The government of Saint Lucia has made the decision to revoke the citizenship of Junjie Su, formerly known as Haijin Su, following accusations of money laundering.
Su, a Chinese businessman, was implicated in financial and legal controversies and was arrested and sentenced to 14 months in Singapore in connection with the country’s largest money laundering case ever.
Su’s name surfaced in reports of money laundering investigations involving funds linked to Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Program. He was identified as using his business activities to launder money through complex financial networks.
While Su’s exact investment under the CIP has not been publicly disclosed, his involvement came under scrutiny due to allegations of money laundering and other illegal activities, raising questions about the program’s due diligence processes.
Following this occurrence, the government exercised powers conferred under sections 38(1)(c) and 39 of the Citizenship by Investment Act, Cap. 1.20, which states that the government may revoke any CIP passport from a holder who may bring Saint Lucia into disrepute, as published in the government gazette, dated November 14.
At Monday’s pre-cabinet press briefing, Minister for Investment Dr. Ernest Hilaire indicated that while his administration did not approve Mr. Su’s application, they believed it was in the best interest of the nation to revoke his passport.
“He was granted citizenship in 2018, so it was before this administration, but of course, he was a citizen of Saint Lucia. He would have gone through the process. I still have to establish the due diligence firm that processed him, but yes, he did go through the process. We don’t refund because the law says anybody who acts in [this manner], we have a right to revoke.”
When questioned as to whether he believes that the details of investments should become public knowledge for transparency reasons, Dr. Hilaire reiterated his stance in opposition to this practice, stating:
“We do not believe that private, confidential, commercial information should be released in the public and certainly not without the permission of the investor.”
This situation continues to highlight the ongoing concerns about such programmes, not only in Saint Lucia but in the entire region.
We act like CIP/CBI was not a great opportunity for criminals. We cannot even control traditional crimes, how will we deal with sophisticated crime. This article is another reason why the government needs to give us the facts.
Borbol!!
Allan where hart thou ?? Black Bway Fedee the church mouse is louder than you.
CIP will be the downfall of all those islands participating in it in the long term. The losses outweigh the benefits exponentially. We are not in control within our own borders, then what makes us think we can control anything beyond them. The open border policy among islands is also questionable. Take control of your house before you invite strangers in it.
@Say: I concur with your comment. The OECS citizens have a certain liberty for moving from territory to territory with a certain amount of ease. It frightens me to know that when these sophisticated criminals who are granted CIP passports see these territories as fertile ground for cultivation of their criminal acts, God help us!!
Saint Lucian passports and citizenship should not be for sale, period, it is time to do away with is, was never a good idea, will never be.
It is too easy for foreigners to get st Lucian passport we can never get a Chinese passport or an American passport so easy.
Stopped selling st Lucia for Devil 😈
All CIP has been successful in doing is weakening our passport on the world travel stage, more and more countries will require St.Lucians to apply for Visas to get entry because the international community understand any country selling their citizens birthright is a risk to national security. What the St.Lucian government has done is not create new investment opportunities but rather found a way to make bribery legal, let’s be clear if you pay 100K for an official government document you don’t deserve it’s not an investment, it’s a bribe. The rapid increase in crime in St.Lucia directly correlates with the inception of CIP. Think about it for a minute if you were a criminal what would be one of the easiest ways to cover your track, buy a passport in a country that doesn’t have the technology or capability to trace your illegal activity.
St.Lucia CIP demonstrates the laziness and lack of creativity of our government when it comes to creating new investment opportunities. If the St.Lucian government was truly interested in an international investment program that actually makes sense they need not look any further than the “Turks and Caicos Islands investment program” The program allows you a path to citizenship but it’s a 10 year minimum program and you actually need to make a physical investment in the county by way of real-estate or a business, that way you have a vested interest in the growth and development of the country. Your are tied to the country by way of your investment and you will do whatever you need to do to protect your investment and help it grow, that way you benefit and so does the country for an extended period. A 100k bribe doesn’t have the same effect. No wonder we are seen as “Third World”
LORD Save 🇱🇨 St Lucia ❗
Saint Lucia like other Caribbean islands do not have Citizenship by Investment Programmes. We all have Sale of Passport, not CIP. In other words, we are selling passport like we sell mangoes.
Still no audit, going on third year now. All options sold for Galaxy but will it be enough to finish resort, I smell a red rat
St. Lucia has lost it’s power on the world market because of Selfishness and Greed. Money hungry politicians. St. Lucian passports should be approved by St. Lucians in St. Lucia to individuals who are either married to a St. Lucian or are a child/children of a St. Lucian parent. In that case a St. Lucian would be jailed if they sold a Lucian passport to a foreigner who do not meet the above requirements.
I am not sure if St. Lucia or the agency who is responsible for vetting is adequately able to undertake this huge responsibility. I work in credentialing of physicians for employment and although this is different it is very detailed and complexed because all documents need to be verified and certified.
In the world stage people use different names for deception and some countries may not adequately provide you with all that you need for vetting …be careful St. Lucia there is lots of aliases out there and much criminal intent worldwide.
How many of Lucians going Europe and North America and committing crimes, getting deported then coming back with a fake accent acting like they were a big shot over there?
It happens both ways. I’m happy they revoked this one’s citizenship. They need to start publishing the names of the criminal deportees too.