The company also says its Bermuda operation does not impact the tax it pays in the UK.

Screenshot of the Daily Mail article:

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The Sun article says, “Tech giant Google is funnelling an estimated £8billion of profits a year through a nondescript postbox in Bermuda. The firm has taken advantage of the sunshine island’s zero corporate tax rate to set up Google Bermuda Unlimited.

“There are no employees, no office and no signage to be found there. Its only presence is the tiny metal box bearing the number of the beast, 666, and housed at a post office building in the capital Hamilton.

“Google, which makes most of its money through online advertising, has been moving profits to the tax haven via Ireland and Holland. In 2013, it sent £7.5billion in global royalties to its Bermuda-based subsidiary, according to the company’s own accounts.”

Screenshot of the Sun article:

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“Yet few people in Bermuda realise the tech giant holds its entire global earnings, excluding the US, on the island — including those who work at the very building housing the law firm,” the Sun adds.

The Sun also reports they spoke with staff at a local law firm, which the tabloid described as having “a drab-looking office” which they claimed is “decked with plastic ferns, 1980s-style furniture and tacky oil paintings.”

In addition to these reports on the “666″ post box, the UK’s Observer newspaper is reporting that “Britain has complained to the European commission about an EU blacklist designed to hit tax havens, including Bermuda, describing it as misleading,” adding that “Britain has been privately lobbying the EU to remove the tax haven through which Google funnels billions of pounds of profits from an official blacklist.”

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Comments (23)

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  1. Rhonnda aka Blue Familiar says:

    Both amusing and ill informed. (Not Bernews, the Sun and Daily Mail)

  2. William says:

    “I wonder if google has mapped the burmuda triangle? If you get too close to their po box you may well disappear for ever ,666 I hear it’s a hell hole inside that triangle!”

    That’s a comment on Daily Mail…i wouldn’t take this article too serious.

  3. Neil says:

    Daily Mail has checked facts so well that it perpetuates the mis-held belief that Bermuda is in the Caribbean.

  4. Darwin's Child says:

    Don’t we have a Daily Mail journey resident on the island? Perhaps he can give them a geography lesson.

  5. British Bermuda Fan Lindy says:

    As a British citizen, who loves Bermuda (I have visited your beautiful island seven times), I am embarrassed by the Daily Mail’s ‘lazy journalism’. Stating that Bermuda is a “Caribbean Island” is appallingly ill informed. Please accept this Briton’s apology.

    • Onion Juice says:

      Would be nice if the European Nations could apologize for the centuries of Colonization and injustice on indigenous people around the world, while I’m at it I might as well throw in some Reparations.
      But most of the African Bermudians are of Caribbean descent, if that’s any conciliation.

  6. Coffee says:

    All hardware stores on the Island have sold out of hammers and chisels .

  7. Aware says:

    The article is a joke, however unfortunately a lot of people residing it will not be aware of that and some mud will stick.

    It would be interesting to know how much money Bermuda makes from the Google domicile here and then for us to do a value assessment.

  8. darlene Fortin says:

    First things first………… WE ARE NOT A CARIBBEAN iSLAND………….

    • sage says:

      We are a tax haven for foreign corporations though.

      • 1 minute says:

        No, a tax haven has special tax privileges for foreign companies. The tax rate in Bermuda is the same for local & foreign companies, therefore, not a tax haven.

      • Build a Better Bermuda says:

        Low tax juristiction. we simply can’t use the same taxation systems that is used in Europe or the US, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have our own tax system

    • Cheatsheet says:

      ……..and it isn’t sunny either!

    • Reality says:

      Yea we only copy them for Heroes Day and play their music for our other “holidays”

    • Legalgal says:

      Most of the world doesn’t care whether we are Caribbean or whatever. Get over it! There are more important allegations to answer.

  9. Legal eagle says:

    Highly embarrassing for that law firm if their receptionist was giving out inaccurate information to a journalist.

    The registered address for Google would likely be codan services office address as you need a physical address not a post box. Also Bermuda require the company to have a company secretary and keep minute books here. The receptionist should have referred the journalist to the corporate secretary.

    Also lol at the description of cd&p’s offices. I have always found their offices to be pretty depressing.

  10. Lone Wolf says:

    I’m more interested in finding out which law firm has the drab office with plastic ferns, 80′s style furniture and tacky oil paintings ….

  11. UmJustSaying says:

    ‘sunny Caribbean Island of Bermuda’ N32 W64…hmmmmmmmm!!!
    Did Google pay for us to move????????

  12. BornB says:

    Interesting because P.O. Box 666 belongs to Conyers Dill & Pearman……