29 MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE TREATY
Here’s another treaty that has no tax ramifications, but that,
in some cases, allow assets to be seized even without a court
order. The Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) was created
to help law enforcement in criminal investigations, but is not
used in tax evasion cases. This treaty lacks regard for due process of
law, which requires “probable cause” under the Fourth Amendment,
and substitutes it with “reasonable suspicion.” Since its creation in
1973, forty-nine countries have signed the agreement between themselves
and the United States, and together they split the booty—billions
of dollars to date.
The following countries have signed an MLAT with the United
States, effective as of January 1, 2002:
1. Anguilla
2. Antigua and Barbuda
3. Argentina
4. Australia
5. Austria*
6. Bahamas
7. Barbados
8. Belgium
9. Brazil
10. British Virgin Islands
(BVI)
11. Canada
12. Cayman Islands
13. Czech Republic
14. Dominica
15. Egypt
16. Estonia
17. Greece
18. Grenada
19. Hong Kong*
20. Hungary
21. Israel
22. Italy (includes Campione)
23. Jamaica
24. Latvia
25. Lithuania
26. Luxembourg
27. Mexico
The following tax havens are profiled in this book and have not
signed an MLAT with the United States:
For non-U.S. citizens who are reading this book, there may be
more advantages for you in some of these tax havens as the treaties in
place with your country of citizenship are likely to be different, and
there is a good possibility that you are not subject to taxation on your
worldwide income as are U.S. citizens. These factors will have a great
bearing on which tax haven will work best for you.
1. Andorra
2. Aruba
3. Bahrain
4. Belize*
5. Bermuda
6. Brunei
7. Cook Islands
8. Costa Rica
9. Cyprus
10. Dubai, U.A.E.
11. Labuan, Malaysia
12. Liechtenstein*
13. Madeira
14. Malta
15. Monaco
16. Mauritius
17. Seychelles
18. Switzerland*
19. Vanuatu
20. Western Samoa
28. Montserrat
29. Morocco
30. Netherlands
31. Panama*
32. Philippines
33. Poland
34. Romania
35. Spain
36. Saint Kitts and Nevis*
37. Saint Lucia
38. Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines
39. South Africa
40. South Korea
41. Thailand
42. Turkey
43. Turks and Caicos
44. Trinidad and Tobago
45. Ukraine
46. United Kingdom
47. Uruguay
48. Venezuela