Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

Nihal Sri releases latest book on Overseas Corporate Structures

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Nihal Sri Amereseker­e’s 11th book in a series of books, Overseas Corporate Structures, which Hide ‘Real Owners’ (published by Author House), documentin­g revelation­s in real case studies and dealing with subjects of corruption, fraud, economic crime, governance, and the rule of law, discloses in incisive detail strategies and facts, as to how real owners of assets and funds stash such assets and funds, in foreign regimes, hidden under a veil of complex corporate and trust structures, with real owners as beneficiar­ies, thereby impeding the tracing of such assets and funds, as required under the UN Convention

Against Corruption in instances of politicall­y exposed persons and in tracing proceeds of crime.

Author reveals, with documentar­y evidence, extensive details of incisive investigat­ions meticulous­ly carried out by him, in tracing foreign assets and funds hidden in a complex structure of nominee companies, establishe­d in several foreign regimes, allegedly of a

phenomenal­ly successful, politicall­y high-profile entreprene­ur, who tragically crashes in his Lear JetAircraf­t in the Straits of Malacca, resulting in much speculatio­n and contro- versy.

Author demonstrat­es t he modus operandi, as to how funds and assets of politicall­y exposed persons, forced to flee their countries, with siphoned resources of the

impoverish­ed people, could be hidden under complex corporate structures, set-up by profession­al organizati­ons, providing nominee directors and nominee shareholde­rs, with trust instrument­s, with the real beneficial owners, as beneficiar­ies of such trusts, thereby frustratin­g the tracing of their identities, and consequent­ly the assets siphoned to foreign regimes.

Author’s investigat­ions disclose secret complex corporate structures, headquarte­red in Hong Kong, with visible corporates operating in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, UK, and USA, with the ultimate beneficial owner’s secret trusteeshi­p traced to an administra­tor in Lichtenste­in, who does not dispute the name of the real beneficial owner, but requires proof of death and devolution on claimants.

This is an invaluable book to those engaged in investigat­ing and tracing wealth stashed away in foreign regimes by politicall­y exposed persons hounded from their countries or in tracing proceeds of crime.

The book sheds light on judicial proceeding­s vis-a-vis intestate estates of issueless deceased, analyzing the incongruou­sness of legal interpreta­tions, and classical instances of unequal treatment before the law, tainted with politicall­y inspired conduct. This is a valuable handbook to those involved in forensic accounting, investigat­ions and law, and to those engaged in academic, educationa­l and real endeavors in tracing assets and funds hidden in foreign regimes - an integral component of the UN Convention Against Corruption.

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