THIS LIST IS PROVIDED AS

A PUBLIC SERVICE OF THE MICROFREEDOM INDEX This page lists warnings and advisories concerning reported or suspected frauds in the micronational community, as well as sources of information about such frauds. Please note that any reports of confirmed or suspected scams, frauds, or other wrong-doings that are sent to me will be posted on this webpage.

The contents of the messages posted are the sole responsibility of their authors.

WARNING

In the United States of America, contact the Department of State.

In Canada, contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

In the United Kingdom, contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

In Ireland, contact the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In the Republic of Kenya, contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the Federal Republic of Nigeria, contact the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the Republic of South Africa, contact the Department of Home Affairs.

The Isle of Man has produced a list of "Camouflage and Fantasy Passports" by name. That list can be read here:

PUBLIC WARNING - FALSE IDENTITY DOCUMENTS

Additional warnings can be seen on the Fifth World Scam Alerts website.

Also, you can check the following resources on the U.S. Department of State website:

INDEPENDENT STATES IN THE WORLD

DEPENDENCIES AND AREAS OF SPECIAL SOVEREIGNTY

If a nation isn't listed here, the USA either doesn't diplomatically recognize it, or doesn't consider it to be a country.

Most recent updates: 15 May 2012

Imposters to the Most Glorious People's Republic of A1

From the official website of the new country project:

"PLEASE NOTE: The Most Glorious People's Republic of A1 has not and does not issue or sell money, stamps, investment shares, diplomatic passports or other fictitious documents, other than those received directly from a '@republicofa1.net' email address. If you are contacted with any such offers, the offer is fraudulent."

Imposters to the ACHAEAN TERRITORY

From the words of His Highness, Grand Duke Travis of Westarctica:

"I was recently contacted by an individual from Kenya who asked how he might obtain a passport and citizenship from the Achaean Territory.

He also informed me that he saw another person with an Achaean passport.

The Achaean Territory has never issued passports or offered citizenship to anyone.

If you see someone with a passport from our "nation" please inform your law enforcement authorities immediately! If anyone tries to sell you Achaean citizenship papers, DO NOT BUY THEM!!!

The Achaean Territory DOES NOT exist anymore!"

If you live in Kenya, and have been offered an "Achaean Territory" passport, or have purchased one, please contact the Kenya Ministry of Foreign Affairs.



"AMERO" MEDALLIONS

Medallion Design by Daniel Carr

COPYRIGHT 2006 Designs Computed, All Rights Reserved

Fair Use Clause Invoked

The "Amero" is a hypothetical currency that, solely in theory, could be used to replace the Canadian and United States Dollars and the Mexican Peso, not unlike the way the Euro replaced many of Europe's long-standing currencies. The "Amero" presently exists only in theory, and there are no established plans to replace North America's currencies with the Amero. In August 2007, rumors and conspiracy theories began circulating across the Internet regarding alleged United States Treasury issued "Amero" coins. The inspiration behind these rumors may have the posting of images of medallions created by coin designer Daniel Carr. Carr, who designed the Maine, New York and Rhode Island statehood quarters of 2001, sells medals and tokens of his own design on his commercial website, "Designs Computed" (also known as "DC Coin"). Among his designs were three fantasy issues of an "Amero" coin, with the legend "Union of North America" on the back, with his company's logo, a stylized "DC", in small type. Concerning his "Amero" designs, he mentions on his website: "My goal with these coins is not to endorse a Union of North America or a common 'Amero' currency. I fully support the United States Constitution, and I would not welcome (in any form) a diminishment of its provisions. I expect that these coins will help make more people aware of the issue and the possible ramifications. I leave it up to others to decide if they are in favor of, or against a North American Union. And I encourage citizens to voice their approval or disapproval of government plans that impact them." Unauthorized postings of images taken from his website have been reposted widely across the internet, often being used as supposed "proof" of the Amero coinage. Notably, former internet radio talk show host Hal Turner ran a full article on the "Amero coin", claiming to have arranged for a United States Government minted "Amero" to be smuggled out of the Treasury Department by an employee of that organization. Hal Turner's website is now off-line, but an archive of the page in question is available at Internet Archive. (Notice: Page contains openly racist & Anti-Semitic material.) Following Turner's assertions of federal minting of Ameros, a web site marketing the curio coins released a statement debunking Turner's claims of a government cover up regarding Daniel Carr's Amero products. The urban legend reference website Snopes also ran a further debunking of Turner's claims.

Contrary to what Hal Turner stated on his website, the DC Coin website was not erected simply to discredit him, but was, according to a WHOIS search via Network Solutions, registered on 5 September 2005. Archived versions of the website, dating back to 6 December 2005, can be found at the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. So there you have it. The "Amero" coins with "Union of North America" on the back are privately issued numismatic novelties and nothing more! However, they are available for sale from Carr's website, and from the informational website AmeroCurrency.com. Besides, if these coins were to be used in the United States as well as Canada and Mexico, wouldn't they have text in French and Spanish as well?

ANTI-TAX ARGUMENTS (United States of America)



"United Kingdom of ATLANTIS"

This website promotes the nation as being in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Australia, and having a population of 20,100. However, according to recent reports, the nation is a hoax. According to the report, the self-described king, Sheikh Yakub Al-Sheikh Ibrahim, is a fugitive wanted by the U.S. Government on wire fraud, money laundering, income tax evasion and false statement charges.

Colorado College Bulletin

ExpatWorld

Pacific Magazine

Rumor Mill News

Shenzhen Daily UPDATE: When last checked on 10 January 2006, this URL no longer opens. Network Solutions lists the owner of the domain "ukacrown.com" as "UKA Crown, 37 Riley Rd., Kardinya, Perth, WA 6163, Australia", with the Administrative contact as "Sheikh Al Sharif". The website has been archived at Archive.org.



"BRITISH ARCTIC TERRITORY" PRANK

While neither a deliberate nor intentional fraud, this was part of an April Fool's Day joke that got entirely out of hand, and nearly sparked an international diplomatic incident! A mock government website has been established to further explain this.

Below is an explanation by Clay Moss of Flags of the World, who helped design the flag (An expanded explanation is on the webpage for the flag).

"This was the hoax territory I made up in 1995. I've been strongly encouraged to write an article about the whole 'BAT' ordeal, and will sometime when I get around to it. I never dreamed so many would fall so hard for this hoax. I thought I made it perfectly clear from the beginning it was an April Fools joke. However, for 4 days after being asked if my story were true, the British Government would neither confirm nor deny the existence of the territory. The Canadian government contacted me as well, not to tell me I was mistaken, but for verification of the story. The US government also added the BAT to its 'official' list of nations and territories. It took quite a bit of effort to convince them the territory didn't really exist." In case you're curious, the British Antarctic Territory, one of a number of Antarctic territorial claims, really does exist.

{Official United Kingdom Antarctic Survey Website}



"BRITISH WEST INDIES"

There is a thriving market for "camouflage passports" used by international travelers (Do a websearch for "camouflage passports" and see what comes up). These intentionally fake passports are intended to be used to bluff would-be terrorists and kidnappers from abducting or shooting you, by using this to "prove" you're not from the USA or other "evil" nation. They are perfectly legal to sell and own in most countries, but using them fraudulently (ie; opening a bank account, obtaining a visa, etc.) can constitute a felony.

These passports have names of countries that either:

(1) no longer exist (such as "German Democratic Republic", "South Vietnam" or any of the former South African bantustans/tribal homelands),

(2) have changed their names (with the country's original name on the passport, such as "Rhodesia" [now Zimbabwe], or "New Hebredies" [now Vanuatu]),

(3) never existed, but have familiar sounding names (like "New Grenada" instead of Grenada or "Eastern Samoa" instead of Samoa).

The "British West Indies" is one of these name-only countries. There is no country called the "British West Indies"! Rather, it is a geographic term used for a group of islands (Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands) in the Atlantic Ocean.

However, a number of people have sold "BWI" motor vehicle license plates, driver's licenses, insurance cards, auto title & registration papers as part of a "sovereign citizen" package, supposedly to render one "exempt" from traffic laws and state registration requirements. Such is not the case, and these items were (and remain) illegal to use as identification and registration.

There have been reports of fake "International Driver's Licenses" being sold over the internet, supposedly issued by the "British West Indies". Be forewarned!

A "BWI" driver's license can be seen on the image gallery page of the Militia Watchdog Archives.

Wikipedia has a listing on the British West Indies.



"Independent Sovereign State of the Principality of CAMSIDE"



This is another "fake nation" that is warned about on Quatloos. They claim to be the true owners of Australia.

"What makes the sCamside (sic) fraud unique is that it is tied to one of the strangest scams of all times, the NESARA cult/scam by a woman named 'Dove' in the Washington area who is more than a few fries short of a Happy Meal and who has urged the removal of President Bush (apparently Dove is a big Saddam Hussein supporter). Of course, just like the other fake nation scams the people behind sCamside have not just a few screws loose. sCammers of a feather flock together." - From Quatloos



"Duchy of CARNIOLA"

This supposed nation is offering titles of nobility on its website.

According to the website FakeTitles.com, the REAL Carniola ceased to exist in 1918 and the territory is now part of Slovenia.



Imposters to the Kingdom of EDAN



This is a new country project that has had counterfeit passports issued in its name. One of the project's organizers, Richard Stump, aka King Richard, sent me an e-mail explaining the situation:

"In January 2001 I learned that at least three African families had been sold passports and visas to travel to the Kingdom of Edan for political asylum. The first we learned of this was when someone I know recognized the name of Edan when a query came over her desk. She contacted me and we determined that someone was selling political asylum to Edan for about $400 US per person. We also learned that they were using the Edanian web site as 'proof' that we were a full-fledged nation. We quickly took it down."

The project was restarted in 2012, and the official website is here.



"Kingdom of ENENKIO ATOL" ("Eneen-Kio", "EnenKio", "Enen Kio")

An official warning concerning the alleged "Kingdom of Enenkio" has been issued by the Micronational Professional Registry.

It can be read in its entirety at this website.

FAKE TITLES



An excellent resource on the scams involved in the sale of fraudulent and meaningless "titles of nobility". This site also gives you the low-down on how to obtain a legitimate noble title (It isn't as easy at you think!). The website is run by Richard, 7th Earl of Bradford (someone who holds a REAL British title of Nobility!).

INSTITUT MONDIAL DE MICROPATOLOGIE (IMM)

See World Micropatrology Institute (WMI)

INTERNATIONAL DRIVING DOCUMENT (IDD)

INTERNATIONAL DRIVER'S LICENSES (IDL)



"JOHNSTON ATOLL" LICENSE PLATES

(Photo from Plateshack.com)

While there have been motor vehicles on this unincorporated US territory, it has never issued its own license plates. Any plates used were either from the jurisdiction where the vehicles originated (usuially Hawaii), US Government vehicles with US Government plates, or Department of Defense vehicles with their registration numbers painted on them. These plates were supposedly "issued" by former workers on the island as souvenirs. However, some are being sold on the collectors market as genuine. They aren't.

Related websites:

PL8S.com

Plateshack.com

World License Plates

"KAWEAH INDIAN NATION"

There have been a number of charlatans preying on people seeking US Citizenship by offering them what appears to be "membership" a supposed Native American tribe. According to Wikipedia: "The Kaweah Indian Nation, Inc., is a civic group interested in Native American interests. They applied for status as a federally recognized Native American tribe in the USA in the 1980s, a petition which was denied.

"Recently, scam artists have sold purported citizenships in the non-recognized tribe, particularly to Mexican nationals who have entered the US illegally. Only one tribe, the Kickapoo, actually has dual citizenship with the USA and Mexico." Related Articles:

BlueCornComics.com - Stereotype of the Month

NewAgeFraud.com

Newspaper Rock

TotallyLawyers.com



"Kingdom of KERGUELON"

"KUIU THLINGIT NATION"

There are some promoters of "get rich quick" schemes that promote themselves as being registered with this Native American/American Indian tribe, supposedly in Alaska.

"LITTLE SHELL PEMBINA BAND OF NORTH AMERICA" (LSPBNA)



"Dominion of MELCHIZEDEK"

("Melchizedec", "Melchizedech", "Kingdom of Melchizedek", "Sovereign Order of Melchizedek", "Kingdom of Salem")





"Principality of NEW UTOPIA"



The following is taken directly from an e-mail sent by Ian W. Sawyer. The words are his: "I was involved with the project as one of the Board of Governors from early 1998 through to late 1999, resigning after very major problems started appearing in the whole basis of the legality of New Utopia and Prince Lazarus' dogmatic and dictatorial approach to them.

"Unfortunately I am restricted somewhat on what I can say as the result of a court ruling following a spectacularly unsuccessful attempt by Lazarus to sue me and a colleague for $10 billion, however there are copies of all the correspondence, which include the legal basis for the reasons I resigned from the project and all the subsequent comments by Lazarus and others, on the New Utopia Discussions Group with Yahoo at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/new-utopia, starting in October 1999. There have been further exchanges on the present position of New Utopia as late as the end of 2000 when it seems to have regrettably become little more than a scam.

"I hope that these are of interest to you and possibly your web site readers should you wish to publicise this URL; after all, it is an open discussion group for all to read.

"I'm still very interested in the principle of free nations, but subsequent to the considerable research I did into the subject following the discovery of Lazarus' own inadequate research, I now firmly believe that about the only way that we will be able to achieve a new free sovereign nation, particularly one run along laissez faire capitalist lines, will be by the purchase of an uninhabited island from a poor third world nation, then seceding from it under economically viable terms for the formerly owning country." The original name of "Prince Lazarus Long" has been revealed as "Howard Turney" (He had it legally changed). The name "Lazarus Long" appears to have been taken from a character of science fiction writer, Robert Heinlein. An article about "New Utopia" can be read on the the Tulsa (Oklahoma) Today website archive. You can also read the following litigation releases from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission:

LITIGATION RELEASE NO. 16110 \ April 9, 1999

LITIGATION RELEASE NO. 16425 / February 4, 2000



"NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS" COINS

In 2004, the National Collector's Mint, a USA based company that is, according to its website, "an independent, private corporation not affiliated with, endorsed, or licensed by the U.S. government or the U.S. Mint", was selling coins that were promoted to be made from silver that was stored in the vaults of the World Trade Center in NYC, and were supposed "World Trade Center Commeratives". They were also marketed as "Freedom Dollars" or "Freedom Tower Silver Dollars". The problem is that the coins were marked "Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands", which is a U.S. Territory and has no authority to mint its own currency. Also, the coin is reportedly not solid silver, but made of bronze with a 100 mil silver plating.

These "coins" are no longer being offered by the company. In the past, they have offered silver clad "State Quarter Tributes" of non-states such as Washington, DC and Puerto Rico. A class action lawsuit was filed against the company. For more information, read:

(Press Release) United States Mint

CBS MarketWatch

"Freedom Coin" Lawsuit Information

"Freeedom Tower Silver Dollar" Lawsuit Information

"United Nation of RASTAFARI"

This website originally operated from two URL's. The second, www.rastafari.org, is now devoted entirely to Rastafarian affairs, and appears to be unrelated to this organization.

The "United Nation of Rastafari" website is a simple template site, offering the sale of passports, identity cards and diplomatic papers. No pictures of any of these documents are on the site. The address listed is a Post Office Box in Los Angeles, California, USA.

UPDATE: As of 16 April 2006, this website has shut down. Archives of the website can be seen via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.

For those with a sincere interest in Rastafarian and/or Ethiopian affairs, please visit these websites:

BOBMARLEY.COM (Website maintained by Bob Marley Music, Inc.)

THE CROWN COUNCIL OF ETHIOPIA (Official website of the Royal Ethiopian Government In-Exile)

RASTAFARI.ORG (Website maintained by the Rastafari Unification Church)

Imposters to the RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCITIES

The following is a warning from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Socities:

There are a number of fraudulent web sites which are using the Red Cross Red Crescent emblems to request donations for disaster relief, including the tsunami disaster. Please treat these web sites as suspicious.

If you wish to donate to support the Red Cross or Red Crescent, you can do so through the authorized channels, which are as follows:

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

The International Committee of the Red Cross

The National Societies of the Red Cross or Red Crescent

There are also a number of e-mails currently in circulation pretending to be from the Red Cross Red Crescent - some of them claiming to contain job opportunities at the International Federation. If you receive any unsolicited e-mails which look suspicious, please treat them with caution.



"Independent Principality of SAINT VALENTINE"



This country was tentatively listed on the "Actual Small Countries" page. While it claims to be "...a micronation between Switzerland and Austria and governed from the romantic medieval Saint Valentine Castle", a "WHOIS" search through Network Solutions/VeriSign shows this website is owned by a "Daniel Reimann" in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA. E-mail sent to the "St. Valentine" address went unanswered. On 12 July 2000, the following e-mail was received from Ralf Strölin (reproduced verbatim): "I was born in Radolfzell on the Lake of Constance (Bodensee), which is only about 100 km by car from the point you can see on the map of the principality's homepage.

"I can confirm you: between Switzerland and Austria, north of the Principality of Liechtenstein there is definitely NO other country.

"You can compare Saint Valentine with the Principality of Pontecorvo and the Republic of the Howland and Baker Islands. According to their homepages all three seem to be recognized in our real world but they are fictitious Microstates." Danke, Herr Strölin. NOTE: As of 9 February 2002, the "St. Valentine" website had vanished, and the site's URL routed to one operated by "United States Mail Security". But as of 17 July 2002, the "St. Valentine" website has returned.

UPDATE: As of 20 February 2003, the URL routes to site selling berry products.

Imposters to the Principality of SEALAND



There are only two official websites to the Principality of Sealand. One is located at http://www.sealandgov.org and an older "historical" site at http://www.fruitsofthesea.demon.co.uk/sealand/index.html.

However, there are allegations that someone is using the title of "Sealand International Business Foundation" as the front for an Spanish criminal syndicate that may involve money laundering, drug smuggling, illegal arms trafficking and the sale of counterfeit Sealand identity documents. Bates and family are reportedly (and understandably) irate over this, but are not implicated in the affair. The Spanish Civil Guard is leading an investigation. There are a anumber of websites posing as "official" Sealand websites, but are fake. A list can be found here on the Official Sealand website. One such fraudulent website is at http://www.principality-sealand.net. According to a WHOIS search via Network Solutions/VeriSign, the site is registered to a German firm (The link is provided solely for comparison, and may be shut down at any time). Also, many of the links on this site no longer work [this alone should cause the warning flags to start waving]. Caveat emptor.)

NOTE: As of 21 November 2001, this site has apparently been shut down. The second site is at http://www.principality-of-sealand.eu (also routing through "www.principality-of-sealand.de"). This claims to be a website run by Sealand's "government in-exile", led by an Alexander Gottfried Achenbach, who supposedly was Sealand's Prime Minister*. The site rather boldly states, "Please note that sovereign power of the Principality of Sealand cannot be exercised by the deposed Roy Bates or his collaborators."

NOTE: Roy Bates (Prince Roy of Sealand) has not been deposed, and all official dealings with HavenCo have been with Prince Roy and his son Michael!

The site is bi-lingual (English/German) and also features such topics as UFO sightings and some sort of "free energy" device. Also, a WHOIS search via Ripe NCC reveals a collection of German names and addresses connected to this particular website.

(Thanks to Tiffany Lavender for this information!) (*This may be the "German businessman" referred to in the official Sealand's history page) A third unauthorized website, this time in Spanish(!), can be found at http://www.telebase.es/sealand/. A message from Cesidio Tallini, dated 29 May 2008, is posted here verbatim. The text is his alone:

The Micronational Professional Registry has been advised by the Bureau of Internal Affairs of Sealand that the entity called...

Sealand University

...is wholly unconnected with the Principality.

We advise all National, Micronational, Organisational, and Professional members of the MPR to avoid any dealings with this purported university. It seems to be abusing the Principality of Sealand's good name, but it is also very probably a diploma mill.

We have informed the Distinguished President of Georgetown University that the purported university may be using his good name as well for its own nefarious purposes, and may be also violating Georgetown University's website copyrights.



"united States Civil flag"

(Also known as "United States Civil Flag for Peacetime")



"WESSEX Principality"



This page is almost all text, and offers the sale of citizenships and diplomatic appointments, but offers no information on the "Wessex Principality". To quote the website verbatim (including typecase):

"this is a virtual principality, and citizenship is honoured by countries that we have diplomatic relations. it can also be used as a secondary passport if in a dangerous country where your other passport can get you in hot water with your government or even death on sight of some countries passports. the diplomatic appointments are given to all that wish to be a diplomat for the principality in their home city or country."

There are no illustrations of the passport, nor any list of recognized nations. The website requests that all payment be made payable to "CASH" and sent to a Post Office Box in Roseland, New Jersey, USA. NOTICE: As of 30 May 2003, this website has shut down. ADDENDUM: As of 30 July 2003, "Wessex Principality" has reappeared on another website, but does not offer to sell any documents, rather it lists an offer for citizenship applications and diplomatic appointments (fees required for both). Again, no information about "Wessex Principality" is listed on this newer website.

(Thanks to "peidude" for this information.)



World Peace and Freedom Institute

While this group sounds like a sincere peace organization, they do not list the locations of any of their summits, nor the names of any of their members. They offer "Goodwill Ambassadorship" appointments for purchase on their website for $150.

WORLDWIDE MICROPATRIOLOGICAL INSTITUTE

(INSTITUT MONDIAL DE MICROPATOLOGIE) [WMI-IMM]



The following is the text of an e-mail received from HM Cesidio Tallini of TTF-Bucksfan, on 5 January 2002. It is reprinted verbatim, and the words are his alone. "I've recently noticed on your "Micronation, Successionist & Homeland Groups" page that you have the link for a certain 'Worldwide Micropatrological Institute'.

"Please note that a certain Patrice Chairoff advertises on this page...http://isuisse.ifrance.com/microwatch/

"...which is linked to his Home Page, that he has a certain literary work entitled 'THE MICROPATROLOGICAL BIBLE 2001 Edition'. This work, which is reported to be available for sale, in reality probably does not exist.

"If it existed, it would have been published in France, and in English, and that is very unlikely...

"Also, France is where I sent the money when I ordered the work, and I sent Dr. Chairoff (the degree may be false also) the money via the reputable Western Union. The work in question was never delivered, although they received my money, and no explanation was given either. Then I was told that they were moving to Spain...

"Please also note that the 'Worldwide Micropatrological Institute' has been on the Internet at least since mid-1999, and yet the Institute doesn't seem to have a single Member... That's pretty strange!

"It also doesn't have enough traffic to even ensure its existence, nevermind the distribution of a multi-volume pubblication (sic), and the website was last updated on 'Sun Dec 31, 2000 9:39am EST', according to stats available on the site itself...

"If you didn't understand so far that the site, and organisation supposedly behind it, is a SCAM, then you are even more gullible than I am, and that's very unlikely, since I'm probably already registered as a Saint in Heaven (which is part of the reason why I sent them $135, for the work and postal expenses, and I'm not even crying about the money).

"Just wanted you to know these details, but also because people like that simply don't deserve the free publicity they are getting from you." A similar e-mail was received on 14 January 2002, from George Cruickshank (Georgivs II, Imperator et Primvs Inter Pares, Sovereign Head of State, Empire of Atlantium). It is posted here verbatim. "I am able to provide independent verification of Mr Tallini's comments on your website concerning 'Dr Patrice Chairoff'.

"I too have had the identical experience of purchasing 'Chairoff's' alleged publication by wiring funds to France, without subsequent supply of the (obviously non-existent) goods ordered. In my case I eventually received an email communication in response to a number of increasingly irate queries claiming that 'Chairoff' had been involved in a serious car accident, delaying the despatch of my purchase. Further queries were then ignored altogether.

"Prior to the conclusion of our financial transaction 'Chairoff' claimed to be soon relocating to Spain, where he was due to open the world's first 'micronational' embassy in Barcelona in September 2001, with the full support of the Catalan government. Reference is made to this fantasy project on the website of the 'Republic of Texas', so I assume this group has also been hoodwinked in a similar manner.

"I have subsequently determined that 'Chairoff's' real name is Dominique Calzi, and, apart from having a background in dubious espionage activities, he has been successfully prosecuted and imprisoned for fraud in France on at least several occasions. These facts were made known to me privately by a member of the French legal profession.

"'Chairoff' works under a number of different aliases - some of them female - and I have seen at least two different websites for his 'Worldwide Micropatrological Institute' - an organization that as far as I can determine does not exist. His list of 'micronations' is apparently a direct steal from the index of Fabrice O'Driscoll's publication 'ILS NE SIÈGENT PAS À L'ONU'.

"He has falsely claimed in private communications to me to be a personal friend and professional associate of SAS Prince Giorgio of Seborga, HRH Michael of Sealand, and of Fabrice O'Driscoll, former Vice Foreign Minister of the Hutt River Province. Mr O'Driscoll has refuted this claim in public communications to me.

"I published my experiences of dealing with 'Chairoff' elsewhere on the web several months ago, in response to which 'Chairoff' publicly threatened me with legal action. I invited him to pursue this course of action in any jurisdiction he felt appropriate, and unsurprisingly have heard nothing more from or about him since that time.

"I trust this communication provides sufficient clarification for the purposes of visitors to your website. If you have any other questions related to this matter please do not hesitate to ask." Another micropatriologist, who has requested anonymity, sent me the following message on 26 August 2002: "As well as having an interest in micronationalism, I'm also interested in heraldry. I was quite interested to find that the name of Chairoff/Calzi is well known in this field as well. He is associated with groups which will sell you a knightship (carefully differentiated from a knighthood), maybe that of the Order of Lazarus, etc., with convincing details of how this is a revived Order from mediaeval times.

"Originally he upset people in this field was by writing a book called 'False Knights, Real Suckers' (in the original 'Faux Chevaliers Vrais Gogos'). This upset two categories of people - those who were in the racket of selling 'knightships', and those who ordered his book, paying in advance, and never received anything.

"The reason why correspondence with him is erratic is simple; he is in and out of gaol (jail) a lot. He claims that this gives him time to concentrate on his main interest, writing. By all accounts, he is man of great personal charm, who genuinely does try to satisfy people's desire to buy his books. However, as the French Government is only too willing to give him the 'time' he wants to write these books - and of course when sequestered he cannot handle money - invariably some buyers are going to be disappointed.

"Most likely the monies sent to him have been deposited in his bank account. When a judgment is made against him for a sum he cannot pay, his funds are confiscated in part payment, and then he pays society, if not his creditors, for the rest by doing some more creative writing.

"The above is a composite of post I have read in different fora, and on several websites, and is thus hearsay. It's not difficult to check up on what I've summarised by doing a websearch under 'Patrice Chairoff' or 'Dominique Calzi' - a rudimentary working knowledge of French, however, is helpful. Some of these suggest that, in his youth, he had a somewhat darker side to his character."



YAMASSEE NATIVE AMERICANS (USA)

Not to be confused with the Yamasee tribe that assimilated into the Seminole tribe.

This group claims to be exempt from Federal taxes, but is not a Federally recognized tribe (Nearly all the professed members are African-American). The group was originally known as "The Nuwaubian Nation of Moors" but changed its name after its leader, Dwight York (alias "Malachi Z. York", alias"Imperial Grand Potentate Noble: Rev. Dr. Malachi Z. York 33°/720°", alias "Chief Black Thunderbird Eagle", alias "Issa Al Haadi Al Mahdi") was convicted in 2004 for multiple racketeering, child molestation, transportation of minors for unlawful sex and tax evasion charges and sentenced to 135 years in prison at the Administrative Maximum facility in Florence, Colorado (also known as "ADMAX" or "SuperMax").