How do you own UK real estate anonymously the "Russian" way?

[cherry]

After the Russia/Ukraine conflict started in 2022, the UK government introduced the The Register of Overseas Entities act, meant to stop "Russians" from owning property anonymously.

But of course, "Russians" was an excuse for the police state UK wanting to track everyone, including you & me.

A year into the act, it was revealed that the "Russians" were still able to stay anonymous despite the regulation: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64536926

There has been no further news since this admission.

So are there any "Russians" here who can share how you're doing it?

 

[JohnnyDoe]

They use “friends”

 

[wellington]

How does that work in the CRS and bank surveillance era - would imagine there would be flags going off everywhere

 

[JohnnyDoe]

How does that work in the CRS and bank surveillance era - would imagine there would be flags going off everywhere

Not if friends are clean. Or as much transparent as ghosts, you know what I mean

 

[Martin Everson]

So are there any "Russians" here who can share how you're doing it?

Putting down UBO as close friends with second passports.

 

[Don]

After the Russia/Ukraine conflict started in 2022, the UK government introduced the The Register of Overseas Entities act, meant to stop "Russians" from owning property anonymously.

But of course, "Russians" was an excuse for the police state UK wanting to track everyone, including you & me.

A year into the act, it was revealed that the "Russians" were still able to stay anonymous despite the regulation: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64536926

There has been no further news since this admission.

So are there any "Russians" here who can share how you're doing it?

An Israeli passport is the most common second passport among Russian-born billionaires, following the UK, and Malta.

The Intelligence and Security Committee has said that the influence of Russian business is so deeply embedded in the British financial system that it "cannot be untangled".

 

[EliasIT]

If you have that kind of money, where we’re talking about hundreds of millions or even a billion, finding someone who can buy everything you want, even if you’re Russian, is probably the least of your worries. I’m also sure they have their methods for managing these people, beyond just feeding them money.

 

[Martin Everson]

I’m also sure they have their methods for managing these people, beyond just feeding them money.

Yes they do. Most people don't want their name added to such lists.

Full List of Russians to Fall Out of Windows​

https://www.newsweek.com/full-list-russians-fall-windows-putin-ukraine-war-1781790

 

[EliasIT]

haha I must say, you’re always ready with the perfect comment and the right links for those kinds of posts

 

[cherry]

If you have that kind of money, where we’re talking about hundreds of millions or even a billion, finding someone who can buy everything you want, even if you’re Russian, is probably the least of your worries. I’m also sure they have their methods for managing these people, beyond just feeding them money.

If that's what they were doing, the UK government wouldn't say the owners are anonymous. The BBC link in the OP suggests uses of trusts is keeping them anonymous.

 

[ilke]

If that's what they were doing, the UK government wouldn't say the owners are anonymous. The BBC link in the OP suggests uses of trusts is keeping them anonymous.

Because trusts don't have a UBO and the UK currently does not require reporting of founders/beneficiaries when a trust is the final owner in this case, i.e. it will be listed as if there is no PSC available or the trustee will be listed (an offshore company can, in some cases, act as one).

You can do the same thing.

But about half of the offshore companies, according to the BBC, simply did not file the report or filed it with the wrong info. This is the most anonymous solution but will probably be punished at some point.