Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s abuse of Antigua and Barbuda’s sale of passports and citizenship has made the country a safe haven for the world’s wealthy criminals, the Libertarian Republic reports. Case after case shows a common pattern.
“Across these cases, a consistent pattern emerges: Antigua is offering not just passports, but political protection. Under Prime Minister Browne’s leadership, the country has become a jurisdiction of convenience for the globally wanted and wealthy,” according to the report.
Abuse of the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP), plus “politically influenced diplomatic appointments,” the report says, have made Antigua and Barbuda “refuge to numerous individuals under criminal scrutiny. Some of the most high profile cases are:
- Mehul Choksi, the Indian businessman and Antigua citizen arrested in Belgium earlier this month for allegedly running the $1,8 billion Punjab National Bank fraud.
- Alex Saab, Venezuela money launderer, arrested with an Antiguan passport and diplomatic status.
- Xiao Jianhua, a Chinese billionaire whom Gaston Browne appointed as Ambassador-at-Large, and who is now in a Chinese prison.
- David “Alki” Alkiviades, convicted last year in the U.S. of sexual assault and ordered to pay $900 million in damages. Also facing criminal charges in the U.S. for investor fraud, but “now operates freely in Antigua under the SwissX brand, promoting speculative ventures …. According to SwissX’s official website, Prime Minister Browne is listed as a partner in these controversial projects.”
- Allen Onyeama, “a Nigerian businessman indicted in the U.S. for bank fraud and money laundering” who “has retained ties to Antigua and continues to be publicly associated with Prime Minister Browne’s administration, even after the charges surfaced.”
Interesting view.
We all knew he was a scam and thief. We need to have an outside auditer to audit his and his family finances, who have no connection with/ to Antigua.