GRENADA ALLOWS DODGY OFAC-SANCTIONED INDIVIDUAL TO SELL ITS ECONOMIC CITIZENSHIPS

                                                                   John Hanafin

The five East Caribbean states that offer Citizenship by Investment (CBI/CIP) schemes all attempt to reassure potential purchasers that the consultancies and vendors whom they authorize to act on their behalf as "licensed" companies and individuals are trusted professionals, much like licensed insurance agents. Often, nothing could be further from the truth, as many are non-professional sales people who are often less than candid about any potential risks that may arise from owning a CBI passport. For example, some of the selling jurisdictions have a dark history of their banks' involvement in international money laundering, resulting in a possible targeting of any passport holders from their countries when engaged in international travel, or making wire transfers to high-risk countries.

A Dubai-based company. known as HURIYA PRIVATE FZE LEE, and its principal, JOHN DESMOND HANAFIN, engaged in the sale of Grenada CBI citizenships, were sanctioned more than a year ago by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, due to multiple violations of international sanctions imposed on Russia due to its invasion of the Ukraine. Our sources have advised that Huriya, which engaged in the sale of illegally-discounted Grenada citizenships through HENG SENG, is now closed, while Hanafin continued to vend illegal citizenships through successor companies. We are presently investigating those entities, and expect to have further identifying information regarding them in a subsequent article

We are unable to locate Mr. Hanafin, as are many others, and there are reportedly multiple creditor claims pending against him for Huriya business debts. Any reader with information about Mr. Hanafin is urged to contact us at: miamicompliance@gmail.com

Hanafin's Grenada CBI offer

The pressing question is: If the Grenada government vets its citizenship vendors and sales consultants, how could it approve an individual, and a company, that were the subject of international sanctions? I have seen a quote from the present head of the country's CIU, that sanctions are not themselves disqualifying for involvement with the CBI program, so we wonder just how many dodgy or unsuitable sales agents who should be barred from offering Grenada citizenships are currently approved to deal with the public?