Banc Caribe

    In November 1999, OffshoreAlert revealed that Dominica-licensed Banc Caribe was beneficially owned by $300 million Cash 4 Titles Ponzi scheme participant Charles Richard Homa, a claim the bank denied. Homa later went to prison, Banc Caribe went into Receivership, and it was confirmed in court filings that Homa did indeed own the bank at the time of the OffshoreAlert article.
    Timeline
    09

    November

    2006

    Insider Talking: November 9, 2006

    The cold reality of life behind bars has persuaded former offshore banker Paul Morgan Jones to start turning over his assets to the Receiver of Cash 4 Titles, which perpetrated one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in history, operating from

    18

    August

    2006

    Offshore bankers told to pay-up or go to prison

    Two former offshore bankers have been ordered to appear before a United States federal court in Illinois on August 31, 2006 to explain how they intend to pay a financial penalty of $7.2 million.If David Pollock and Paul Jones fail to show up, warrants for their arrest will be issued for contempt of court, stated U. S. District Judge Ronald A. Guzman in a judgment on August 3. Both are U. S. citizens, with Pollock currently residing in St. Lucia and Jones, a former bank examiner for the state of Ohio, living in Cape Coral, Florida, according to court records.

    03

    August

    2005

    Insider Talking: August 3, 2005

    Banc Caribe liquidator & National Bank of Dominica settle litigation with Cash 4 Titles receiver; former house painter Russell Cline enters into plea agreement in Oregon concerning fraud and money laundering charges; and US authorities continue with attempt to seize assets of former Ukraine Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko.

    31

    December

    2003

    Banc Caribe investigation turns to Florida

    Article based on an application to collect evidence – pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Germany – that was granted at the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama on November 26, 2003. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include SouthTrust Bank, Ferdinand Hoischen, Jonny Franke, Banc Caribe Ltd., AIF Bank & Trust Ltd., American Investment & Finance Corp., American Investment & Finance Service Corp., Orion Technology & Commerce Corporation, Orion Technology, Handelsgesellschaft GmbH, and Pershing Securities Ltd.

    31

    July

    2003

    US court freezes assets of Dominica Gov’t-controlled bank

    Nearly $5 million belonging to the government-controlled National Commercial Bank of Dominica has been frozen in the United States after an offshore bank client was found to be in contempt of court.The U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois froze $4,793,472 at NCB’s correspondent account at the Bank of America in Miami, Florida on July 9, 2003.

    30

    April

    2003

    Offshore bank owner Ferdinand Hoischen arrested in Germany

    An offshore banker and an associate have been arrested in Germany on charges of perpetrating an $82 million fraud against approximately 7,000 investors, most of whom are believed to be German nationals.Ferdinand Hoischen, 53, of Vetlanda, Sweden, and Jonny Franke, 49, of Pirna, Germany, were arrested on Monday, March 31, 2003, according to a source who is familiar with the investigation.

    28

    February

    2003

    Banc Caribe owner criticizes regulators

    A part owner of the latest offshore bank to be closed down in Dominica has accused regulators of acting on incorrect information supplied by disgruntled management who had been fired only days before.
    “The government has made a dirty deal with the old management,” said Ferdinand Hoischen, a German lawyer who beneficially owns Banc Caribe with Jonas Persson, of Sweden. “This is very political.”

    31

    August

    2002

    Insider Talking: August 31, 2002

    European Federal Union Bank Ltd. falsely claims to be based in Antigua; Barbados Central Bank revokes license of Keywest Swiss Investment Bank Inc.; DIAK Bank’s Clifford Pitt fails in an attempt to quash a subpoena duces tecum; John Wayne Zidar is gound guilty of fraud and money laundering; US federal court approves IRS motion to serve John Doe summons on MasterCard International for investigation into tax evasion using offshore credit cards; Offshore bankers Julien Giraud and Brian Boeger have each been sentenced to 37 months in prison in the United States; and an auction of property belonging to Imperial Consolidated is due to take place in England.

    30

    November

    2001

    Four offshore bankers arrested, two more on the run

    Four offshore bankers were arrested by United States law enforcement agencies in November and charged with money laundering.Two more have also been charged with money laundering but are still at large after warrants were issued but not executed.Those arrested were

    30

    November

    1999

    Insider Talking: November 30, 1999

    Cayman Islands Immigration Board approves Ann Nealon’s work permit for Walkers law firm by a vote of two to one; Banc Caribe potential target for Cash 4 Titles victims; Antigua assures USA that William Cooper will be extradited; Scott Oliver leaves Lines Overseas Management; and Hundreds of Caribbean immigrants living in the US and residents of Dominica lose $1.2 million in investment scam.