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The Dominion of Melchizedek is a micronation known for being directly linked to large scale banking fraud in many parts of the world.
It was created in 1986 by Evan David Pedley and his son, Ben David Pedley, who uses a number of pseudonyms, including "Tzemach David Neter Korem" and "Branch Vinedresser". The Pedleys were each convicted and imprisoned for various land and share-related frauds on multiple occasions during the 1980s. They are also responsible for publishing a bible translation known as the Melchizedek Bible.
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 posesses no established church or formally constituted religion, so this claim is considered meaningless by most 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 means of enforcing its claim, it is also generally dismissed as fantasy.
During the 1990s Melchizedek began to promote the idea that it posessed sovereignty over a number of Pacific islands. All of these territories were already the possessions of recognised states. Melchizedek's claims include Taongi Atoll (an uninhabited posession of the Marshall Islands), Malpelo Island (a posession of Colombia, inhabited by a military garrison), Karitane Shoal (a submerged reef), Solkope Island (part of Fiji) and Clipperton Island (a possession of France). Melchizedek also claims a large section of Antarctica. None of these claims are recognised 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 a ruse. Over 300 would-be investors have lost money in purported investments run by several banks licensed by Melchizedek, operated in one instance by a supposed "diplomatic representative" of the "Dominion".
Among other things, the Dominion of Melchizedek has been described as "non-existent" by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
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 allegedly based in the Australian capital city of Canberra, where it maintains a post office box address.
Marshall Islands statement
In response to one of Melchizedek's fraudulent 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) belongs to the Republic, not to any private citizen, so the Iroijlaplap's action has no legal foundation.
Recognition
An article in the Washington Post notes that The Dominion of Melchizedek was "diplomatically recognized" by the Central African Republic, in 1993, but commented 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. Claims that the DoM has received recognition from any major government are purely lies."
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.
- Dominion of Melchizedek is a Criminal Scam - Article providing a detailed history of Melchizedek and the criminal activities it has perpetrated.
- Scamdog - Another article describing Melchizedek's criminal activities.
- 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