TRADECRAFT 101 PART SIXTEEN: MONEY LAUNDERING THROUGH THE ABUSE OF DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS BY NON-DIPLOMATS

Although most of our readers are quite familiar with the current battle, in the Federal Court system, over whether ALEX NAIN SAAB MORAN, the Colombian money launderer to Venezuela's elite, is a diplomat or not, which will directly impact whether he goes to trial in District Court in Miami for money laundering, or is granted immunity from prosecution, transnational criminals have been exploiting their covert purchases of diplomatic passports from the five East Caribbean states that also sell CBI passports, for decades. We only need remember the case of the convicted Iranian fraudster, ALI REZA MONFARED, who is presently serving twenty years in a Persian prison for stealing several billion dollars from the Islamic Republic of Iran. He used his Dominica diplomatic passport to defraud in Malaysia, and elsewhere.

(note the drawing to fool facial recognition software)

Our blog has covered literally dozens of transnational criminals who bought diplomatic passports, for cash in US Dollars, in the Caribbean, and artfully used them to move money and assets around the globe at will, taking advantage of the lack of sophistication of third world customs and immigration officers, as well as greedy bankers who didn't care who their client was, so long as the color of his money was green. Fraudsters and laundrymen use diplomatic passports to evade customs searches, as most diplomats' bags and baggage are not searched, lest they violate international rules. This allows one to move bearer financial instruments efficiently to tax haven financial institutions, as well as to conceal the end user of the proceeds of crime, which often end up in another part of the world where compliance is dodgy or ignored in the name of wealth and greed. The move cash, precious gems, bearer bonds, and anything else that will fit in their bogus "diplomatic pouch." It is a license to clean dirty assets abroad.

Also, understand that these "diplomats" do not satisfy any of the requirements of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. They are not posted to a specific mission, they do not have any duties, they are not certified by a receiving jurisdiction, and they rarely meet the citizenship test. Therefore, they are merely sham diplomats, and cannot use diplomatic immunity to evade arrest, though they often try to do so.

The varieties of money laundering that are facilitated by a prized diplomatic passport are almost infinite, and far too extensive to be detailed here, but compliance officers are urged to independently confirm the legal status of anyone who comes into the banks flashing such a proof of identity. Check the place of birth and nationality; does it match the country of the passport? Is he or she listed online at the country named? is the passport newly issued, or without much in the way of travel stamps? if so, you must institute enhanced due diligence before account opening.

Do NOT blindly accept any diplomatic passport holder without serious inquiry and verification of the bona fides of the holder's status as an accredited diplomat. Otherwise, you will be a victim.