PORT VILA (Port Vila Presse/PINA) — People in Vanuatu have been warned to watch out for con artists and international fugitives attempting to use the country for their schemes.
The Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority issued the warning following the arrest and deportation to the United States of the controversial Onapolis family.
The husband and wife have now been taken into custody in America. It follows liaison between the authority and Vanuatu, Australian, and United States police and financial intelligence units.
Acting VIPA Chief Executive Officer Johnny Koanapo said: “Our people must not trust all people coming outside and claiming to be investors without going through the approval systems of the government. These people can easily sweet talk you and walk away with all the money that you have. Normally, you will find that these people will try as much as possible to avoid the formal procedures and try to find a way around it.”
He added, “We confirm having personally dealt with this two people when they called in at VIPA office several times, intending to invest in Vanuatu. They appeared to be very kind individuals to us, and looked very professional with their dress codes. But all along we were suspicious, as they were making huge proposals.”
He said one proposal from the couple was an education project similar to that used by people behind the failed Victoria Business Institute. Those involved in that got the foreign students’ money and left the students stranded.
Kenneth Onapolis, his wife Melody and son were extradited back to the United States escorted by Vanuatu police. Melody Lynn Onapolis had been indicted in West Virginia on Sept. 10, 1998, on two counts of embezzlement and three counts of forgery.
Her husband was taken to a prison in Ohio. Police said Onapolis carried with him false U.S. government stamps, along with a machine used to print credit cards, bank checks, and university degrees.
The Onapolis family arrived in Vanuatu via Greece and Australia.
Koanapo said this incident was not the first. “We have personally dealt with people who have a lot of international experience in criminal activities, and submitted false checks to VIPA,” he said.
“We had someone who walked in last year with a check amounting to as far as $300 million, asking for approval on the spot. We refused to let him walk away with what he wanted. We may have some of these people still hiding and doing illegal businesses in Vanuatu. We must work together to ensure that we do not create an impression that Vanuatu is an investment destination harboring international criminals.”
