{"id":62736,"date":"2022-04-29T07:54:20","date_gmt":"2022-04-29T06:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/?p=62736"},"modified":"2022-04-29T07:54:20","modified_gmt":"2022-04-29T06:54:20","slug":"corruption-in-the-british-virgin-islands-whatever-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/2022\/04\/29\/corruption-in-the-british-virgin-islands-whatever-next\/","title":{"rendered":"Corruption in the British Virgin Islands? Whatever next?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Guardian reports this morning<\/a> that:<\/p>\n

\n

The premier of the\u00a0British Virgin Islands (BVI) has been arrested in a sting operation in Miami on charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and money laundering.<\/p>\n

The BVI governor, John Rankin,\u00a0confirmed in a statement\u00a0that Andrew Fahie had been arrested on Thursday morning, saying: \u201cI realise this will be shocking news for people in the territory. And I would call for calm at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oleanvine Maynard, the manager director of the\u00a0Caribbean\u00a0territory\u2019s port authority, and her son Kadeem were also detained in the operation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Compared to other Prime Ministers who I think should have charges brought against them this seems like a low-grade offence, but leaving such comparison aside, and noting that no one is guilty until proven so in court, that such an allegation might be made does not surprise me.<\/p>\n

The British Virgin Islands, as I have recounted over many years, including in two books on tax havens<\/a>, is a centre for international crime. It provides more than 400,000 companies that are used by corruption service providers.\u00a0<\/a>I can think of quite literally no legitimate reason for the use of a BVI company, unless you are running a store in the BVI that is.<\/p>\n

Is it surprising then that such allegations might be made? Not at all. You have, in my opinion, to be a defender of corruption to be engaged in defending the activities of the BVI, as its Premier is. And corruption corrupts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Guardian reports this morning that: The premier of the\u00a0British Virgin Islands (BVI) has been arrested in a sting operation in Miami on charges of
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