Fri | Mar 29, 2024

Puerto Rico suspends operations of bank amid global probe

Published:Friday | July 1, 2022 | 10:13 AM
The investigation was launched by Puerto Rico’s Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions, which said the bank that obtained a licence to operate in the US territory in 2017, came under scrutiny following a lack of internal controls, a lack of compliance and a level of insolvency. -Contributed photo.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Authorities announced Thursday they have suspended the operations of Puerto Rico-based Euro Pacific International Bank, which officials previously said was under suspicion of facilitating money laundering and offshore tax evasion.

The bank was founded by Peter Schiff, a US stockbroker and financial analyst, and had 15,000 accounts by the end of 2019, according to online documents.

The investigation was launched by Puerto Rico's Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions, which said the bank that obtained a licence to operate in the US territory in 2017, came under scrutiny following a lack of internal controls, a lack of compliance and a level of insolvency.

Commissioner Natalia Zequeira said that despite “numerous opportunities,” the bank “has not wanted to comply.”

The bank, located in the capital of San Juan, did not return a message asking for comment.

Jim Lee, chief of the International Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, said he could neither confirm nor deny whether Schiff was under investigation.

Zequeira declined to say how many clients the bank has and its total assets, saying that is confidential information. However, she said creditors would be paid in a certain order.

The bank was formed in the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 2011, then later moved to Puerto Rico. In a 2020 presentation, the bank said 70% of its clients were corporations and small- and medium-size businesses.

The other 30% was divided equally between individual investors and retail banking.

The bank does not provide loans or credit cards, but rather mutual funds and precious metals accounts, among other things.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.