Banks & Trusts

IDIC moves to Grenada after being closed down in two jurisdictions

December 31, 1999

Grenada regulators have allowed the sham insurer known as IDIC to incorporate on the island after regulators in Nevis and Dominica closed down the company, we can disclose. IDIC was closed down by Nevis regulators on January 27, 1999 and, the following month, was shut down in Dominica, where it had moved.

Insider Talking: November 30, 1999

November 30, 1999

Cayman Islands Immigration Board approves Ann Nealon's work permit for Walkers law firm by a vote of two to one; Banc Caribe potential target for Cash 4 Titles victims; Antigua assures USA that William Cooper will be extradited; Scott Oliver leaves Lines Overseas Management; and Hundreds of Caribbean immigrants living in the US and residents of Dominica lose $1.2 million in investment scam.

Bank waiver letters gain popularity in the Bahamas

November 30, 1999

SG Hambros in the Bahamas is considering asking both US and Canadian clients to sign waiver forms authorizing the private bank to release account information to the authorities in these two countries if the need ever arises, we have been

Eurofed Bank goes into receivership

November 30, 1999

Antigua-registered Eurofed Bank Ltd. has been placed into receivership by the island's regulators over its suspected involvement in money laundering. Eurofed, which also has a banking license in Grenada, went into receivership on or around November 15 after being implicated in a scandal involving Pavlo Lazarenko, a former Prime Minister of the Ukraine.

BVI implements new anti-money laundering measures

November 30, 1999

The British Virgin Islands government has implemented two new measures designed to combat money laundering. They are the Anti-Money Laundering Code of Practice (made under section 27 of the Proceeds of Criminal Conduct Act) and the Proceeds of Criminal Conduct (Designated Countries and Territories) Order 1999 (made under section 32 of the Proceeds of Criminal Conduct Act 1997).

Bahamas entities sued over alleged fraud

October 31, 1999

A multi-millionaire Canadian geophysicist has filed a lawsuit in Canada against Barclays Bank (Bahamas) and others claiming he was defrauded of US$1.5 million.Theodore Rozsa, who is in his eighties, claims to have been swindled out of his funds by conmen peddling a fake investment scheme and blames Barclays Bank and Swiss-based private bank Darier Hentsch et Cie for contributing to his loss through alleged negligence.

FIBG latest: Dodgy share offerings and more ‘paper’ firms list on sham stock exchange

October 31, 1999

The latest phase of what is turning out to be one of the most extravagant offshore frauds ever involves the sale of shares over the Internet, supposedly to finance a 120-room luxury resort hotel in Grenada and an on-line casino. Investors in the resort project are "guaranteed" annual dividends of between 25-30 per cent, depending on the amount invested, even before anything has been built, while shareholders of the casino venture are promised 35 per cent annually.

Bank of Bermuda accounts used for on-line gaming

October 31, 1999

Links to the Internet gaming industry have embarrassed the Bank of Bermuda and contributed to the termination of its correspondent banking relationship with Swiss American Bank in Antigua. The bank, which is based in a jurisdiction that prohibits gambling, except for special events such as 'Cup Match', insists that it does not provide banking services to on-line gaming operators. However, more than a dozen gaming web-sites claiming to be licensed in Antigua and Venezuela have been informing gamblers for several months that they can open up accounts by wire transferring funds into Bank of Bermuda accounts at Citibank in New York and Midland Bank PLC in London.

FIBG ‘auditor’ has no CPA licence, co-owner indicted in US

September 30, 1999

Offshore Alert can this month report further disturbing revelations about the First International Bank of Grenada that make a mockery of the island as a legitimate financial centre.One of the most shocking discoveries is that the annual financial statement filed recently by the bank with regulators was signed by a former bankrupt with a criminal record who is passing himself off as a CPA.Nevada-based accountant Kenneth Nelson Craig had his CPA licence revoked in the US in 1996 after committing an appalling number of offences, including swindling three clients out of $81,000.Equally disturbing is news that one of FIBG's owners, Roger V. Cagle, has been criminally indicted in New Jersey on charges of racketeering, bribery and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

UBS (Cayman Islands) sued by former client

September 30, 1999

UBS (Cayman Islands) Ltd. is being sued for breach of trust and fiduciary duty in relation to the alleged misappropriation of $775,000 of client funds by former trust officer Barry Victor Randall.The lawsuit was filed at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands on August 10, 1999 by Publishers Representatives Limited, suing as Trustee of the Asian Sources Retirement Plan, and Lee Sku Lee, representing beneficiaries of the plan.

Harris Organization appeals libel decision

August 31, 1999

The Harris Organization financial services group of Panama has served official notice that it will appeal its loss of a recent libel lawsuit against Offshore Business News & Research Inc., which publishes Offshore Alert. The grounds for the appeal were not known at press time.

‘Nothing unusual’ about turn-over of Cayman bank records to US Receiver, say Cayman attorneys

August 31, 1999

Although much has been made overseas of a decision by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands to approve a request to hand over the bank records of Euro Bank Corporation client Kenneth Taves to his US-based Receiver, there is nothing unusual about such a move. The foreign press has been lauding the deal as a break with tradition by Cayman after comments to that effect by Robb Evans, the Receiver for Kenneth Taves, his wife, Teresa; and their businesses J. K. Publications Inc., MJD Service Corp., TAL Services Inc. and their affiliates and subsidiaries.

Grenada Prime Minister clears FIBG of illegal acts

August 31, 1999

The massive financial scam being committed in Grenada by Canadian and American crooks has reached new levels of farce after the island's government announced that it had investigated - and cleared - the First International Bank of Grenada of any wrongdoing. Grenadian Prime Minister Keith Mitchell gave the bank a clean bill of health at a press conference held on July 23 and attended by local journalists.

Offshore banker William Cooper escapes extradition on a technicality

August 31, 1999

An Antiguan court has decided not to extradite to the US banker William Cooper, whose banks have featured in several money laundering investigations and have a habit of failing with debts to deposits of tens of millions of dollars.

First Cayman Bank Ltd. v. Cayman Overseas (Pinnacle) Ltd. et al: Writ of Summons

August 26, 1999

Writ of Summons in First Cayman Bank Ltd. v. Cayman Overseas (Pinnacle) Ltd., Cayman Overseas (Park Place) Ltd., Cayman Overseas (Downtown) Ltd., Cayman Overseas Developments Ltd., Cayman Overseas Holdings Ltd., Cayman Overseas Investments Ltd., Cayman Overseas Purchasing Services Ltd., Cayman Overseas Realtors Ltd., Cayman Overseas Reinsurance Association Ltd., and The Cayman Overseas Group Ltd. at the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

USA v. Mack Obioha et al: Criminal Indictment

August 20, 1999

Indictment by USA against Mack Obioha, Roland Bleyer, Tari McNamara, Ann Henderson, a.k.a. Joyce Henderson, and Jay Stevens at the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

OBNR defeats Harris Organization in libel lawsuit

August 13, 1999

The Harris Organization financial services group of Panama has lost its libel lawsuit brought against Offshore Business News & Research, which publishes this newsletter, and OBNR's principal, David Marchant. Judge Michael Moore, sitting in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, issued a strong ruling in favour of OBNR and Marchant on August 10, 1999.

Marc M. Harris et Cie SA et al v. David Marchant et al: Final Judgment, Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law

August 10, 1999

Final Judgment, Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law in Marc M. Harris et Cie S.A., The Firm of Marc M. Harris, Inc. and Marc M. Harris Trust Company, Ltd. v. David E. Marchant and Offshore Business News & Research, Inc. at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

John Mathewson let off with probation after turning in his bank’s clients

August 4, 1999

Former Cayman banker John Mathewson has kept his freedom as a reward for turning in his clients to the US authorities. Mathewson, 71, was sentenced to five years of probation, 500 hours of community service and a $30,000 fine at the U. S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on August 2 after previously pleading guilty to money laundering, and tax evasion charges brought not only in New Jersey but also at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Crown Meridian, Sattva Investment Bank and Offshore Investment Services join FIBG scam

July 31, 1999

Grenada-registered Crown Meridian Bank has followed in the footsteps of its sister bank, First International Bank of Grenada, by promising depositors annual interest rates of 200 per cent and falsely claiming deposits are insured by the sham insurer IDIC, we can disclose.Crown Meridian is run by the same people who control FIBG and was licensed by Grenada's regulators on February 1, 1999 - three days after Offshore Alert exposed FIBG as a scam.

US criminal defendants become latest victims of John Mathewson

July 31, 1999

Eight defendants in a criminal indictment filed in Nebraska recently appear to be the latest victims of former Cayman banker John Mathewson's decision to help US authorities investigate his ex-clients.David Abboud, his brother Gene, son Baron and nephew Joseph, Susan Germer, United Imports Corp. (d.b.a. M. D. Electronics), G&A Distributing Inc. (d.b.a. Broadway Enterprises) and Infinite Electronics were charged on April 26, 1999 with 15 counts of Mail Fraud, 11 counts of Wire Fraud, seven counts of Unauthorized Reception of Cable Television Service, one count of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, and 13 counts of Domestic Money Laundering.

Caribbean Bank of Commerce scam continues under another name

July 31, 1999

After finally having its bank licence revoked by regulators in Antigua earlier this year, the Caribbean Bank of Commerce has simply changed its name and is continuing its criminal activity without interruption.The bank has not even bothered to change its Antiguan telephone and fax numbers or its two web addresses at www.caribbank.com and www.cbcltd.com.

Switzerland: Fritz Allemann

July 16, 1999

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Switzerland into Fritz Allemann for allegedly perpetrating an advance-fee fraud involving International Bancorp for Investment and Credit, Inc.

‘Gov’t mismanagement contributed to First Cayman Bank fiasco’, writes creditor

June 30, 1999

Letter to the Editor of the Caymanian Compass newspaper regarding First Cayman Bank.

Eurofed’s name taken off Canadian regulator’s warning list

June 30, 1999

Antigua-licensed Eurofed Bank has been taken off a Warning Circular issued on April 15, 1999 by the Canadian Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. The list contains the names of 227 entities against which the OFSI has had "some form of inquiry or complaint" and which may be operating illegally in Canada.

Euro Bank goes into voluntary liquidation

June 30, 1999

Cayman Islands-based Euro Bank Corporation this month officially went into voluntary liquidation, as we revealed it would in the May edition of Offshore Alert. Additionally, two members of its management, Ivan Burges and Judi Donegan, were arrested by Cayman police but released without charge, according to sources.  

Q&A with Grenada reguator Michael Creft over First International Bank of Grenada

June 30, 1999

Questions and Answers with Grenada's Registrar of Offshore Services, Michael Creft, regarding the First International Bank of Grenada.

Harris Organization/OffshoreAlert trial set to start on July 6, 1999

June 30, 1999

The civil libel trial between Offshore Business News & Research, Inc., which publishes this newsletter, and The Harris Organization financial services group of Panama will start at the United States District Court for the District of Southern Florida (in Miami) on July 6. After two postponements by the court because of scheduling problems, a definite date has now been set for the trial, which is scheduled to last for about one week.

First lawsuit filed against First International Bank of Grenada

June 30, 1999

The First International Bank of Grenada appears to be on the verge of collapse. A client filed a lawsuit against the bank this month alleging non-payment of a $300,000 one-month Certificate of Deposit and we understand that several other depositors are preparing similar lawsuits.

Worldwide International Bank goes into receivership

June 30, 1999

Antigua-licensed Worldwide International Bank has officially been placed into receivership after the failure of a last-ditch bid to stop the process by the bank's owner, Antiguan Joan De Nully.

Letter from Antigua regulators to Worldwide International Bank

May 31, 1999

Letter from Antigua regulators to Worldwide International Bank

First International Bank of Grenada launches Pyramid scheme

May 31, 1999

The First International Bank of Grenada and the sham insurer known as IDIC have launched an international pyramid scheme as the latest phase of their plan to part investors from their money. There is also concern that FIBG may have become involved in stock manipulation involving a Florida-registered penny stock firm that trades on the NASDAQ over-the-counter market.

Canadians issue warning against Antigua-registered Eurofed Bank

May 31, 1999

Antigua-registered Eurofed Bank Ltd. has been named on a Warning Circular released on April 15 by the Canadian Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions.

Euro Bank to go into voluntary liquidation

May 31, 1999

Cayman-registered Euro Bank Corporation is to go into voluntary liquidation following a report into its affairs by Ian Wight and Michael Pilling, of Deloitte & Touche, OffshoreAlert can reveal. The accountants were appointed as controllers of the bank by the Cayman government on May 11 following concerns that it may be involved in illegal activities.

SG Hambros sues Coutts over Bahamas purchase

May 31, 1999

SG Hambros filed a lawsuit in March in the High Court in London against Coutts private banking group in relation to the former's purchase of Coutts (Bahamas) for $100 million in August, 1998.

Offshore banker William Cooper arrested in Antigua

May 31, 1999

Antigua continued its battle to clean up the image of its offshore financial services sector this month with the arrest of a notorious banker and an attempt to force another suspect bank into receivership. American-born William W. Cooper, aged 59, was arrested in Antigua on May 18 after a warrant was issued against him in the United States, where he has been criminally indicted for alleged money laundering and fraud.

Gulf Union Bank (Bahamas) Ltd. v. Sheik Abdus Shimmy Quraeshi et al: Syed Asadullah Kazmi Deposition Transcript

May 3, 1999

Transcript of the Deposition of Syed Asadullah Kazmi in Gulf Union Bank (Bahamas) Limited v. Sheik Abdus Shimmy Quraeshi, Escue Management, Inc., Shahid S. Quraeshi, Crown Capital Advisors, Sohail S. Quraeshi, and Syed Asadullah Kazmi at the U. S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Marc Harris withdrawn as witness as libel trial draws near

April 30, 1999

The Harris Organization's libel complaint against Offshore Business News & Research, Inc, which publishes this newsletter, and the company's principal, David Marchant, is due to start on May 24 at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (in Miami). We were also notified this month that the group's founder, chairman and sole owner of its common stock, Marc Harris, has been withdrawn from The Harris Organization's witness list.

Fraudsters try to sell Caribbean Bank of Commerce

April 30, 1999

The Russian criminals behind the Caribbean Bank of Commerce, which Antiguan regulators have been trying to close down for over a year, have put the bank up for sale. A representative of CBC this month sent out mass e-mails offering four different banks for sale, including the Caribbean Bank of Commerce.

Grenada asks FBI to investigate offshore bank

April 30, 1999

Grenada began to come to grips this month with a financial scandal that is threatening to make the island the laughing stock of the offshore world. Three months after Offshore Alert exposed it as a fraud, the First International Bank of Grenada appears to be on the verge of being closed down by the local government.

More firms list on dubious World Investors’ Stock Exchange

April 30, 1999

One of the First International Bank of Grenada's partners in crime, the Grenada-based World Investors' Stock Exchange, has stepped up its efforts to part the public from their savings. The shares of seven new companies were listed on WISE this month to go with the only other previous listing, that of EcoMed International, which we recently revealed had a false prospectus.

Richard Hape arrested on suspicion of money laundering

March 31, 1999

Canadian businessman Richard Hape, 51, who is a Senior Executive of Turks & Caicos Islands-based British West Indies Trust Limited, was arrested in Canada on February 16 and charged with conspiracy to launder the proceeds of drug trafficking.Simultaneous with Hape's arrest in Ontario, the Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police executed a search warrant at the offices of British West Indies Trust Limited and a restraining order was served on the Trust's employees and banks.

Three judgments against Overseas Development Bank & Trust

March 31, 1999

Dominica-licensed Overseas Development Bank & Trust Ltd., which is run by John E. Greaves in Antigua, appears to be in financial trouble.Three separate judgments for a total of US$1.24 million were entered against the bank on January 29, 1999 by the High Court of Justice in Dominica.

Grenada bank scam: Injunction bid against Offshore Alert fails

March 31, 1999

The First International Bank of Grenada, the International Deposit Insurance Corporation and the World Investors Stock Exchange this month failed in their bid to obtain a court injunction preventing Offshore Alert from continuing to report on their fraudulent activities.Attorneys representing these entities filed hundreds of pages of documents at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in an effort to obtain an emergency injunction preventing Offshore Alert from continuing to report on their dubious activities.

Societe Generale refuses to pay full price for Coutts (Bahamas)

March 31, 1999

French-based Societe Generale is so disappointed with its acquisition of Coutts (Bahamas) last August that it is refusing to pay the balance of the previously agreed $100 million purchase price, according to sources.

The International Trust Company of Liberia et al v. Lester S. Hyman et al: Injunction on Consent

March 24, 1999

Injunction on Consent in The International Trust Company of Liberia, International Registries Inc., Liberian Services Inc., Marshall Islands Maritime & Corporate Administrators Inc., The Trust Company of the Marshall Islands Inc., Administrative Control Services Inc., Archibald N. Stewart, F.A. Guida, and Guy E.C. Maitland v. Lester S. Hyman, Kenneth I. Schaner, Yoram 'Jay' Cohen, Richard W. Fields, and Liberia International Ship & Corporate Registry LLC at the U. S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

First International Bank of Grenada Ltd. et al v. David Marchant et al: Amended Emergency Motion for Preliminary Injunction

March 8, 1999

Amended Emergency Motion for Preliminary Injunction in First International Bank of Grenada Ltd., International Depositors' Reinsurance Corporation Ltd., doing business as IDIC; and World Investors' Stock Exchange v. David Marchant and Offshore Business News & Research, Inc. at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

First International Bank of Grenada et al v. David Marchant et al: Emergency Motion for Preliminary Injunction

March 4, 1999

Emergency Motion for Preliminary Injunction in First International Bank of Grenada Ltd., of Grenada; International Depositors' Reinsurance Corporation Ltd., doing business as IDIC, of Nevis, and World Investors' Stock Exchange Ltd., of Grenada v. David Marchant and Offshore Business News & Research, Inc. at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Grenada scam bank offers annual interest of 250 per cent

February 26, 1999

Offshore Alert's story about the banking/insurance scam that appeared in last month's edition of the newsletter has created quite a stir in the Caribbean. Several newspapers in the region followed up on the scandal, including those in Nevis, St. Vincent and Bermuda, and we received requests for assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the the FBI.

First International Bank of Grenada Ltd. et al v. David Marchant et al: Libel Complaint

February 25, 1999

Libel Complaint in First International Bank of Grenada Ltd., of Grenada; International Depositors' Reinsurance Corporation, Ltd., doing business as IDIC, of Nevis, and World Investors' Stock Exchange, of Grenada v. David Marchant and Offshore Business News & Research, Inc. at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.