Matt Collin
@mattcollin.bsky.social
Development economist working at the @taxobservatory.bsky.social in Paris. Illicit finance, tax evasion, and foreign aid. Techno DJ when no one is looking.
https://sites.google.com/view/mattcollin/home
https://datadarkly.substack.com/
https://sites.google.com/view/mattcollin/home
https://datadarkly.substack.com/
There are those in the development sector that try to romanticize rural life, but most people really are happier living around lots of other people
voxdev.org/topic/migrat...
voxdev.org/topic/migrat...
November 27, 2025 at 11:55 AM
There are those in the development sector that try to romanticize rural life, but most people really are happier living around lots of other people
voxdev.org/topic/migrat...
voxdev.org/topic/migrat...
Watching Season 1 of the X-Files with my better half last night and realized that I'm the same age as Mitch Pileggi when he made his first appearance as Walter Skinner 💀
November 6, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Watching Season 1 of the X-Files with my better half last night and realized that I'm the same age as Mitch Pileggi when he made his first appearance as Walter Skinner 💀
My post mortem of the US's Corporate Transparency Act
datadarkly.substack.com/p/america-la...
datadarkly.substack.com/p/america-la...
September 22, 2025 at 8:11 AM
My post mortem of the US's Corporate Transparency Act
datadarkly.substack.com/p/america-la...
datadarkly.substack.com/p/america-la...
September 17, 2025 at 10:14 AM
September 16, 2025 at 11:23 AM
We find that Russian brokers handled transactions worth nearly $6b more than a synthetic group of Russian brokers, following the invasion, highlighting Dubai's role as a haven for sanctions and conflict-driven capital flight
September 16, 2025 at 9:59 AM
We find that Russian brokers handled transactions worth nearly $6b more than a synthetic group of Russian brokers, following the invasion, highlighting Dubai's role as a haven for sanctions and conflict-driven capital flight
3) More precise estimates of Russian investment post-Ukraine invasion:
To do this, we used published data on real estate brokers and transactions, used a ML name-prediction service to determine which were Russian, and tracked how those purchases evolved after the evasion
To do this, we used published data on real estate brokers and transactions, used a ML name-prediction service to determine which were Russian, and tracked how those purchases evolved after the evasion
September 16, 2025 at 9:59 AM
3) More precise estimates of Russian investment post-Ukraine invasion:
To do this, we used published data on real estate brokers and transactions, used a ML name-prediction service to determine which were Russian, and tracked how those purchases evolved after the evasion
To do this, we used published data on real estate brokers and transactions, used a ML name-prediction service to determine which were Russian, and tracked how those purchases evolved after the evasion
2) More evidence that tax compliance for non-residents owning real estate is extremely low: in addition to the direct evidence we present on Norwegian taxpayers, media reports suggest a similar level of evasion for other countries
In total we estimate about $2.7 billion a year goes undeclared
In total we estimate about $2.7 billion a year goes undeclared
September 16, 2025 at 9:59 AM
2) More evidence that tax compliance for non-residents owning real estate is extremely low: in addition to the direct evidence we present on Norwegian taxpayers, media reports suggest a similar level of evasion for other countries
In total we estimate about $2.7 billion a year goes undeclared
In total we estimate about $2.7 billion a year goes undeclared
Non-GCC nationals weren't allowed to own real estate in the city until the early 2000s, after which certain areas were desginated as being eligible for freehold ownership
This liberalization led to a surge in the housing supply and an extremely rapid rise in foreign ownership - now approaching 50%
This liberalization led to a surge in the housing supply and an extremely rapid rise in foreign ownership - now approaching 50%
September 16, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Non-GCC nationals weren't allowed to own real estate in the city until the early 2000s, after which certain areas were desginated as being eligible for freehold ownership
This liberalization led to a surge in the housing supply and an extremely rapid rise in foreign ownership - now approaching 50%
This liberalization led to a surge in the housing supply and an extremely rapid rise in foreign ownership - now approaching 50%
This is an update of earlier work, but I want to focus on a few things we've added to the project:
1) We've used confidential transaction data to go back and time and chart the growth of foreign-owned residential real estate in the city.
1) We've used confidential transaction data to go back and time and chart the growth of foreign-owned residential real estate in the city.
September 16, 2025 at 9:59 AM
This is an update of earlier work, but I want to focus on a few things we've added to the project:
1) We've used confidential transaction data to go back and time and chart the growth of foreign-owned residential real estate in the city.
1) We've used confidential transaction data to go back and time and chart the growth of foreign-owned residential real estate in the city.
🚨New working paper🚨
In this updated work with Annette Alstadsaeter, @bluebery-planterose.com , @gabrielzucman.bsky.social and @andokl.bsky.social , we use leaked data to chart the rise of offshore real estate in Dubai
www.taxobservatory.eu//www-site/up...
In this updated work with Annette Alstadsaeter, @bluebery-planterose.com , @gabrielzucman.bsky.social and @andokl.bsky.social , we use leaked data to chart the rise of offshore real estate in Dubai
www.taxobservatory.eu//www-site/up...
September 16, 2025 at 9:59 AM
🚨New working paper🚨
In this updated work with Annette Alstadsaeter, @bluebery-planterose.com , @gabrielzucman.bsky.social and @andokl.bsky.social , we use leaked data to chart the rise of offshore real estate in Dubai
www.taxobservatory.eu//www-site/up...
In this updated work with Annette Alstadsaeter, @bluebery-planterose.com , @gabrielzucman.bsky.social and @andokl.bsky.social , we use leaked data to chart the rise of offshore real estate in Dubai
www.taxobservatory.eu//www-site/up...
My favourite moment? When DJ Tennis transitioned from standard tech house to Fango's forboding, complicated "Vena Cave"
August 18, 2025 at 9:54 AM
My favourite moment? When DJ Tennis transitioned from standard tech house to Fango's forboding, complicated "Vena Cave"
The Highlights were Honey Dijon (Friday) and DJ Tennis (Saturday), two classic club DJs I had not seen before - and both "got the assignment," knowing how to build energy slowly during their sets
August 18, 2025 at 9:47 AM
The Highlights were Honey Dijon (Friday) and DJ Tennis (Saturday), two classic club DJs I had not seen before - and both "got the assignment," knowing how to build energy slowly during their sets
A mini review of the "We Can Dance" Festival in Zeebrugge, after a friend and I decided to go this past weekend
Essentially 5-6 stages, each with different techno/house genres (choose your BPM!), plopped down in the sand
Essentially 5-6 stages, each with different techno/house genres (choose your BPM!), plopped down in the sand
August 18, 2025 at 9:47 AM
A mini review of the "We Can Dance" Festival in Zeebrugge, after a friend and I decided to go this past weekend
Essentially 5-6 stages, each with different techno/house genres (choose your BPM!), plopped down in the sand
Essentially 5-6 stages, each with different techno/house genres (choose your BPM!), plopped down in the sand
In fact throughout 2025, Companies House has pretty vigorously gone after instances of false information on its register, throwing a lot of companies out.
A lot of directors likely updated their details for fear of having their companies striken off.
A lot of directors likely updated their details for fear of having their companies striken off.
August 6, 2025 at 7:58 AM
In fact throughout 2025, Companies House has pretty vigorously gone after instances of false information on its register, throwing a lot of companies out.
A lot of directors likely updated their details for fear of having their companies striken off.
A lot of directors likely updated their details for fear of having their companies striken off.
So the status quo is that (1) residence country is likely to be measured imprecisely and (2) changes are probably measured with a lag
The FT's main claim is that outmigration spiked when the UK's nom-dom regime ended in April, suprisingly visible given what we know about the quality of the data
The FT's main claim is that outmigration spiked when the UK's nom-dom regime ended in April, suprisingly visible given what we know about the quality of the data
August 6, 2025 at 7:58 AM
So the status quo is that (1) residence country is likely to be measured imprecisely and (2) changes are probably measured with a lag
The FT's main claim is that outmigration spiked when the UK's nom-dom regime ended in April, suprisingly visible given what we know about the quality of the data
The FT's main claim is that outmigration spiked when the UK's nom-dom regime ended in April, suprisingly visible given what we know about the quality of the data
Directors are supposed to report this information within 14 days. But do they?
Compliance with Companies House filings has been historically pretty poor. For example, here is one (infamous) director who is listed in their system as four(!) separate people with different countries of residence
Compliance with Companies House filings has been historically pretty poor. For example, here is one (infamous) director who is listed in their system as four(!) separate people with different countries of residence
August 6, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Directors are supposed to report this information within 14 days. But do they?
Compliance with Companies House filings has been historically pretty poor. For example, here is one (infamous) director who is listed in their system as four(!) separate people with different countries of residence
Compliance with Companies House filings has been historically pretty poor. For example, here is one (infamous) director who is listed in their system as four(!) separate people with different countries of residence
What does the FT do? They look at directors of at least 1 UK company, and track the country they state as their "country of residence," something all directors are required to file
If a director who labeled themself as a UK resident changed it to somewhere else, they count that as out-migration
If a director who labeled themself as a UK resident changed it to somewhere else, they count that as out-migration
August 6, 2025 at 7:58 AM
What does the FT do? They look at directors of at least 1 UK company, and track the country they state as their "country of residence," something all directors are required to file
If a director who labeled themself as a UK resident changed it to somewhere else, they count that as out-migration
If a director who labeled themself as a UK resident changed it to somewhere else, they count that as out-migration
Kudos to the @oecd-ocde.bsky.social for engaging with and citing the growing literature on the effectiveness of the Common Reporting Standard
There are many organizations out there who would rather choose to ignore evidence of imperfection!
www.oecd.org/content/dam/...
There are many organizations out there who would rather choose to ignore evidence of imperfection!
www.oecd.org/content/dam/...
July 22, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Kudos to the @oecd-ocde.bsky.social for engaging with and citing the growing literature on the effectiveness of the Common Reporting Standard
There are many organizations out there who would rather choose to ignore evidence of imperfection!
www.oecd.org/content/dam/...
There are many organizations out there who would rather choose to ignore evidence of imperfection!
www.oecd.org/content/dam/...
Seems like @eeanews.bsky.social has suffered some sort of data breach!
July 22, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Seems like @eeanews.bsky.social has suffered some sort of data breach!
Got to love the recommendations for dealing with the heat at PSE, where we have no air conditioning
June 24, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Got to love the recommendations for dealing with the heat at PSE, where we have no air conditioning
Here is what the most approximate Article IV shows...
June 19, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Here is what the most approximate Article IV shows...