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| Sham directors: the woman running 1,200 companies from a Caribbean rock | Sham directors: the woman running 1,200 companies from a Caribbean rock |
| (4 months later) | |
| At the age of 38, Bradford-born Sarah Petre-Mears is running one of the biggest business empires on earth. Or so it would appear. | At the age of 38, Bradford-born Sarah Petre-Mears is running one of the biggest business empires on earth. Or so it would appear. |
| Official records show her controlling more than 1,200 companies across the Caribbean, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and the UK itself. Her business partner, Edward Petre-Mears, is listed as a director of at least a further 1,000 international firms. | Official records show her controlling more than 1,200 companies across the Caribbean, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and the UK itself. Her business partner, Edward Petre-Mears, is listed as a director of at least a further 1,000 international firms. |
| But the true headquarters of this major businesswoman remains mysterious. The UK companies register lists 12 addresses for her, several in London. None are real homes: several are PO boxes, collecting mail for hundreds of locations, while others merely house the offices of incorporation agencies. | But the true headquarters of this major businesswoman remains mysterious. The UK companies register lists 12 addresses for her, several in London. None are real homes: several are PO boxes, collecting mail for hundreds of locations, while others merely house the offices of incorporation agencies. |
| Only one listed address, a cottage on Sark, seems genuinely residential. Sark is a remote self-governing tax haven in the Channel Islands, a nine-mile ferry-ride from Guernsey. | Only one listed address, a cottage on Sark, seems genuinely residential. Sark is a remote self-governing tax haven in the Channel Islands, a nine-mile ferry-ride from Guernsey. |
| Sark indeed was once the Petre-Mears' family home. But inquiries reveal the family left town more than a decade ago. As neighbours and friends working within the local offshore financial industry in Sark scattered across the globe, the couple moved to the Caribbean. | Sark indeed was once the Petre-Mears' family home. But inquiries reveal the family left town more than a decade ago. As neighbours and friends working within the local offshore financial industry in Sark scattered across the globe, the couple moved to the Caribbean. |
| John Parker, the owner of a British incorporation agency, explained in an email: "Sarah and Edward Petre-Mears have dual residence – Sark and Nevis … The reason for this is that the UK government is trying its hardest to stop the 'Sark Lark', as it is known, and they decided to do something about it before it was forced upon them." | John Parker, the owner of a British incorporation agency, explained in an email: "Sarah and Edward Petre-Mears have dual residence – Sark and Nevis … The reason for this is that the UK government is trying its hardest to stop the 'Sark Lark', as it is known, and they decided to do something about it before it was forced upon them." |
| Nevis is a tropical dot in the Caribbean, more than 3,000 miles from Sark. A volcanic outcrop plagued by hurricanes, it is barely five miles across and its 12,000 population is smaller than that of many English towns. | Nevis is a tropical dot in the Caribbean, more than 3,000 miles from Sark. A volcanic outcrop plagued by hurricanes, it is barely five miles across and its 12,000 population is smaller than that of many English towns. |
| Getting to Nevis from Sark requires a long, indirect and infrequent flight to the slightly bigger nearby island of St Kitts, followed by an hour's sea-voyage on the Mark Twain, an ageing boat. Donkeys, goats and chickens roam the Nevis streets. The low houses outside the tiny capital, Charlestown, are commonly roofed with corrugated iron. | Getting to Nevis from Sark requires a long, indirect and infrequent flight to the slightly bigger nearby island of St Kitts, followed by an hour's sea-voyage on the Mark Twain, an ageing boat. Donkeys, goats and chickens roam the Nevis streets. The low houses outside the tiny capital, Charlestown, are commonly roofed with corrugated iron. |
| But even in this very intimate spot, the Petre-Mears' ghostly business empire is hard to pin down. One possible address corresponds simply to a small PO box in the Charlestown post office. Another, called the Henville Building, turns out to be a branch of the local First Caribbean bank. | But even in this very intimate spot, the Petre-Mears' ghostly business empire is hard to pin down. One possible address corresponds simply to a small PO box in the Charlestown post office. Another, called the Henville Building, turns out to be a branch of the local First Caribbean bank. |
| Finally, a clue emerges. One local responds: "You mean the English lady? Works with the offshores, right?" | Finally, a clue emerges. One local responds: "You mean the English lady? Works with the offshores, right?" |
| On the far side of the island, the Guardian finally finds a prosperous-looking villa, quite deserted for the summer, with spectacular sea views and a noisy, unchained dog in the garden. | On the far side of the island, the Guardian finally finds a prosperous-looking villa, quite deserted for the summer, with spectacular sea views and a noisy, unchained dog in the garden. |
| This is Sarah Petre-Mears' home in the sun, where she officially claims to be masterminding battalions of international firms. She also finds time to run marathons and cycle races in New York, Florida and Hawaii, and to bring up her two children on the island. | This is Sarah Petre-Mears' home in the sun, where she officially claims to be masterminding battalions of international firms. She also finds time to run marathons and cycle races in New York, Florida and Hawaii, and to bring up her two children on the island. |
| We tried to ask her about the allegations against nominee directors. But she didn't respond to requests for comment. However, the evidence we have gathered suggests her impressive directorships are a complete sham. | We tried to ask her about the allegations against nominee directors. But she didn't respond to requests for comment. However, the evidence we have gathered suggests her impressive directorships are a complete sham. |
| A DHL courier has for years been making regular overseas runs, carrying batches of company papers for Petre-Mears simply to sign in return for cash. | A DHL courier has for years been making regular overseas runs, carrying batches of company papers for Petre-Mears simply to sign in return for cash. |
| John Parker is one of her UK connections, who registers offshore entities for anonymous clients with her as nominee director. Petre-Mears does not appear to need to know much about the people for whom she passes resolutions, allots shares and helps set up bank accounts. All she has to do is sign her name. | John Parker is one of her UK connections, who registers offshore entities for anonymous clients with her as nominee director. Petre-Mears does not appear to need to know much about the people for whom she passes resolutions, allots shares and helps set up bank accounts. All she has to do is sign her name. |
| Those names appear on activities ranging from Russian luxury property purchases, to porn and casino sites. Sometimes, such nominees even act as shareholders as well as directors. | Those names appear on activities ranging from Russian luxury property purchases, to porn and casino sites. Sometimes, such nominees even act as shareholders as well as directors. |
| Two Nevis islanders, Kellee France and Stanley Williams, were also recruited to sign up as nominees in recent years, adding apparent variety to the list of names for sale. | Two Nevis islanders, Kellee France and Stanley Williams, were also recruited to sign up as nominees in recent years, adding apparent variety to the list of names for sale. |
| Parker, the owner of Offshore Incorporations Ltd, who says he is a former special constable in Northamptonshire, posted a photograph of himself online in police uniform this month. After the Guardian confronted him with questions, the picture appears to have been removed. He told us: "Sarah Petre-Mears has acted as nominee for BVI [British Virgin islands] companies which this company has formed … As far as we are concerned, she has acted as a genuine nominee." | Parker, the owner of Offshore Incorporations Ltd, who says he is a former special constable in Northamptonshire, posted a photograph of himself online in police uniform this month. After the Guardian confronted him with questions, the picture appears to have been removed. He told us: "Sarah Petre-Mears has acted as nominee for BVI [British Virgin islands] companies which this company has formed … As far as we are concerned, she has acted as a genuine nominee." |
| He added: "The nominees [the legal owners] act on behalf of the beneficial owners … Every large financial institution in the world uses exactly the same arrangement." | He added: "The nominees [the legal owners] act on behalf of the beneficial owners … Every large financial institution in the world uses exactly the same arrangement." |
| He said: "All arrangements can be used for fraud and theft but we would not accept any client if we knew or suspected that was their intention." | He said: "All arrangements can be used for fraud and theft but we would not accept any client if we knew or suspected that was their intention." |
| The government of Nevis, a former UK slave colony that now largely runs its own affairs within the Commonwealth, shows no wish to interfere with the nominee trade. | The government of Nevis, a former UK slave colony that now largely runs its own affairs within the Commonwealth, shows no wish to interfere with the nominee trade. |
| The Nevis premier's spokeswoman Deli Caines talked frankly about the regime's attitude, while a herd of goats wandered into the grounds of her government offices, housed in a former hotel opposite a derelict petrol station. | The Nevis premier's spokeswoman Deli Caines talked frankly about the regime's attitude, while a herd of goats wandered into the grounds of her government offices, housed in a former hotel opposite a derelict petrol station. |
| "The offshores are one of the reasons Nevis and St Kitts are doing well," she said. "Is it locals complaining, or those from overseas? It's not the locals! If Britain is crying about its tax dollars, that's not really a problem for us." | "The offshores are one of the reasons Nevis and St Kitts are doing well," she said. "Is it locals complaining, or those from overseas? It's not the locals! If Britain is crying about its tax dollars, that's not really a problem for us." |
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