(This accompanies a Special Report ID:nL3N1AS33Z )
By Carolyn Cohn
LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - UK companies that have been dissolved or are dormant face minimal disclosure requirements and often have a pre-existing bank account. This can be used to run cash through them without ringing alarm bells at the bank, fraud specialists say.
- 9 Nov 2010: Company number 03827349, registered at UK Companies House since 1999 and named TWIC-Trans World Investment Corporation Ltd, is dissolved.
- 8 May 2012: Incorporation firm Eurofinanzza sells TWIC-Trans World Investment Corporation Ltd to Australian Bryan Cook, Eurofinanzza says. Eurofinanzza says Cook asks for the company name to change to Euro Forex Investment Ltd.
- June 2012: "EuroFX" begins to pitch to investors in China.
- July 2012: TWIC-Trans World Investment Corporation Ltd is re-incorporated as Euro Forex Investment Ltd.
EuroFX brochure makes clear that EuroFX is a brand name for Euro Forex Investment Ltd.
- July/Aug 2012: Two new companies, Euro Forex Management Ltd and Euro Forex Services (UK) Ltd are registered at Companies House. Company secretary of both firms is William Grosvenor & Partners, whose directors include David Orchard. Both Euro Forex firms are dormant. Orchard says they have no bank accounts.
- July-Nov 2012: EFIL-Euro Forex Investment Ltd is registered in the UK. It is also dormant. Firms with similar names register in New Zealand.
- Nov 2012: David Andrew Byrne is made director of Euro Forex Investment Ltd. EuroFX announces on its website that Byrne is new CEO.
- 5 Dec 2012: Euro Forex Investment Ltd says an issue of preference shares has increased its share capital to 10,005,000 pounds.
- Oct 2013: Byrne's position at Euro Forex Investment Ltd is terminated, according to Companies House. EuroFX tells investors the firm was merged into FXCAP.
- Aug 2015: FXCAP says on its website it is filing for bankruptcy.
- Apr 2016: Euro Forex Investment Ltd is compulsorily dissolved, by registrar Companies House.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ SPECIAL REPORT-How British firms built a pyramid scheme in China that lost millions
http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/china-investment-eurofx/
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Edited by Sara Ledwith)