PANAMANIAN ANTI-CORRUPTION PROSECUTORS SEEK CASH AND SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES IN THE BVI

If you thought that the British Virgin Islands, the corporate destination of choice, for tax evaders, corrupt PEPs, drug kingpins, and financial criminals in general, was only for corporations, think again. Prosecutors in the Republic of Panama have announced that they are seeking bank accounts and safe deposit box contents of accounts of Aaron "Rony" Mizrachi, the fugitive brother-in-law of ex-president Ricardo Martinelli, who is also a fugitive from Panamanian justice (12 cases at last count).

Therefore, while we have been concentrating upon the criminal use of bearer share corporations, formed in the BVI, should you encounter ANY transactions, originating in British Virgin Islands financial institutions, initiate enhanced due diligence upon the companies involved, forthwith. I cannot think of any valid commercial reason to maintain a BVI bank account, unless the customer has a brick-and-mortar business located there.