Panama Seminar
Panama Seminar
The scene is a lush tastefully appointed resort right on the bay. Beautiful sand beaches lead to calm blue green waters. On a patio overlooking the spectacular view a party is going on.
It is the welcoming event for what is claimed will be a powerful eye opening three day seminar. Cocktails in hand attendees are getting to know people from all over the United States. They have all flown in to learn secrets that only the rich have access to secrets that must be communicated confidentially outside of America.
A new friend of mine whom well call Joe is in attendance. He makes a decent amount of money and is upset with all of the taxes he pays. So Joe has paid 7500 to hear what the experts have to say.
As the ice breaks the sun sets and the liquor does its job the party starts to click. People are having fun voices get louder and connections are made. Joe does not drink and is a sober observer to the frivolity.
He notices people taking photos of each other with digital cameras. One man in particular is getting groups of people together and taking photos. The mans wife or girlfriend or friend? is a very attractive blond in her mid 30s wearing a mildly revealing outfit. She is easily able to chat up the predominately male group of attendees. Joe gets a closer look at parts the others arent focusing on. She is wired for sound.
Her male friend brings another group over for photos and shared fun. Joe notices the mans shoes. They are black heavy lace ups almost government issue.
Joe wonders who the couple works for. Are they with the seminar group a kidnapping ring or the U.S. government? Whoever they are with they are good at what they do.
The next morning the seminar begins. Larry the tanned and well dressed promoter gets up and gives a stirring speech. The man is seemingly very knowledgeable and is backed up by impressive testimonials and incredible color brochures. In his remarks he says people have made the right choice and that their lives will be positively changed by the information they are about to receive. He notes with great pride that he and his team are not lawyers because lawyers dont know/cant appreciate/wont give the advice this lucky group will be fortunate enough to take in over the next three days.
During the seminar Joe learns about offshore corporations and asset protection and offshore investing. He has made the very conscious decision not to buy anything or agree to any services while in Panama. As such he was keenly able to observe both the overt and very subtle pressure being applied by the promoter and his attractive well spoken minions to buy now. The special pricing was not available once the seminar was over. Why not? Joe pondered. Buying right now was the smartest and most important decision you could ever make. More important than marrying the right person and bringing great kids into the world? If you didnt buy now you would regret it for the rest of your life. I will? Joe wondered.
Joe became friends with a man named Scott from Spokane. They both liked fishing and white water rafting and thus hit it off. They differed in one big respect: Scott was primed to buy.
Scott bought five of the offshore corporations and trusts they were promoting. The combination of the five entities was structured in such a way to provide maximum asset protection and tax savings. The structure cost 20000 to set up but Scott was assured he would save 50000 a year in taxes for the rest of his life. Who wouldnt spend that kind of money for the savings? Actually Joe wouldnt.
Scott heard Nigel a distinguished of British gentleman present a seminar on managed offshore investment accounts where returns over 25 per year were guaranteed. Nigel cogently explained that the U.S. government deliberately limited the amount of money its citizens could make and that the best returns were made by smart independent thinkers investing offshore. Scott could not wait to turn over 250000 to Nigel his new investment advisor located in Panama. Joe actually could wait and did.
Joe and Scott met a third attendee at the seminar. Ron was from Cincinnati and made it a point to meet as many people as he could at the Panama Seminar. Ron just happened to be putting together a real estate deal in Belize. He needed asset protection advice which is why he has spent 7500 to attend the event which was the best hed ever seen. Ron and Scott had an involved conversation about Rons Belize project over lunch one day. Joe politely listened but did not rise to the bait which was a 100 return in 18 months. Scott committed to an investment of 100000 which Ron indicated had to be wired in the next 24 hours. The investment was almost full and Ron Scotts new friend wanted to make sure he got in this incredible deal.
The Panama Seminar ended with a going away party. Once again the liquor flowed and did its job. Some attendees talked of how much they learned and benefitted and fanned the fires of value and positive word of mouth. Joe always the critical thinker asked himself whether these hugely satisfied customers who always seemed to be the first to jump up and buy the next product in the seminar were well placed shills.
The attractive blonde was again dazzling to look at and she held court with a large number of new friends she had made. They were eating out of her hand and talking freely. More photos were taken and more confidences revealed. Most attendees went to bed satisfied with the whole event and the money they spent.
Joe returned home and decided against buying any offshore structures and investments. It just didnt feel right. After a while the promoters pressuring sales minions stopped calling.
But Joe did keep in touch with Scott. They spoke every month or so. At first Scott was ecstatic with the results of the seminar. The offshore structures were in place and he was ready for tax saving. The managed offshore account was doing well. And Rons Belize project was funded and poised to provide a quick and significant return on investment.
But after three months Scotts tone began to change. He told Joe his accountant couldnt condone or wouldnt deal with the offshore structures. Initially Scott gave his CPA the party line he learned at the Panama Seminar: USA professionals do not and will not ever understand the complexities of beneficial offshore structures. But over time and into the next year his CPAs objections took hold and were strengthened by a surprise IRS audit. Scott casually mentioned that two other seminar attendees he kept in touch with were suddenly being audited but did not initially connect the dots.
Six months later Joe learned from Scott that Nigel the offshore investment manager had suddenly gone out of business. There was no forwarding number or address. Nigel was nowhere to be found. The country of Panama did not insure his investment account. Scotts 250000 had disappeared.
Then Scott received the news that the Belize project had failed. The story was that Ron from Cincinnati had not made the last 50000 payment to the developer. The 750000 non refundable deposit including Scotts 100000 investment would not be returned and was lost.
As Joe tried to console Scott he saw another side of his new friend. Just as Scott was quick to rise to the bait he was dogged in fighting someone who took advantage of him.
Scott was on a mission and started digging. He soon learned that Larry the promoter had left Las Vegas after being charged for fraud in an online Ponzi scheme. Like so many criminals before him Larry was able to easily reemerge without training or scruples as an offshore asset protection expert.
Scott learned from other investigators that there were very few barriers to entry to this scam. One could easily rent out a Panama hotel and lure attendees. Printing color brochures was not difficult. In fact Scott learned a rule of thumb in the asset protection world: the more expensive the color brochures the bigger the scam.
Joe continued talking with Scott and was amazed by what he dug up. Nigel was a convicted felon from London who had drifted down to the Caribbean. Hooking up with Larry they created a fake investment firm out of Nevis and Panama. Together through seminars and other means they had taken in over 12 million in investment monies by promising huge returns. When it was time to pull the plug they each disappeared with 6 million.
Ron from Cincinnati was one of the many shills in the room at the Panama seminar. He was there to praise Larrys knowledge and creativity. He was one of the first five people to jump up and buy each session. His enthusiasm was contagious and others followed him with credit cards in hand.
Scott learned not surprisingly the Belize project was a scam. The developer Ron and Larry split the 750000 non refundable deposit between themselves. While Larry had disappeared Ron and the developer were in Scotts sights. Using very unorthodox and highly aggressive tactics not condoned by this U.S. Civil Courts Scott was able to get his 100000 back.
Still Scott was out 270000 from his experience in Panama. As he and Joe continued to keep in touch Scott always hailed Joe for his restraint amongst the purveyors of greed and fear at the Panama Seminar.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Garrett Sutton Esq. is a corporate attorney and is the author of Own Your Own Corporation and other titles in the Rich Dad Advisor series. His firm forms and maintains corporations LLCs and other entities and may be reached at http://www.corporatedirect.com.
To get a FREE copy of Garrett Sutton’s book “What to Know Before you Incorporate” please visit http://www.corporatedirect.com.
Related posts:
