What does "thick veil of shells" mean?

Question

In The International (2009), IBBC bank trying to make a deal with Sunay for VOLCON guidance systems for their weapons:

Sunay: We would start retrofitting the worms within a day of their arrival. So if you deliver them to me within the next two weeks...we'll meet your deadline.

Jonas: I'm concerned that we limit any and all knowledge of your involvement.

Sunay: If we structure my involvement through a thick veil of shells...I don't foresee any complications.

What does "thick veil of shells" mean?

Answer 1

In the context of banking and trade and companies, the term "shell company" refers to a legal company that exits only on paper. They are sometimes used to hide the real ownership of (part of) a real company or other business.

For the quoted text I believe that Sunay is saying to create several shell companies such that Sunay owns 'Company A' and 'Company A' owns 'Company B' and 'Company B' owns ... and 'Company Y' owns 'Company Z' and 'Company Z' makes the real deal. (I imagine that fewer than 27 shell companies would be used, but I know nothing about how these are created in real life). The general idea is to separate Sunay from the deal, making it harder for investigators to find the truth. I believe that having the different shell companies registered in different countries can be used to further hide the links.