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One of the dirty little secrets in government is that some intelligence agencies, when in need of additional funding, for projects that their legislatures may not approve of, have a long history of indulging in a little criminal activity, to raise money away from governmental prying eyes. These actions rarely see the light of day, but they do take advantage of innocent victims, and generally never have to face justice for their sins, unless an investigative journalist shines a bright light on them.
For example, while most Americans know that the Central Intelligence Agency was involved in opium trafficking, in the Golden Triangle, during the Southeast Asia conflict of the 1960s and 1970s, they do not know that the CIA has used sophisticated white collar schemes, such as standby letters of credit, and high yield investment programs, to fleece American, as well as foreign, investors.
When looking into the curious relationship between the fugitive Canadian stock trader, Ryan Bateman, and the Government of Cuba, the existence of such illicit programs, operated by the Cuban DGI,* that country's intelligence service, in the Caribbean tax havens, came up. The DGI, it seems, has a major need for capital, especially hard currency (meaning dollars), according to reliable sources, for certain ventures, and it engages, at times working closely with career fraudsters, to raise "capital," which is spirited into Cuba's government-controlled banks, and is safe behind the Sugarcane Curtain.
Victims of intelligence agency scams, that are commanded and controlled from Cuba, have no hope of recovery, or of even understanding who defrauded them. Now, however, with the Cuban Glasnost, and the eventual release of sanctions, American law enforcement agencies may be able to quietly collect intelligence about dodgy DGI operations in the Caribbean. Though sovereign immunity protects government agencies from civil litigation, US law enforcement agencies could name & shame the fraudulent operations, or FINRA, or the S.E.C. might provide that service, as they would certainly constitute unregistered securities, being offered to US citizens or residents.
So, did Ryan Bateman divert some of the stolen millions, in the Cayman Gang of Four scandal, to Cuban Banks ? Bateman did have connections inside Cuban government circles, this we know from his earlier dealings with the projects to conduct offshore oil exploration, in Cuban territorial waters, and he often traveled to Cuba, on unspecified business, and in a controlled economy, official approval is mandatory. He also had a direct connection, via Sharon Lexa Lamb's marriage of convenience, to a Cuban national, José Fernández Santana, whose suspicious travel, between Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks & Caicos Islands, on his yacht, looks like bulk cash smuggling, something that would require government approval. The evidence is not yet complete on Bateman, but the investigation is ongoing.
So, the next time some sharp offshore financial professional, in a Caribbean tax haven, talks to you about a high yield "sure thing," remember, you may be dealing, not with financial fraudsters, but foreign intelligence operatives, intent on cleaning you out. Caveat emptor, por favor.
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*Direccíon General de Inteligencia (General Intelligence Directorate).
Contributed by Kenneth Rijock
Posted by Andrei Slavenkov
