The US Department of Justice is initiating a criminal investigation into any possible offences after the huge Panama Papers leak earlier this month.

The Attorney for Manhattan Preet Bharara wrote to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) — which led a reporting effort on the leak with more than 100 global partners — seeking further information on the 11.5 million documents hacked from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca that would help him in his investigation, the Guardian newspaper reported.

The official is already investigating many of the 200 Americans citizens named in the document...