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The Dominion of Melchizedek is an entity that aspires to statehood, and is known for the licensing of banks that fraudulently operated in many parts of the world.
Its modern history dates back to the 1950s when Evan David Pedley discovered Melchizedek but it only became active when his son, Ben David Pedley, who uses a number of pseudonyms, including "Tzemach David Neter Korem" and "Branch Vinedresser" published a bible translation known as the Melchizedek Bible in 1986.
While supporters of Melchizedek assert that it is an "ecclesiastical sovereignty," similar to Vatican City, and while its flag incorporates Christian, Jewish and Islamic symbols, Melchizedek apparently posesses no established church or formally identified religion, so this claim is considered meaningless by some external observers.
Melchizedek also claims Jerusalem as its "homeland", based on the Biblical legend of Melchizedek, who is said to have been priest-king of Salem, however no person associated with Melchizedek is known to reside there, and as the "Dominion" posesses no known means of enforcing its claim, it is also sometimes dismissed as fantasy.
During the 1990s Melchizedek claimed a number of mostly uninhabited Pacific islands, most of which were already claimed by sovereign states, including the Marshall Islands, Colombia and France. Melchizedek's claims include Taongi Atoll, Malpelo Island (used by a Colombian military garrison), Karitane Shoal, Solkope Island and Clipperton Island. Melchizedek also claims a large previously unclaimed section of Antarctica and lands on the Fijian island of Rotuma. Most of these claims seem unrecognised by any established government.
The Melchizedek website claims that it is a recognized sovereign entity, however, numerous media outlets, including Forbes magazine and The Washington Post, have identified it as dubious. Over 300 investors have lost money in purported investments run by several banks licensed by Melchizedek, owned in one instance by a supposed "diplomatic representative" of the "Dominion".
The Dominion of Melchizedek initially was described as "non-existent" by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. However, after successfully suing a lawyer that operated one of those Melchizedek banks, the Commission re-identified the dominion as such, "The Dominion of Melchizidek has a website promoting itself as a sovereign entity, recognized by certain governments." 1999 US Securities and Exchange Commission civil case involving bank licensed by the Dominion of Melchizedek
Frauds linked to Melchizedek
According to John Shockey, former special assistant, U.S. Comptroller of the Currency, in an address to the 4th International Financial Fraud Convention in London, 27 May 1999: "The Dominion of Melchizedek is a fraud, a major fraud, and not a legitimate sovereign entity. Persons associated with the Dominion of Melchizedek have been indicted and convicted of a variety of crimes." The "government" of Melchizedek is mail routing was based in the Australian capital city of Canberra, where it maintained a post office box address.
Marshall Islands statement
In response to one of Melchizedek's territorial claims the government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands responded as follows:
The Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands condemns the claims and activities asserted by (alleged) representatives of the "Kingdom of EnenKio" and the "Dominion of Melchizedek". The representatives making claims of separate sovereignty are not citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and have no right to make claims on behalf of Marshallese landowners. Furthermore, these representatives are making fraudulent assertions that violate the Republic of the Marshall Islands's constitution. The area of land and ocean which the "Kingdom of EnenKio" asserts as a sovereign nation separate from the Marshall Islands and (some of) the area of land and ocean which the "Dominion of Melchizedek" is asserting control over are areas within the geographical and political boundaries of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Subsequent to the above diplomatic memo by the Marshall Islands to other nations, wherein it encouraged nations friendly to it not to recognize claims of Melchizedek in the Marshall Islands, the recognized Iroijlaplap (chief) of Taongi appeared on an Australian television current affairs programme in which he was quoted as saying he granted Melchizedek a 50 year sovereign lease over Taongi Atoll, however, sovereignty (as opposed to land title) may belong to the Republic, not to any private citizen, so the Iroijlaplap's action may have no sovereignty attached to it.
Recognition
An article in the Washington Post notes that The Dominion of Melchizedek was "diplomatically recognized" by the Central African Republic, in 1993, but suggested that readers would get the "feeling" that that nation would probably "recognize the State of Denial if it had a letterhead", while an article on Quatloos, an online anti-fraud site states that "Melchizedek has apparently obtained some sort of recognition from some smaller states all of which are notable for their corruption."
As far as is known, Melchizedek does not maintain a diplomatic mission or any other form of representation in the Central African Republic, nor is there any other evidence confirming the existence of a formal bilateral relationship of any substance. Melchizedek's web site claims that it has since been "recognised" by several other African nations, including Burkina Faso.
See also
External links
- Official site
- Cyberfraud: The Fictitious Dominion of Melchizedek - Article detailing the criminal history of the founders of Melchizedek and their associates.
- Warning from the Comptroller of the US Treasury Department.
- 1999 US Securities and Exchange Commission civil case involving bank licensed by the Dominion of Melchizedek