From: Vincent Cate <vince@offshore.com.ai>
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 1996 01:27:28 +0800
To: Duncan Frissell <frissell@panix.com>
Subject: Re: Rumors of death of Anguilla Data are greatly exagerated.
In-Reply-To: <2.2.32.19960812101556.00a54ec4@panix.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.960812071219.5395A-100000@offshore>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain





On Mon, 12 Aug 1996, Duncan Frissell wrote:
> At 01:37 PM 8/11/96 -0400, Vincent Cate wrote:
> 
> >If the laws of a country say it is fraud to open a bank account with 
> >a fake passport, then encouraging someone to do so is encouraging
> >fraud.  Check with your lawyer and see if you can open up a bank
> >account with a fake passport.  
> 
> My lawyer says that at common law you can use any name to open an account as
> long as there is no intent to defraud.  Since I am giving the bank money and
> not vice-versa, it can't be common law fraud.  I'm lending to them. 

Interesting. 

First, common law only applies if there is no specific law against it. In
some countries there are specific laws.  Is your lawyer sure there is no
specific law against this in the USA? 

> They
> aren't lending to me.  It *is* illegal in the US for the bank to open an
> account for me without some ID checks, but it is not *my* problem and it is
> not fraud.

Second, maybe they are lending to you.  Or maybe you are laundering money.

This also depends on the bank forms.  If they ask you to list any other
aliases you use, or your social security number, etc, you probably need to
lie to fill out the form. 

Think your lawyer would be willing to give his name and a statement on
this?  If a cypherpunk ever got in trouble and could say, "I was told by
the lawyer XYZZY this was legal", it might help.  :-)

  --  Vince

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Vincent Cate   vince@offshore.com.ai  http://www.offshore.com.ai/vince/
Offshore Information Services         http://www.offshore.com.ai/