Title: Criminals Seek Haven in Dominica’s Citizenship-for-Sale Program

Background

The small Caribbean nation of Dominica has turned to a controversial solution for financial survival: selling citizenship to international criminals, fugitives, and sanctioned individuals. The Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, which offers citizenship for a reported fee of $100,000, comes with a cursory background check through an offshore consulting group. Here’s what makes this program alarming.

Risks to Dominica and the International Community

The CBI program, criticized for posing significant risks, enables criminals to evade justice and restart businesses with impunity. The following cases illustrate the concerning trend.

Taiwanese Defrauders

Ching-Yi Hsieh and Pai-Hung Wang, a Taiwanese couple accused of defrauding investors and creating fraudulent businesses, used their ill-gained funds to obtain Dominican passports before they could be arrested. Their whereabouts are now unknown, impeding Taiwanese law enforcement’s efforts to bring them to justice.

Iranian Fraudster

Mehdi Ebrahimi Eshratabadi, an Iranian fraudster, used a Dominican passport to evade authorities in Iran and Cyprus. He obtained another passport from Cyprus, which was later revoked. Eshratabadi’s ability to obtain multiple passports and abscond from the countries pursuing him highlights a lack of due diligence on Dominica’s part.

Nigerian Criminals

A Nigerian couple accused of financial crimes also turned to the CBI program in a bid to escape accountability. They defrauded investors through startups and Ponzi schemes, and their criminal activities did not end there. The couple led double lives, with one investment in a nonexistent pork farm and Glory posing as a single woman while married.

Widespread Concerns and Missing Funds

The alarming trend of accepting criminals into the population raises concerns not only for Dominica but also for the international community. Analyzing Dominica’s national budget reveals missing funds and suspect transactions, raising suspicions of ill-gotten gains from the CBI program.

Furthermore, the relationship between the Dominican government and private passport brokers raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest. American consultant Anthony Haiden, who played a significant role in the Citizenship by Investment strategy, had connections to key Dominican figures. His company handled construction projects for Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and had a vested financial interest in numerous real estate projects.

The Path to Change

Change in Dominica’s approach to the CBI program is tentative but possible. Media organizations around the world are shedding light on the issue and making recommendations for change. The long and arduous process of pressuring the country to reconsider its risky revenue strategy can begin with increased public awareness and international pressure.