Michael Castiglione

An attempt by the Attorney General of the Bahamas to confiscate the criminal proceeds of securities fraud firm Banakor Swisse S.A. spectacularly backfired last year after the group supplied the court with false information and the judge chose to believe the fraudsters over regulators and law enforcement agents. The AG obtained an order at Bahamas Supreme Court freezing the group's assets at The Royal Bank of Scotland (Bahamas) Ltd. on December 8, 2004 - just a few weeks after OffshoreAlert first exposed Banakor. However, after Banakor submitted affidavits that are replete with inaccurate and misleading information, Justice Jon Isaacs reversed his decision on June 13, 2005 and even awarded the crooks costs and invited them to apply for damages.

A scam by Bahamas-based Banakor Swisse is so low-budget that several shell firms it raises money around have been struck off for non-payment of their $350 annual government fee, OffshoreAlert can reveal. The fact that these sham entities are no longer legally in existence has not stopped Banakor Swisse from continuing to raise funds in their names by holding them out to the public as bona fide businesses.

Affidavit of Sydney Saunders in The Attorney General of the Bahamas v. Giuseppe Joseph Castiglione, Michael Castiglione, Banakor Swisse SA, BSB Corporate Services Limited, Banakor Swiss Holdings (Nassau) Limited, and Royal Bank of Canada (Bahamas) Limited at Bahamas Supreme Court.

Supplemental Affidavit of Det. Sgt. Bernard Young in The Attorney General of the Bahamas v. Giuseppe Joseph Castiglione, Michael Castiglione, Banakor Swisse SA, BSB Corporate Services Limited, Banakor Swiss Holdings (Nassau) Limited, and Royal Bank of Canada (Bahamas) Limited at Bahamas Supreme Court.

Affidavit of Det. Insp. Michael Moxey in The Attorney General v. Giuseppe Joseph Castiglione, Michael Castiglione, Banakor Swisse SA, BSB Corporate Services Limited, Banakor Swisse Holdings (Nassau) Limited, and Royal Bank of Canada (Bahamas) Limited at Bahamas Supreme Court.