A shelf company is a shell company that is created, and then left inactive for years before being used. Like an aged wine, but for financial crime. Shelfs provide a history of clean business records to persons interested in tax evasion, money laundering and loan fraud. Premium shelf companies also have bank accounts, credit cards, websites, Tax IDs and are “warmed up” where they engage in transactions with other shelf companies to create a transaction and credit history.
Shelf companies are sold by “enabler” lawyers and company formation agents to the highest bidder, with ownership transferring as quickly as in one day. The new owner can then use their shelf to immediately move money or assets globally, or fraudulently obtain a credit line based on the age of their company. If investigators ask questions, the shelf can produce years of records that show a clean record and business activity. In actuality, this record is fake and is meant to mislead.
This list contains a database of “unburned” shelf companies that have not been mentioned in any press or criminal proceedings, but which are assessed as high-risk based on a number of proprietary factors.