Christopher Byron

Lines Overseas Management has filed a lawsuit against the Bermuda Monetary Authority in an attempt to prevent the SEC in the United States from receiving information about LOM's clients; Two alleged participants in a massive investment fraud involving Evergreen Security, which was registered in the British Virgin Islands and managed in Florida, are to be re-tried after their trial for grand larceny in the first degree ended in a hung jury; How much does failed offshore hedge fund boss and accused $600 million fraudster Michael Lauer hate Christopher Byron, the New York Post columnist who exposed his activities at the Lancer Offshore Group?; Imperial Consolidated administrator Mazars Neville Russell has reported receipts of $6.48 million and payments of $4.57 million in the five months from June 10, 2003 to December 9, 2003 for the group's principal UK company, Imperial Consolidated Financiers Ltd.; On January 19, 2004 at the British Virgin Islands High Court, Allen Wheatley, former Financial Secretary of the BVI Government, and three accomplices pleaded guilty to corruption-related charges concerning the misappropriation of funds for telecommunications projects at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport; Canadian television firm CBC broadcast a fascinating documentary on convicted money launderer Martin Chambers on January 13, 2004, including hidden camera footage of the undercover sting operation that led to his arrest in the 'Bermuda Short' operation conducted by the FBI and RCMP a few years ago; A liquidator of First Cayman Bank, of the Cayman Islands, announced in December 2003 that he had paid out a third interim dividend of 15 cents in the dollar on November 21, 2003 to all admitted creditors in a distribution of approximately US$4.4 million; Eduardo Masferrer, former Chairman and CEO of the now-closed Hamilton Bank N.A., of Miami, Florida, has agreed to pay $960,000 in restitution for the benefit of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and $40,000 in penalties and stay out of banking for an indefinite period; Grenada-domiciled IBC Joie de Vie Ventures Inc. closed for business after taking in millions of dollars from the public by offering returns of up to 100 per cent per year; U.K. attorney Christopher Stenning's Regalia Offshore Fund Ltd., which has an affiliate in the British Virgin Islands called The Regalia Fund Ltd., did not last long; A Canadian regulatory agency has issued a warning against a sham bank doing business as "Bermuda Credit Re-Insurance Bank Ltd."; The California Division of Corporations might want to look a little more closely at Gamboa Properties Inc. before renewing its status as an 'Active' company in the state; and Two Cayman Islands law firms announced they were merging with firms in other jurisdictions during January.

Lancer Offshore Inc., which is registered in the British Virgin Islands and listed on the Irish Stock Exchange, has brought a libel lawsuit against the New York Post - one month after notifying investors it was effectively suspending cash redemptions. The libel action was filed at New York State Supreme Court on February 14, 2003 after the Post published three negative articles about the Fund, which purports to have assets valued at $1 billion, and/or its principal, Michael Lauer.