The Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) rejects completely the untruthful report in the online portal, Real News Antigua, which claims that the Unit has been instructed by Prime Minister Gaston Browne “to proceed with haste, regardless of the state of the due diligence process” to approve Russian applications for Citizenship.
Real News Antigua attributes this malicious story to sources “in Washington” and “in the diaspora”. No name or agency is identified or quoted by Real News Antigua because, in reality, they do not exist. The story is evidently contrived by Real News Antigua for unscrupulous purposes.
The CIU dismisses the fanciful allegation that it has been instructed by the Prime Minister or any other policy official to discard due diligence processes, which it staunchly applies to all applicants.
The CIU maintains strict and unwavering procedures by its in-house team of compliance specialists, in conjunction with international due diligence providers, and global law enforcement agencies. These procedures are mandatory, and no exceptions are made.
The Citizenship by Investment Unit is unwavering in its protection of the jurisdictional reputation of Antigua and Barbuda, as well as the integrity of the nation’s passport.
In this connection, we deplore this deliberate attempt by Real News Antigua to sully the good name of the CIU and its staff.