Eugene Herbert

A United States firm has been forming IBCs in Panama and selling them to North Americans at a huge mark-up on the basis that they are "financial institutions", OffshoreAlert can reveal.At least five of the IBCs are currently offering investment products and services from web-sites hosted in Montana or the Bahamas even though none holds a license.

Nevis-based offshore provider Eugene Herbert is contemplating legal action against California-based attorney N. Scott Grant in relation to an entity called World Investors Credit Union LC.Herbert, who runs Nevis International Trust Company Ltd., said he was disturbed to learn in last month's Offshore Alert that he was being described in promotional material as Managing Director of WICU.

Attorney Nigel Scott Grant has been reported to the California Bar Association by a client who claims to have been ripped off over the purchase of a Nevis-registered 'credit union'. California-based Johnson Richards & Co. is seeking to recover about $53,000 in legal fees and other costs allegedly paid to acquire a fully-functioning credit union from Grant and prepare for its operation.