Here in Silicon Valley a buddy of mine works with major contracts for startup financing and taking companies public (at a major player where they've handled lot

Here in Silicon Valley a buddy of mine works with major contracts for startup financing and taking companies public (at a major player where they've handled lots of big names you'd recognize. I won't say more than that). Over BBQ and beers he was telling me that hidden in the layers of legal contracts are legally defined casinos - placing bets on future events for the company. That allows them to avoid disclosure of those liabilities (they are bets in the future) and lets them transfer ownership and control to foreign countries (he specifically mentioned that Russia is a major player in these deals.) With no disclosure required, these "side contracts" are essentially secret, and the lawyers set it up so that nobody knows. I can't say I really understand this stuff - but it sounds really, really bad. Huge sums hidden offshore. Ownership hidden. And foreign countries secretly having control of US based companies (Specifically, I happen to know that a couple are doing very secret work with and for the NSA.)