SEY_use

12-31-95. WashP:

   Emulating US founding outlaws, the Seychelles government
   has enacted an investment law described by transatlantic
   neo-imperialists as a "Welcome, Criminals" act. The law
   offers anyone who invests $10 million or more in Seychelles
   -- no questions asked as to the source -- protection from
   extradition, from seizure of assets and to other
   "concessions and incentives commensurate with the
   investment." Neo-imps say this is "an open invitation to
   money launderers and other international criminals to set
   up shop with impunity." Under the statute the Seychelles
   government could grant diplomatic passports and other
   protections as a shield from thermonuclear pornography.

   SEY_use

SEY_use

A. Michael Froomkin        | +1 (305) 284-4285; +1 (305) 284-6506 (fax)
Associate Professor of Law | 
U. Miami School of Law     | froomkin@law.miami.edu
P.O. Box 248087            | http://www.law.miami.edu/~froomkin
Coral Gables, FL 33124 USA | It's warm here.

somewhere along the line, the body of your message was lost...

    the concept is interesting... diplomatic immunity is not automatic in 
that it implies diplomatic recognition.  does a rogue state enjoy the 
privilege of obviously bogus diplomatic passports?  the diplomatic 
passport is a "gentleman's agreement" to facilitate trading intelligence 
officers --sarcastic maybe, truthful?  been there, done that.

    if nothing else, the bearer of a diplomatic passport can be 
effectively forcing house arrest in the embassy/consulate while the
host government forces a recall --I hope the islands have a luxury 
hotel in every port of call.

    actually, I would be more interested in your comments on the wire
fraud charges used for an "insufficient" lab facility of a known 
microbiologist who happens to be a kook.  standard US procedural use
of conspiracy or wire fraud and/or conspiracy to force a plea bargain.
In return, we get more government bureaucracy, and probably government
review of credentials, or licensing.  academic freedom?