Ramon Fonseca, founding partner of law firm Mossack Fonseca. Thomson Reuters He is the man at the center of one of the biggest financial stories of the year: 11,5 million internal documents of the law firm "Mossack Fonseca” in Panama City have been obtained be the German newspaper “Süddeutsche Zeitung." The leak illustrated the inner workings of the shadowy world of off-shore investments.

The revelations under the headlines “Panama Papers” caused a media storm around the world and led to a number of investigations in many countries. Hundreds of politicians, businessmen, celebrities or athletes have been implicated.

Ramon Fonseca, 63, is the co-founder of the law firm "Mossack Fonseca" in Panama City. He started the firm together with partner Jürgen Mossack, 68, a Panamanian of German decent, in 1986. It grew into a powerhouse in Offshore-Banking: 250,000 offshore companies and trust funds have been created in the last 30 years. The firm has about 500 employees in offices around the world.

Reporter Herbert Bauernebel traveled to Panama City on an assignment for the German newspaper “Bild” to cover the unfolding story. He got in touch with Ramon Fonseca via WhatsApp.

Fonseca reaches out: 'What would you like to know?'

After a number of interview requests were sent Fonseca suddenly replied: “What would you like to know?”

What followed was a 90-minute-long chat in which Fonseca described the dramatic days in his office – which is under siege by reporters and authorities. He defended his firm vehemently by stating: “We have done nothing wrong!” He also points out that the company is the victim of data theft by hackers which have penetrated the computer systems from overseas, as he states: The breach of privacy was a violation of “human rights," he exclaims. And the lawyer, author and former advisor of President Juan Carlos Varela remains combative: “The firm will survive," he says.

Mr. Fonseca finds himself in the fight of his live to save his company. He promises to hire the “best data security company in the world” and to carry on with his business. At the end of the WhatsApp conversion he had to rush since he was attending the christening of his grandson. “I have to go," he wrote. The ceremony was about to start.

Fonseca is in a fight for the future of his firm

What follows is a transcript of our conversation with Fonseca.

Herbert Bauernebel: How are you and your partner, Mr. Mossack, holding up? You must feel intense pressure regarding also the responsibility towards your stuff of 500 around the world. How is everyone trying to stay focused in the office?

Ramon Fonseca: We are under pressure but as we have done nothing wrong our faith in God maintain us.

Do you know a bit more already how the data was stolen?

Fonseca: It was external hacking from a machine overseas. Not an internal job. We have filed a technical report already with the penal authorities. But nobody talks about the only crime committed, the hacking. It appears to be that in this generation the human right to privacy is in the endangered species list... Or already gone!

Do you have a trace from which country the hack was coming from?

Fonseca: Yes, but is under investigation. In my times you were innocent until proven guilty. These days you have to prove that you are innocent as everybody assumes that you are guilty. Also, any time something suspicious appears in the press the authority may initiate an investigation, which we welcome and will cooperate fully! But also: We are the ones that filed a complaint for the hacking.

How do you reassure clients? There must be a lot of questions?

A marquee of the Arango Orillac Building lists the Mossack Fonseca law firm in Panama City, Sunday, April 3, 2016. AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco Fonseca: We have been the victims of a cybercrime punished by the law and many clients understand and support us. Of course, we have to reassure others…

It must be a rather difficult situation since most of your clients never thought that their information becomes public... What are you planing in terms of cyber security to protect against possible future attacks? Was the hack coming from Germany?

Fonseca: We continue praying and working hard, as we have always done. I am not authorized to say more about the hacking crime because it may jeopardize the investigation .

Can your company survive this? Or do you sometimes think a fresh start is necessary? And why do you think your services are generating such a tsunami of bad press?

Fonseca: We do what thousand of lawyers do around the world: incorporate companies, trusts, etc. It's a complete legal and necessary practice in a global world were nobody does business in their own name anymore. The majority of offshore companies are from other jurisdictions such as the UK, Delaware, BVI (British Virgin Islands), and not Panama. Why us? Remember the bible history of David vs. Goliath? We deeply believe that every person, rich or poor, has the right to his or her privacy if nothing illegal is done! Maybe God chose us to fight to assist Him in restoring a human right which is in danger – and many young people do not even know that they have the right to it. Or maybe I am complete it wrong…

Panama City. Flickr The Russian president thinks it is a conspiracy. Do you think your firm has been singled out – and if yes for what reasons? Are you worried of the German or American authorities regarding possible investigations?

Fonseca: Of course not! We were in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's all… Our books are open... Literally!

Have you been contacted by any authorities overseas? By the US?

Fonseca: We have not been contacted. As I told you, we incorporate a company. We do not manage it. Since 40 years we have incorporated over 250,000. They are used for all kind of purposes, 99.99% of them all good. But if we find something wrong, we immediately report it to the authorities. We have over 30 persons in our due diligence department looking closely. If somebody does something wrong with a company we created it is not our responsibility. And all those people mentioned in the media are NOT our clients. The majority of our clients are intermediaries like lawyers, accountants, banks, trusts, etc.. who are asking us to incorporate a company for their clients. If you are a reporter covering a murder done with a knife: Would you go to to the knife factory to find the culprit? It´s ridiculous!

You are confident to be exonerated after all is done? How do restore trust again with your clients that their data is safe?

Fonseca: We are bringing on board the best company in data safety.

People demonstrate against Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson in Reykjavik, Iceland April 5, 2016. REUTERS/Stigtryggur Johannsson Did you have costumers canceling their accounts because of the scandal? And how big is the damage?

Fonseca: Very little. Thank God!!

So you will emerge from this as strong as ever? What did you tell your employees? Some must be worried? The press is standing in front of the office, there are “Panama Papers” headlines around the world…

Fonseca: Yes. It is not a party. Again, we are in the hands of God! Whatever He chooses is welcome. One final remark: Again I repeat that the headline should be. Why nobody is talking about the only crime proven: the hacking! It's amazing! I should write another book, my eights: Is privacy a extinguished specie?