Saint Lucia Revokes Citizenship of Convicted Chinese Money Launderer

Moustafa Daly
Cairo

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Saint Lucia has revoked Junjie Su’s citizenship, formerly known as Haijin Su, who naturalized through the country’s Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP).

The decision follows Su’s 14-month prison sentence in Singapore for his role in the country’s largest money laundering case.

The government exercised its authority under the Citizenship by Investment Act, which permits revocation when a citizen’s actions may bring Saint Lucia into disrepute.

Su, who obtained his citizenship in 2018 under the previous administration, was implicated in complex financial networks used for money laundering operations.

Due to confidentiality policies, the government did not disclose the exact nature of his investment under the CIP.

Saint Lucia’s actions follow neighboring Saint Kitts & Nevis’ “deactivation” of Daren Li’s passport.

Daren Li, who is also originally from China, had pleaded guilty to money laundering charges.

Saint Lucia and Saint Kitts & Nevis are not the only Caribbean CIP nations taking action. Dominica revoked the citizenship of 68 people that the government deemed had obtained citizenship through “fraud, false representation or the concealment of a material fact.”

Earlier this year, MSR Media filed a RICO lawsuit in the US, alleging corruption and fraud within the Saint Lucian CIP. The government has continuously denied these allegations.

The government published its decision in the official Gazette. This marks the first time the current administration has taken such action. The previous government had revoked six CIP citizenships in 2018.

Deputy PM adamant about fighting CIP abuse

Deputy Prime Minister Ernest Hilaire emphasized that while his administration did not approve Su’s initial application, they considered revocation necessary to protect national interests.

Hilaire said that the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) has strengthened its vetting procedures, but “enhanced due diligence processes” now result in longer processing times.

The CIU has also secured additional resources from key partners, including banks, the National Insurance Corporation, and the immigration department, to manage increasing application volumes.

While maintaining most existing procedures, the administration has made one significant change: Discontinuing its relationship with “the Chinese due diligence firm previously engaged for citizenship application reviews.”

Instead, the CIU now exclusively partners with “respected firms from the United States and the United Kingdom” for comprehensive background checks.

The government will not refund individuals who lose citizenship due to criminal conduct.